Bonsai tree

Source: Bonsai Tonight
Show trees are full trees

You’ve heard the phrase if you’ve heard Boon talk about show prep. Full trees demonstrate health and maturity. Although there are exceptions, most bonsai look their best when they’re full.

Fullness means different things for different varieties. I consider the deciduous trees below from Bay Island Bonsai’s recent exhibit to be “full.”







Some of the other deciduous trees in the exhibit are on their way to becoming full. The trident maple below has a wonderful trunk, but the branches aren’t yet as well-developed.



The same could be said of the trident maple below. The primary branches are in place, as are a number of the secondary branches.



I’m not very familiar with Amur maples. Based, however on the specimen below, I imagine that they will ramify well in time.



Chinese quince grow quickly in hot and humid weather, less so in more temperate climes like Northern California. In time, however, I expect this tree to ramify well.




The same can be said for bald cypress, a variety that can develop quickly in the right weather.



Fullness is a different matter for conifers. Shown year-round with their foliage, conifers are often the fullest trees in winter exhibits. I think of the two Japanese black pines below as being “full.”





I’ll say the same for the following black pine. Bunjin are not typically as full as non-bunjin bonsai. The bunjin pine below, however, has a thick trunk, and can support the additional foliage. By showing the tree unwired, the artist conveys the tree’s age through the foliage as well as the trunk.



The following three pines aren’t as full as the above examples. I expect each to be as full as the above examples after a small number of good growing seasons.