Bonsai tree

This cryptomeria was one of the standout trees in Boon’s backyard when I studied with him ten years ago. He’s been maintaining it for years. It was originally styled by Mitsuya during one of his visits to the states in the early ’90′s, and is the most significant cryptomeria I’ve seen in the United States. It’s about a meter tall, and has been developing as a bonsai for about twenty years.

One of my clients currently owns this tree and we agreed it was time to wire it again for a bit of reworking. On an established tree like this, such work is done infrequently, while the main yearly task is cutting back the growing shoots. The metabolism of this tree is slower due to its long establishment and so cutting the shoots is only about once a year, as opposed to a younger tree where pinching and cutting might be done several times over a growing season. And also debris, such as dead shoots and the like, are removed from the interior of the foliage pads at the time of shoot cutting, giving it an airy feel after the work is completed.

It is noteworthy American tree with a quiet dignity.