Crataegus Bonsai » ezo spruce

Revisting a 2009 Ezo Spruce

crataegus — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 16:35:19 +0000

Spruce bonsai have been ‘in the news’ this past year or two. I’ve posted one spruce already this fall… and I thought, why not continue the trend? So here’s another one. Some of you might remember this four-trunk Ezo spruce clump from an earlier post. It was styled in 2009 and left rather leggy as we can’t always cut to where we’d like the first time around. The recent rewiring allowed me to take the branches back to about where the profile should be.

Spruce is a very popular tree for bonsai in Japan. The vigor and tenacity as a potted tree is equaled by few genera, and the serene, quiet feeling of it is greatly appreciated over the water.

As the tree looked after initial styling and 'potting' in 2009. Stubs were left on cut branches to control some bleeding of the sap.

In September 2011 before rewiring. In 2010 I planted some 'Kokinsai' azalea to the rear, which is a dwarf azalea.

As it looks now following rewiring. There are still thin areas, particularly in the apexes. Spruce develops rather rapidly, however, and I think in about three years this should look more mature. It's starting to look 'quiet'. Halfway there! Although we could argue whether there is ever a 'there' in bonsai.

Engelmann spruce styling–

crataegus — Sat, 02 Oct 2010 20:06:17 +0000

I really like Engelmann spruce. It reminds me so much of Ezo spruce, which my teacher had a love affair with in Japan and so they were quite a few of them in his collection.

I think spruce have a very quiet feeling, like a snowfall. It’s tempting to look for big gnarly trunks with lots of movement for spruce as we do for a lot of conifers, like juniper or pine, and yet spruce is probably at its best as a much simpler upright form with a more naturally tapering trunk.

The final front was shifted a bit to the left.

Needs a bit of growth, especially on the smaller trunk, but there are lots of buds up and down the branches and in several years it will be fuller than I would want it. Spruce buds back very easily on old wood. It's 38" to the top jin.

Ezo spruce, again

crataegus — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 01:00:18 +0000

As promised, here’s the final ‘potted’ photo of that Ezo spruce clump styling in yesterday’s post—

Two things I’ll do in the future is move the left trunk further to the right as it’s a bit too balanced where it is. Also I’ll add a clump of broadleaf evergreen, probably a small-leafed azalea, to the back left. It looks a bit sterile as is.

I have the tree on a wooden board, which will be temporary support for about two years. After that time, I hope the roots will be solid enough (with some interior bamboo shafts) to support the entire kokedama and be able to be placed directly on a bench—sans pot or slab.

Best,

Michael