WINTER 2007 acidula A Tropical Classic

Bonsai Societies of Florida, Inc.

VOL XXXVIII NUMBER 4 ISSUE 152 WINTER Contents

EDITOR Please submit your notices and A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT MIKE SULLIVAN articles in advance of your events. 2 LOUISE LEISTER 11721 Spinnaker Way Follow the advertising schedule Cooper City, Florida 33026-1233 below to plan your promotional A MESSAGE FROM THE EDITOR MIKE SULLIVAN [email protected] materials and send them to the 5 Florida Bonsai Editor. EMPHIS ACIDULA ROPICAL LASSIC PRESIDENT P –A T C CHENG CHENG- KUNG LOUISE LEISTER “Bonsai Societies of Florida,” 6 4 Claridge Court South “BSF,” and its logo are trademarks TROPICAL BONSAI – INAGUENSIS Palm Coast, Florida 32137-8350 of Bonsai Societies of Florida, 12 MARY C. MILLER [email protected] ©2007 BSF All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may BEYOND BELGIUM & BONSAI Florida Bonsai is the official pub- MAUREEN WALLNER & be reprinted, copied, or otherwise lication of the Bonsai Societies 18 DOROTHY SCHMITZ reproduced without the written of Florida. It is published quar- permission from the Editor. terly, in February, May, August and GROWING SATSUKI AZALEAS IN A TROPICAL CLIMATE November, and is provided to Contributed articles express the 26 STEVE PILACEK every current member. If you are opinion of the author and do not a Florida resident and would not necessarily reflect the views BONSAI…A COLLECTOR’S PARADISE…OR like to subscribe to Florida Bonsai of the BSF Board or the Editor. 30 BEN LISS please see the subscription form HOHIN ATTER OF IZE on the inside back cover. S –A M S AdvertisinG 31 MIKE SULLIVAN Submission of articles should RIVATE ESSION be made directly to the editor. P S – BSF 2007 For advertising schedules and rates CONVENTION HIGHLIGHT The upmost care will be given to please contact Henry Robbins at 32 ROB KEMPENSKI respect our author’s intended bsf.treasurer gmail.com meanings. Author supplied pho- @ BSF CONVENTION 2008–AN OVERVIEW tos will be used as space permits. deadlines for advertising 34 CONVENTION TEAM Spring Issue – 12/10/07; ON THE Spectacular yamadori bonsai created by Summer Issue – 3/10/07; Be sure to visit our website at: COVER: Cheng Cheng-Kung, headliner of the BSF 2008 Convention Autumn Issue – 6/10/07; www.bonsai-bsf.com in Cape Canaveral. Winter Issue – 9/10/07

FLORIDA BONSAI NOVEMBER 2007 PAGE 1 A Message from the Presidenu

all is here and we are in full swing for our next Along with Cheng we have many We have added another feature to convention “Si-Diao BSF 2008”. I hope every- other talented artists to round this year’s program, which is the one has received their Newsletters and the convention out this convention, all of whom addition of several all-day work- registration form that was sent to the membership via e-mail I am sure you will enjoy. We have shops with the artists. This was from BSF. The Convention Newsletter will be a monthly addition to included Florida’s own Ed Trout done to insure that everyone has Fyour e-mail correspondence from BSF and you will receive them until in a spectacular Bougainvillea ample time to complete their June 2008. This Newsletter will keep you up-to-date on all the conven- workshop and a Bring Your Own project with the artist, and the tion details and important information needed to make the 2008 workshop. Mike Rogers will full design is worked into the tree Convention a most memorable experience. Please make sure any present a Shimpaku Juniper work- before the sessions are over. With changes to your e-mail address are reported to Narelle Robbins, shop, Toby Diaz will do two work- the use of such challenging mate- Corresponding Secretary, [email protected] and Carol shops: one with Shohin Neea rial, you will need more time to Partelow, Membership Chair, [email protected]. If you don’t buxifolia, and a second with large complete the work, so please update your file with us you will not receive the information from BSF. old Ficus nerifolia. notice that many of the work- This is very important information and we trying very hard to keep all shops are full-day programs giving Other artists who will be traveling BSF members current with the events of BSF. We have made many you an enjoyable learning session to us are Sean Smith from changes to BSF to bring us forward into the future and up to par with and ample time to complete your Pennsylvania doing both a Daiza the modern age of e-mail and internet information. We can’t reach you bonsai. They are listed on the Carving workshop and Tool if we don’t have your correct e-mail address, so please keep us informed schedule of the registration form Sharpening workshop. These will so you don’t miss any important communications. as Part 1 & Part 2. Please take be hands-on programs, and details notice of these. More details will With that said, I information pertain- will follow in subsequent news- be included in the newsletters hope everyone ing to his work and letters. Gustavo Bures from that follow. enjoyed the first techniques which will Puerto Rico will be conducting a newsletter introduc- help you understand workshop with Bucida spinosa, a As you now know, much work has ing Mr. Cheng his art of carving. tree native to his homeland. The been going on behind the scenes Cheng-Kung as our Much can be learned material is again world-class and to put this event together. We headliner. I also sug- from his website prior we searched long and hard to want to make the convention a gested visiting his to the convention to make sure it was worthy of these great learning experience. Please website to learn more about Si- become well acquainted with him. artists. We continue to strive for read your newsletters and if you Diao carving. I hope everyone has I think you will all be very happy the finest quality material to have any questions, please feel had the opportunity to do so by watching and learning from this make our members proud when free to e-mail the convention team now. There are many pictures and very humble, talented artist. leaving their workshops.

PAGE 2 FLORIDA BONSAI NOVEMBER 2007 PAGE 3 Pemphis acidula – A Tropical Classic BY CHENG CHENG-KUNG

ossessing intricate branch patterns and rich shari, Pemphis acidula is an excellent subject for bonsai creation. To my knowledge, it is a volunteer native species that grows among rocky crevices along the PPcoast. Its natural habitat is distributed from the region of southern to Okinawa. Influenced by the climate, the species that grows in has hard trunks with small . How - ever, the natural occurring specimens that grow in the have stronger character and bigger leaves. The former case is suit- able for compact-to-medium bonsai cultivation but the later one is more suitable for large scale bonsai. As both the Philippines and Taiwan are often attacked by typhoons during summer, the trunks of Pemphis acidula always have a tortuously-wavy character.

Recently, cases of fail- 1. Okinawa is also ure when cultivating one of the native Pemphis have been fre- regions of Pemphis quent and common acidula. It is located Pemphis acidula bonsai created by the author. in Taiwan. The main at a higher latitude, problem resides on where the climate What is the proper cultivation? where both sea tide and sea serious fall and is a lot colder than It is a well accepted notion that breeze reach. Seawater serves as branch loss during Taiwan. it’s a good practice to emulate a water source on one hand and winter months. As a the original environment condi- eliminates the frost harm in win- 2. If low tempera- result, many horticulturists thus tions of each species, as close as ter on the other. Figure 2 shows ture were a determining factor, conclude that Pemphis acidula possible, in order to cultivate that their twisted roots simply Pemphis acidula would not grow cannot endure cold weather. In healthy . Only with strong, cover coarse rocks or coral reefs! naturally enduring the sea breeze fact, Pemphis acidula can with- healthy material the aim of artis- According to these observations, of Okinawa’s rock-faced coast. stand a cold winter, but is indeed tic creation can be achieved. If we know Pemphis acidula prefer sensitive to sudden temperature So, Pemphis acidula is able to one has a chance to observe nat- to grow on places with good air changes. The following facts will withstand cold winter (at least ural occurring Pemphis Acidula (as ventilation and need lots of salt evidence their cold hardiness: in the subtropics) if proper cul- can be seen in figure i) you will water and fertilizer. In addition, tivation is provided. notice that they grow on spots it’s roots like to breathe freely.

PAGE 6 FLORIDA BONSAI NOVEMBER 2007 PAGE 7 Tropical Bonsai – Nashia inaguensis

BY MARY C. MILLER

r. Popenoe, a former director of Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, was the first to recognize Nashia inaguensis as a potential bonsai subject. He pointed it out to me during a Fairchild distribution day back in Scale on the underside of Dthe 80s. He was right…woody trunk, small leaves, tiny and branch is infected with , fast growing, and fragrant too! Asterolecanium (pit scale).

In its natural habitat the is SWEET NASHIA rangy. The secondary branches Most people know Nashia quickly in a small container. For appear on the trunk as well as on appear in whorls and shoot out inaguensis has fragrant leaves. Just best results grow it for girth first. branches. To keep an established long and straight. A full-grown brush lightly and they give a Bahama Berry bonsai looking Nashia, with ideal growing condi- The fast growing angular develop- pleasant herbal good . . . prune, prune, prune. tions, reaches about ment is ideal for training in the aroma. During a 7–8 feet in height. clip-and-grow manner. Wire can LOCATION AND WATER particularly heavy Fully matured in the be used to add movement to blooming of my Nashia is a true tropical, not a ground, the trunk other wise linear branches. The Nashia bonsai, I sub-tropical . It demands develops to 2–3˝ mature plant has very hard . noticed a stronger, sun, heat, humidity, water and in diameter. When removing an unwanted sweeter smell. It was good air circulation. Meeting branch, consider breaking it and The leaves (approxi- the clusters of tiny these needs can paradoxically 1 cautiously tearing a shari rather mately ⁄4˝ in length) flowers. Two scents on create a bit of a problem as a bon- than using a concave cutter. The when brushed or one tree, what a prize! sai. Full sun and good air circula- results are very natural looking. touched exude a delightful, spicy tion, where it is most happy, can NASHIA AS BONSAI aroma. The flowers are even During the growing season cause this plant to dry out very smaller than the leaves, white and This is a tropical plant with excel- development is rampant, sprouts quickly; primarily because the very close set in groups on the lent potential as a shohin bonsai. branch. The flowers attract many The trunk of Nashia inaguensis Scientific Name: Nashia inaguensis pollinators, especially the Atala acquires an almost fluted, old look Family: butterfly. Fruit of the Bahama very quickly. Rootage at ground berry is smaller still and develops level is consistently abundant and Relative of: Lantana in tiny orange to reddish-orange adds to the aged appearance. It Common name: Bahama Berry, Moujean Tea, Pineapple Verbena and bead-like clusters. does not develop a trunk very sometimes known as “I Dry, I Die”

PAGE 12 FLORIDA BONSAI NOVEMBER 2007 PAGE 13 82

PAGE 24 FLORIDA BONSAI NOVEMBER 2007 PAGE 25 Convention 2008 – An Overview BY YOUR CONVENTION TEAM

t the 2007 convention, we wanted to set a new seen in a convention standard for the quality of the workshop material workshop before. being offered. We wanted to provide quality work- They are big. We shop trees at a reasonable price, and judging by the fact the 100% of were fortunate to AtheA workshops were sold out, I think we accomplished that goal. If get these large there was a complaint, it was that there wasn’t enough time to work on Podocarpus from our the material using the advanced techniques that we were encouraging friend Robert people to learn and use in the workshops. I think that you will see that Pinder at Dragon we addressed this problem in 2008, so please read on! Tree Bonsai in Palm City. If you haven’t The theme of the 2008 conven- provide our members with some been there, you are truly missing So, thanks to our friend Erik tion is called “Si Diao” bonsai, material worthy of carving. out on some spectacular material. Wigert of Wigert’s Bonsai which means silk thread carving Our first workshop dedicated to These Podocarpus are just scream- Nursery in Bokeelia, we have and was created by our head lining carving will be on Podocarpus ing to be carved, so with the guid- extra large Bouganvilleas for you to artist Cheng Cheng-Kung from macrophylla and will be conducted ance of Cheng, that’s what you work on. We brought several peo- Taiwan. Another of our guest by Cheng. These Podocarpus are are going to do. You may ask, how ple over to Ed’s house to take pic- artists is our friend Sean Smith unlike anything you have ever can we carve such large trees in tures of them, and I swear their from Pennsylvania who is world- three hours, to which I answer, jaws hit the ground when they saw renowned for his daiza carving you can’t. So, you have a full day the trees. Its really nice to have abilities. Since we have so much to carve to your hearts content, people tell you to sign them up for talent in carving at this conven- and I don’t mean two–tree hour the workshop without knowing tion, we thought it only fit to sessions, I mean a full day – the price. Oh, nearly forgot to eight hours! mention that this workshop goes all day too! And I do mean all day Our second workshop is with one – eight hours!! of Florida’s favorite artists, Ed Trout. For Ed, we decided to get Our third workshop, builds on some Bouganvillea glabra, and what we learned from David being that this convention’s DeGroot at the 2007 convention theme is carving, it just wouldn’t and that is how to care for our be appropriate to give Ed trees tools. Sean Smith will be conduct- that weren’t worthy of carving. ing a four-hour workshop on how

PAGE 34 FLORIDA BONSAI NOVEMBER 2007 PAGE 35 M I K E C A R T R E T T

Lectures, Demonstrations, Workshops, Private Sessions, Bonsai Redesign, Repotting, Maintenance, and Sales YOUR SOURCE FOR TROPICAL INFORMATION. B.S. in Horticulture, Over thirty years as a nursery owner.

CALL 561.586.2541 OR EMAIL [email protected]

82 AA Care Care Manual Manual and and Guide Guide for Florida’s for Florida’s Tropical TropicalBonsai Bonsai Growers Growers TropicalTropical GreenGreen SheetsSheets

•z Over 200 pagespages covering covering 127 127 species species •z Appendices withwith articles articles covering covering repotting, repotting, watering, etc. etc. •z Tips andand Tidbits Tidbits pickedpicked up up along along with the way way •z Photographs of of individual individual species species •z A Tropical Gallery Gallery of of finished finished bonsai bonsai from from various variousbonsai artists bonsai from artists South from Florida. South Florida.

GoGo to www.gulfstreambonsai.org toto order. 92 FAR EAST STATUARY MELBOURNE, FL 321.403.1245

Orlando, Florida POT SALE!!! BELOW WHOLESALE!!! FINE GRANITE CARVINGS

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PAGE 40 FLORIDA BONSAI NOVEMBER 2007 PAGE 41 Dragon Tree Bonsai LARGE SPECIMEN TREES AVAILABLE Jupiter Bonsai ROBERT PINDER 3663 S.W. Honey Terrace, Palm City, FL 34990 (772) 418-7079 email [email protected] Right Next to Turnpike Exit #133 in Palm City We are proud to have supplied the large Cypress specimens for the BSF 2007 Convention workshops. Please come join us at our study group meeting held on the second Sunday of every month. Time: 10–1 at Dragon Tree Bonsai, We’re looking forward to seeing you.

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Above, Proprietor Allen Carver and wife Leah with two of his creations, a bonsai and his beautiful daughter, Ella!

Bonsai, Pre-Bonsai, Nursery Stock, Stands, Tools, Pots, Soil, Wire Everything for your bonsai needs! Call 561. 628. 6392 for information 81 WHOLESALE TO THE TRADE Bonsai ArtWork by Virginia 904 269 9663 Retail, Demonstrations and Workshops for Bonsai Clubs by Appointment Only. visit our website: www.jupiterbonsai.com email for information [email protected] 74 83

PAGE 42 FLORIDA BONSAI NOVEMBER 2007 PAGE 43 Schley’s Bonsai & Supplies Bonsai by Dura-Stone 1080-A Ridgewood Avenue • Holly Hill, FL 32117 • (386) 295-2612 Dura-Stone Nursery was started as a wholesale nursery specializing in landscape , cacti and bonsai. As the demand for bonsai and prebonsai increased we decided to discontinue the landscape and cactus plants.

We are now a full-service bonsai nursery specializing in tropical plants. We carry several lines of bonsai pots, tools, wire and soil. Our prebonsai are all trained for bonsai with low branches and heavy trunks. The

Store hours: Tuesday – Saturday 10:00 am to 5:00 pm Specializing in large trunk trees. finished bonsai are in We have over 100 Cypress trees all sizes from mame to with trunk diameters from 4˝ to 16˝. very large. Over 5,000 plants in stock, The nursery is open to 500 in bonsai containers. the public Monday–Friday We carry a wide variety of from 8–5 or by appoint- Japanese and Chinese pots, ment. as well as soils and tools. The nursery is open to the Monthly workshops conducted. public the fourth Sunday of each month, weather permitting, for a free workshop. NOVEMBERSPECIAL SPECIAL! You may bring your own plants, purchase from the nursery or just come to visit. Bring this ad and get 20% off Bring this ad to the nursery by June 15 and Jim Smith, Jim Van Landingham, Doug Smith or one of the other regular visitors is your next purchase!!! you will be eligible to buy 1 tree and always willing to help you. (One time only, no repeats. get 1 tree of equal or lesser value for ½ price. One order per customer per coupon.) We wholesale to bonsai dealers throughout the country and internationally; we will ship any way you choose. DIRECTIONS: From I-95 take exit 265 (LPGA Blvd East). Head towards Holly Hill/Daytona, about 4½ miles. At Ridgewood Avenue, US 1 South, take a right, Schley’s bonsai is 2nd driveway – Dura-Stone Nursery approximately 20 feet on the right. 304 Old Dixie S.W., Vero , FL Please visit our website at www.schleysbonsai.com email: [email protected] or visit us at: www.jimsmithbonsai.com 81 83

PAGE 44 FLORIDA BONSAI NOVEMBER 2007 PAGE 45 Wigert’s Mango Grove & Nursery Bonsai Societies of Florida Bonsai, Pre-bonsai, Pots, Tools, Supplies, Classes Your source for quality tropical material. OFFICERS

15857 Quail Trail PRESIDENT Louise Leister [email protected] Bokeelia, Florida 33922 1ST VICE PRESIDENT Vladimir Foursa [email protected] 239.896.5549 • 239.283.2910 [email protected] 2ND VICE PRESIDENT Erik Wigert [email protected] 82 CORRESPONDING SECRETARY Narelle Robbins [email protected]

RECORDING SECRETARY Carol McKinney [email protected] BSF Membership TREASURER Henry Robbins [email protected]

Individuals acquire BSF membership as members of a local affiliated club. Other PAST PRESIDENT Gene Callahan [email protected] memberships include: Member-At-Large, Member Organization-At-Large, Donor TRUSTEES COMMITTEES Membership, or Special Life Membership. DISTRICT 1 Lynn Fabian ARCHIVES Glenn Partelow For membership information contact Carol Partelow, Membership Chair, [email protected] [email protected] 35 Eastwood Drive, Palm Coast, FL 32164-6157. eMail: [email protected] CONVENTION 2008 Henry Robbins DISTRICT 2 Virginia Wager [email protected] [email protected] CONVENTION 2009 Henry Robbins [email protected] DISTRICT 3 Florida Bonsai Publications Larry Downey EDUCATION Glenn Partelow [email protected] [email protected]

A black and white printed version of the magazine is provided to members of the Bonsai EPCOT/BSF Paul Pikel DISTRICT 4 Ronn Miller [email protected] Societies of Florida. A sampling is also available to the public in full-color by down - [email protected] loading from the BSF website: http://www.bonsai-bsf.com/magazine/ MEMBERSHIP Carol Partelow [email protected] The full-color screen version of the publication is in “pdf” format. Be sure you have the DISTRICT 5 Robert Yarbrough [email protected] PUBLICATIONS Mike Sullivan most current version of Adobe Reader. Adobe Reader software is free and available at [email protected] SCHOLARSHIP Louise Leister www.adobe.com. DISTRICT 6 Rita Rosenberg @ [email protected] mysecretbonsai bellsouth.net SPEAKERS BUREAU Louise Leister PHOTO AND ILLUSTRATION CREDITS [email protected] DISTRICT 7 Dorothy Schmitz Cover, Pages 7–10: Cheng Cheng-Kung; Page 2: Ronn Miller; Pages 5, 6,11: Louise Leister; [email protected] WEBSITE Henning Glatter-Gotz Pages 12,14–17: Mary C. Miller; Pages 19-20: Dorothy Schmitz; Pages 26–29: Steve [email protected] Pilacek; Page 30: Mike Sullivan; Pages 32-33: Rob Kempinski; Pages 34, 37: Larry Duke; DISTRICT 8 Ben Liss MORIKAMI Vladimir Foursa Page 36: Ed Trout. [email protected] [email protected]

PAGE 46 FLORIDA BONSAI NOVEMBER 2007 PAGE 47 List of Advertisers

Biogold Series PAGE 46 HB-101 PAGE 42 Bonsai Artwork by Virginia PAGE 42 Jupiter Bonsai PAGE 43 Bonsai by the Monastery BACK COVER Mechanical Coordinators PAGES 24–25 Bonsai Deals PAGE 42 Mike Cartrett PAGE 40 Bryon’s Bonsai Nursery PAGE 40 Schley’s Bonsai PAGE 44 Dragon Tree Bonsai PAGE 42 Tropical Green Sheets PAGE 40 Dura-Stone Nursery PAGE 45 Wigert’s Mango Grove & Nursery PAGE 46 Far East Statuary PAGE 40

Florida Bonsai Subscription ForM

Florida Bonsai is published by the Bonsai Societies of Florida (BSF) four times a year. If you would like to subscribe to Florida Bonsai for $15 a year, please complete the following form. For international subscribers, please send info requests JOIN US FOR THE to [email protected] (the cost will be $15 plus applicable postage). Bonsai Societies of Florida th NAME 35 Annual Convention J UNE 6 TH –JUNE 9 TH 2008 STREET ADDRESS AT THE R ADISSON H OTEL & R ESORT, CAPE C ANAVERAL CITY, STATE, ZIP FOR RESERVATIONS: (321) 784-0000, MENTION BSF 2008 CONVENTION FEATURING TAIWANESE MASTER TELEPHONE NUMBER Cheng Cheng-Kung EMAIL ADDRESS IN TWO FULL-DAY WORKSHOPS & ONE HALF-DAY WORKSHOP WORKSHOPS & DEMONSTRATIONS WITH AFFILIATION Gustavo Bures, Toby Diaz, Mike Rogers,

DATE Sean Smith & Ed Trout ALSO FEATURING OUR 2007 SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS: AMOUNT ENCLOSED Allen Carver & Erik Wigert Make check payable to Bonsai Societies of Florida and mail to: To download our application form: Bonsai Societies of Florida Subscription, www.bonsai-bsf.com/ events/2008/convention c/o BSF Membership, P.O. Box 2058, Jupiter, FL 33468-2058

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