Another Old Friend Visits—

A favorite among my bonsai experiments came back into my care this year. This was a Styrax japonica— not often seen as a bonsai specimen. The purchaser allowed me to take it back for repotting, and some adjustment of the structure. We don’t always get to see the long term effect of wiring on the development of a bonsai and so this was a fortunate encounter. Since I don’t use fertilizer, it was gratifying to see this tree in full bud, just weeks away from its summer halo of tiny white blossoms. Designing as a cascade allowed a long primary leader to mature and strengthen the tree’s vigor. Now a small adjustment was made to promote symmetry in the design for future growth.