Bonsai Exhibit
A highly developed art in California and the northern parts of the U.S., Florida has only recently become known for its unusual species and development of bonsai. To the amazement of the world’s bonsai community, Florida is highly developed in the art and has bonsai species they can only dream of owning.
With over 50 bonsai and plans for 20 more bonsai on exhibit, the quality and quantity of materials continues to improve. Displayed are trees that range in size from 6 to 50 inches, and in age from 5 to 400 years of age. All of the common styles of bonsai design are represented with a great variation of pots and containers. The Morikami is always looking to improve the exhibit from donations, estate distribution, or outright purchase. Several bonsai are displayed thanks to the generosity of experts loaning their prize bonsai for show at the Museum. The majority of trees are sub-tropical with some that are common throughout the world. While most exhibits must shelter their trees during the winter, especially the tropical species, our exhibit is in the open air and available to the public throughout the year. Many of the ficus species that cannot be easily kept anywhere other than in greenhouses are displayed in many styles.
The art of bonsai design is to grow and prune a tree that is pleasant to look at, that represents, but does not duplicate, trees in nature. An aged effect is desirable, using shape, color and texture in ways that evoke a sense of how such a tree was formed over years of growth in nature. The tree must be healthy, sturdy, and displayed so as to enhance its impact. The pots are likewise selected to proportionately and artistically enhance the tree without taking away from it. Branch and leaf density, size, and location, as well as the trunk proportions, color, size, and texture are shaped to be in harmony with the whole. The use of mass and space and the relative location of the parts is critical. In the Morikami bonsai exhibit most of the common styles of bonsai design are included.
Informal upright styles have the same elements as the “Formal” except that all elements, trunk and branches are curved. These curves define where the branches are located as well as their size and proportion. Where the curves begin and end is an element of the art. Slant styles can be “Formal” or “Informal” with the apex off to one side of the giving the tree the appearance of having been shifted to the side by wind or other forces of nature. Cascade styles have most of the tree over the side and below the top of the pot or container. All of the elements of design that are used in the above are appropriate for the Cascade design though aimed downward rather than the customary upward direction. Hence, the tree represents a tree growing on a cliff or high spot on a mountain. Semi-cascade styles have a significant portion of the tree off to the side as if to flow outward but the tree is predominantly above the bottom of the pot. Wind blown styles may be any shape as noted above. However, usually all the branches are on one side with the secondary branches and leaves “pointing” in the same direction as would occur if the wind were blowing strongly.
Any tree that has a woody trunk with secondary branches can be styled and considered a bonsai. Most species can be styled to any of the above shapes. Bonsai thrive on sun, rain, and fertilizer. They can be taken indoors for short periods with no bad effects. Some people keep some species indoors, but not many are successful at it. The bonsai exhibit is soaked with water every morning. When the weather is extremely dry they may be watered more than once a day. All the pots have one or more holes in the bottom. The soil is a special mix that drains very well. It is replaced at repotting time. The small “micro” irrigation devises can be seen in each pot. To the degree possible we try to “hand” water them. Repotting is necessary for all bonsai. The frequency and severity depends upon the species, size, and the pot it is in.
Every branch on a bonsai is usually grown and selected to balance and become part of the artistry. Most often these branches are very brittle. Touching a bonsai is extremely disrespectful of the owner and jeopardizes the tree. A bonsai with a broken branch could take 5 to 10 years to replace. The name tags on the trees are for your education. The information includes the common name first, the botanical name second. The “C” relates to the age, “circa,” of the tree indicating when it germinated as a “seed.” After that the “In training since,” indicates the date when the bonsai was first cut and pruned beginning to shape it as a bonsai. Any additional information explains how it got into The Morikami collection. |
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Bonsai, pronounced “bone sigh,” is a tree in or on a container. A pot, slab, rock or any artificial device can be a container. As old as the pyramids, the art of sustaining a tree in a container was propagated by travelers from west to east. Developed into an art in China, the Japanese refined it further. The Paris World Exhibition in 1900 opened the world’s eyes up to bonsai. The end of World War II in 1945 led to importing bonsai from Japan into the U.S. From there it has spread to Great Britain and Europe, Greenland to South America, South Africa to Australia. Bonsai is constantly changing and reaching further. It is a symbol of how small the world is really getting.
Thanks to the hard work and enormous contribution of time and energy by the Bonsai Societies of Florida, the first Morikami bonsai exhibit opened to the public in 1978. To this day, with the development and refinement of the exhibit at The Morikami, the most comparable exhibits are in Washington, D.C., St. Louis, MO., New York City, Seattle, WA, and Los Angeles, CA.
One of the most spectacular bonsai materials on display are the Buttonwoods (Conocarpus erectus), in various shapes, sizes, and styles. The Buttonwood collection in The Morikami exhibit is unique in all the world. Subject to some of the most difficult and harsh climate conditions anywhere these trees, mostly collected from the Florida Keys, are sculpted by the sun, wind, and ocean to spectacular configurations that cannot be duplicated anywhere.
Bunjin or Literati styles feature trees with no branches on the lower portion of the trunk, being relatively tall with all the growth at or near the top. Usually, the growth is very small compared to the size of the tree. Often the tree has a considerable proportion of the living tissue and bark removed to dramatize the effect of the elements.
A “slow release” fertilizer is used with occasional applications of liquid fertilizer.
