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Omoshiroi red pine forest

April 24, 2012 by Jonas Dupuich

“Omoshiroi” means “funny” or “interesting” in Japanese. It can be used to convey respect or mockery – which makes it a useful term for bonsai.

During a Bay Island Bonsai workshop hosted by Daisaku Nomoto, I brought in a red pine forest I’d grown from seed. Nomoto found the grove to be omoshiroi. He took some interest in the forest, insisting that I bend two of the trunks down and remove a large branch from the main tree. He wasn’t concerned about the unorthodox character of the composition or the lack of taper – the forest was omoshiroi. I asked if I should wire the rest of the branches – Nomoto didn’t think they needed it. The branches didn’t need a lot of attention because carefully detailed branches wouldn’t match the unusual trunks. I thinned new shoots to one pair per branch and removed the old needles.

Red pine forest

Red pine forest – before cutback

Red pine forest - after cutback

After cutback

I’ll wire a few of the main branches when I decandle later this spring. It looks like this forest might be my best candidate for next year’s BIB exhibit, but it’s too early to tell just yet. I’ll know more in fall when the summer growth fills in.

✕

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Filed Under: Styling Tagged With: Red Pine

Previous Post: « From landscape tree to bonsai – part 2
Next Post: New hinoki bonsai »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. tmmason10 says

    April 24, 2012 at 4:44 am

    It’s certainly an interesting grove. Looks nice and I think the adjustments make it look much better.

  2. Juan says

    April 24, 2012 at 6:02 am

    As I have said before, I really like this grove, it is “omoshiroi”. And I truly only mean that in the most enlightened of ways.

  3. David Campbell says

    April 24, 2012 at 8:46 am

    It is a beautiful forrest Jonas, lots of movement. Hope is works for the show!

  4. Lyn says

    April 24, 2012 at 9:25 pm

    I like the shadowy depth of the earlier pic though, I hope by next summer it will look forresty again. Good work.

  5. Steve Moore says

    April 25, 2012 at 12:07 pm

    Interesting concept, and apparently a very apt example. Hmmm …

  6. Carl says

    April 26, 2012 at 6:19 am

    Great work Jonas, It is one of my favorites of your collection.

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