• Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer

Bonsai Tonight

An educational website about bonsai development

  • Blog
    • How-to Guides
  • Podcast
  • Shop
    • Bonsai
    • Books
    • Soil
    • Soil (wholesale)
    • Supplies
    • Tools
    • Video Consulting
    • Northern California Bonsai Resources
  • About
    • Workshops

Follow the line of the trunk

January 9, 2015 by Jonas Dupuich

The trunk reveals the heart and soul of bonsai. It can anyway. A compelling trunk tells a tree’s life story. It’s the oldest part of the tree and it bears the marks of age. And when the environment in which the tree matures is harsh, amazing things can happen.

Shimpaku

Shimpaku

Ignoring foliage, pots, stands and displays for a moment, it can be fun to study and appreciate intriguing trunk lines.

Needle juniper

Needle juniper

Ume

Ume

Nature’s brush paints with great imagination.

White pine

White pine

Whether these bonsai were crafted by nature or by man, they share a sensibility that is not without artistic merit.

White pine

White pine

And even – or especially – when the trees defy our standard conceptions about bonsai conventions, they remain interesting to the eye.

Black pine

Black pine

Black pine

Red pine

Black pine

Black pine

Red pine

Red pine

Seasonal color doesn’t hurt either.

Euonymus sieboldiana

Euonymus sieboldiana

To conclude for today, a straight line, and a formal and abstract design for an old hinoki. Thanks again to Boon Manakitivipart for the photos.

Hinoki

Hinoki

✕

Subscribe to Bonsai Tonight

New Posts Delivered Every Tuesday and Friday

Success! Now check your email to confirm your subscription.

There was an error submitting your subscription. Please try again.

We won't send you spam. Unsubscribe at any time. Powered by ConvertKit

Filed Under: Exhibits Tagged With: Japan, Taikan-ten

Previous Post: « More outstanding bonsai from the 2014 Taikan-ten
Next Post: Hinoki forests and more at the 34th Taikan-ten »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Paul says

    January 9, 2015 at 6:53 am

    Except for one white pine, all the pines and junipers appear to have deep pots. Is this a new trend are am I behind the times.

  2. Jonas Dupuich says

    January 9, 2015 at 10:59 am

    Hi Paul – deeper pots are common for taller, thinner, trees like these. The pot shape and sizes here are pretty much in line with what I’d expect given the trees’ styles.

    • Paul says

      January 9, 2015 at 5:35 pm

      Thanks.
      I’ll have to remember that.

Footer

Follow Bonsai Tonight

Subscribe

Instagram ● Facebook ● Twitter
  • Blog
  • Podcast
  • Shop
  • About

P.O. Box 6560, Alameda, CA 94501 · 510-915-2025 · jonas (at) bonsaitonight (dot) com

© Copyright 2009-2023 Bonsai Tonight · All rights reserved · Privacy · Log in

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. You can opt-out if you wish. Accept Decline Read More
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT