Bonsai Tonight

An educational website about bonsai development

Pot selection exercise – semi-cascade ume

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Years ago, my ume bonsai grew upright as an informal upright tree. After losing all but one of the branches several years ago, I decided to change the tree to a semi-cascade style. When it was ready to go back into a bonsai pot, I found I didn’t have any good options for it. The pot below was somewhat of a placeholder until I could find something better.

Ume, 10″ tall , 22″ wide – Japanese pot

After removing the tree from the pot and working on the roots, I lined up the available options and tried them out.

After root-work

The container I was the most curious about was made by Jan Rentenaar. It may not be an obvious selection for a flowering tree, but it made a surprisingly good match. Were it a bit smaller, I might have gone with this option.

Jan Rentenaar

I next tried out a pot by Sara Rayner. The size, color, and texture provide good contrast to the tree, but the straight sides make me thing a sturdier tree would be a better match.

Sara Rayner

A glazed pot by Ashland ceramicist Denny Takeda was a little bit small, but I thought the color was a good match. If the sides had some curves to them, I might have selected it.

Denny Takeda

The pot below from the Ikko kiln is a bit too big.

Ikko

Likewise the old Chinese pot. Were it a bit smaller I think it would be a good match.

Old Chinese pot

A second generation Yamaaki is a good size and style for the tree, but I’d prefer to go with a glazed pot if possible.

2nd generation Yamaaki, Koshosen

A second container by Jan Rentenaar prompted attempts from several angles. The side below shows a lot of color, but the tree doesn’t look particularly stable this way.

Jan Rentenaar

The other side of the container provided better visual stability, but it still felt too wide, especially if I filled the entire space within the container walls with soil.

Jan Rentenaar from the other side

I ended up going with the unglazed Koshosen as it’s a good size and style for the tree. I’ll keep looking for a glazed option, but will see how I like the unglazed clay body when the tree leafs out in spring.

Koshosen

In the meantime, I’ll see what I can do to improve the ramification on the slender low branch and encourage flower buds on the upper branches.

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Comments

  1. One could argue in favor of or against many of these pots for the Ume, but not that they are not all fine pots. Jonas, with your fine taste for bonsai containers, when will you start selling pots?

  2. Love this post Jonas. With so many excellent and varied options to consider it was a terrific lesson in composition and display – something most of us could use more of. I look forward to more exploration on this topic.

  3. What a great essay on pot selection. I appreciate the stability of the pot chosen.

    The second chosen side for the second Jan Rentenaar pot & the placement of the bonsai in it were superb. I was amazed by the Rentenaar pot’s design, lightness & glazing with this bonsai, as well. Liking the container’s thinness with this tree was a surprise for me, but it seemed to elevate the sturdiness & strength of the aged & substantially-weathered tree.

    Thank you for offering so much, repeatedly, Jonas.

  4. Hi Jonas

    No1 for me (Jan Rentenaar) the jagged top edge mirror’s the trunk line perfectly, what a stunning marriage.