Anyone unfamiliar with the Texas bonsai scene might be surprised by the broad range of species in training in the Lone Star State. Alpine species, tropicals, and a variety of Texas natives are commonplace in Texas exhibits, and the recent LSBF/HBS/ABS event was no exception.

Sea hibiscus, Hibiscus tiliaceus

Sea hibiscus foliage

Seeing such a diversity of species calls attention to the different ways in which bonsai can grow and to the various techniques required to train them. Becoming expert, or even adequate, in one’s care of Texas bonsai can require considerable study – or at least a healthy curiosity.

Campeche, Haematoxylum campechianum

Campeche foliage

Escambron

Further contributing to the exhibit were entries from The Texas State Bonsai Exhibition, a collection of impressive trees to be featured in a permanent collection in Austin’s Zilker Botanical Gardens.

Chinese banyan, Ficus microcarpa, from TTBSE

Brazilian rain tree from TTSBE

Brazilian rain tree foliage

The convention exhibit included bonsai, suiseki, and a special kusamono, or accent plant, section. I’ll say more about the accents in a future post. In the meantime, here are more entries from the 2019 Bonsai on the Bayou Exhibition.