Care for Bonsai – Over Centuries!
One way of assessing whether you are giving the right care for bonsai is to apply the test of time. Do the bonsai trees thrive as the years pass or do they wither and die?
And if you want to take this to the extreme you can ask how do you care for a bonsai to ensure that it lasts for centuries?
Yes – that is possible! Take a look at the website of the United States National Arboretum if you don’t believe me.
Amongst their many displays is the National Bonsai and Penjing Museum in Washington which is an inspiration for bonsai enthusiasts. Here you can embark on a virtual tour of one of the largest collections of bonsai trees in North America.
The collection started in 1976 with a gift of 53 bonsai and 6 viewing stones from Japan to mark the Bicentennial of the United States. Since then many more bonsai have been added and there are currently 150 specimens in the collection.
Here are some of them. There is a magnificent Japanese white pine which can be traced back nearly 400 years to 1626. It experienced the loving care of the Yamaki family for many generations prior to being donated to the collection.
And since the Yamaki family lived within a couple of miles of the site of the atomic bomb explosion in Hiroshima this bonsai truly is a survivor.
A magnificent trident maple in the collection dates back to 1880.
Several of the trees have connections with American presidents. There is an 80 year old Ezo spruce which the Japanese Prime Minister presented to President Clinton in 1998.
The collection also houses the Goshin masterpiece created by John Naka. This is a spectacular planting of juniper in the forest style.
Like all bonsai, these magnificent trees are living plants and continue to change over time. They are testament to what can be achieved when bonsai are given the appropriate care over many years.
Here’s the link to the National Bonsai and Penjing Museum.
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