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These are some of the more popular trees.
The European larch (Larix decidua) and the closely related Japanese larch (L kaempferi) are both tall trees that are pyramidal in shape. They are one of the first trees to come into leaf in the spring. The young shoots are yellowish brown on the European larch and reddish brown on its Japanese cousin. The needles grow in clusters of 10 - 20. They dropped in the winter, this makes the tree look quite sick. There are separate male and female cones. The female cones are pollinated on the wind. They are reddish coloured at first, becoming brown and erect as they ripen. They eventually open up in October; and the winged seeds are then dispersed on the wind. Bonsai Larch Larches are relatively easy to care for as bonsai. These are probably my favourite trees as the leaves are easy to reduce and give a good result. They prefer a sunny position, but will also grow in semi-shade. The soil should be kept nice and moist. If it isn’t, then in hot weather the tree will drop its needles. In cool weather, however, it can survive short periods of dryness without any damage. The soil should be open and granular. A good mixture might be a combination of akadama or John Innes No 3 with sand and fine gravel. Hawthorn and may are the common names for a group of shrubs and small trees belonging to the genus Crataegus. They include many species, both native and imported, that can be found growing wild in all parts of Europe. Some hawthorns have irregular trunks like the muscled arms of a high-performance athlete; the complex pattern of ridges reflects the structure of their internal vessels. The bark i~ dark brown, and tends to peel off in large, flat pieces. The branches are usually very thorny, carrying both surface prickles and actual thorns. The leaves arranged alternatively are dark green in colour, turning yellow, orange or red in the winter depending on the species. Some well-known species produce red flowers, others white Bonsai Hawthorn Hawthorns should be kept outdoors all year round. They like a sunny or semi-shaded position. And are very tolerant of wind. They can be kept moderately wet all the time, but are sensitive to salts. This means that if you use tap water, you should give them generous quantities so the excess salts can be flushed out and don’t build up in the soil. The soil mixture can vary. A mixture of equal portions of akadama or John Innes No 3, sand and planting compost has produced good results. But the soil has to be porous, so it should not be too fine-grained. The hawthorn needs high levels of nutrients. Feed it every two weeks from April to July with an organic bonsai fertiliser. In August, change to a low-nitrogen feed - perhaps even a cactus fertiliser. Overwinter the tree outside its container, either in the garden or in a large trough filled with sand and peat substitute. Junipers (juniperus) are a group of highly adaptable evergreen plants that can grow as shrubs, bushes or small trees. The bark varies in colour from grey to reddish brown, and normally tends to peel off in thin fibres. The trunks make ideal jins and shari's. There are separate male and female cones. The male cones look like small, round catkins. The buds like female cones are pollinated on the wind, but often don't ripen into the familiar blue juniper berries until the autumn of the following year. Our native common juniper (communis) can be found anywhere in the wild where there isn’t too much competition from other trees and shrubs. It is therefore common on heath-lands and downlands. The dwarf variety grows high up on the Scottish Mountain slopes. Bonsai Juniper As a bonsai, the juniper is hardy and likes a sunny, airy position. If branches are deprived of sunlight, they may become stunted or die off completely. You can water a juniper from the tap all year round. In hot weather it does best in damp soil that is evenly moist, but it can survive short periods of dryness provided the roots are well developed. Young plants need plenty of feeding with an organic fertiliser. Older, mature plants can be fed much more sparingly. Most oaks (quercus species) can survive to a great age. If they’re grown as solitaries, they will develop a short, thick trunk covered in rough bark, and a broad, spreading crown. The branches are gnarled and misshapen, but relatively open in structure. The leaves have irregular lobes, and those on Mediterranean species have a spike at the tip. A tree produces separate male and female flowers in the early spring. The male flowers consist of greenish-yellow catkins, each hanging near a single female flower. After successful wind pollination, the female flowers develop into acorns. On the English oak (quercus . robur) the acorns hang on long stalks in small groups, while on the sessile oak (quercus .petraea) they form large, grape-like clusters. Bonsai Oak Oaks are so much a part of our culture that no British bonsai collection should be without one. The two main species are the Common Oak and the English Oak. These two species should be kept in the open air all year round. They prefer a sunny or semi-shaded location without too much shelter, and will thrive in even the windiest position. The do tend to suffer from mildew which forms on the leaves. They are salt tolerant and lime-loving, so you can always water them with tap water. The soils can vary; the English oak likes a sandy mixture as much as a loamy one. A combination of equal portions of akadama or john Innes No 3, sand and planting compost has proved very effective. When grown as bonsai, oak have proved surprisingly frost sensitive, so the roots, at least should be well protected. The common or European beech (Fagus sylvatica) is one of our most important native trees; the Japanese white beech (F crenata) is very closely related. If they are grown as solitaries, both species mature into tall, stately trees with a handsome spherical crown and branches that reach down almost to the ground. The bark is grey in the European beech, silvery in the Japanese species, and remains smooth even on the oldest trees. The tiny flowers are pollinated on the wind. In the autumn they form triangular nuts, which on the common beech are edible and are known as beechmast. The wavyedged leaves are arranged alternately; on the Japanese species they are smaller and narrower. They sprout from an unusually elongated bud. They turn yellow orange-yellow in the autumn and later brown. The foliage stays on the tree for most of the year; this can be an attractive display. Bonsai Beech Both species prefer a semi-shaded position that is protected from the midday sun. They need shelter from strong w Beeches are very sensitive salts, so you should water it with rain water or any other water that is low in salts. If only have tap water available; give the tree generous amount so that any excess salts are flushed out and don’t accrue late in the soil. A good soil combination is a mixture of equal proportions of akadma or John Innes No 3, and sand. Do not use builders sand as this contains too much lime. The mountain pine (Pinus mugo) comes originally from the mountain ranges of central Europe. The species is extremely variable, and botanists divide it into a whole series of sub-species and varieties. Nurseries, in their turn, have produced an even greater range of cultivated varieties. The main features that distinguish the mountain pine from the more familiar Scots pine are the resinous buds and the shiny-green to purplish-brown bark on the young trunk. The paired needles are 1-2 in (2-5 cm) long, dark green in colour and only slightly twisted. The cones start as bundles of violet-coloured flowers that grow in fairly large numbers along the new shoots. Bonsai Pine As a bonsai, the mountain pine needs a sunny spot that isn't too sheltered. It’s also worth noting that any shaded branches will invariably die off. The soil should be kept well drained but evenly moist -though the tree can tolerate being dry for short periods. Tap water is perfectly suitable for watering. The consistency of the soil should be granular. Young, developing plants should be fed generously from April to August. You can also vary the fertiliser to change the length of the needles: the more nitrogen in the feed, the longer they will grow. Mountain pines are very hardy trees. But they should nonetheless be overwintered outside their containers in a garden bed. This is to ensure that the roots are kept evenly moist.. The Japanese white pine (Pinus pariviflora) belongs to the group of pines that have the shortest needles, and in the wild it doesn’t grow very tall. The bark is tinged with grey or black, and roughens with age. The needles grow in bundles of five - hence the alternative name five-needled pine. These trees produces separate male and female cones. Which develop on special short shoots that are often called candles. There are several well-known varieties and cultivars of the Japanese white pine. Bonsai Japanese white pine This is one of the more traditional Japanese styles. The Japanese white pine should be kept in the open air all year round. To thrive it will need a sunny position. The Japanese white pine is dependent on a fungus called micorrhiza, with which it forms a symbiotic (mutually beneficial) relationship. If the soil is kept too wet, the fungus will die and the health of the tree will suffer. For this reason, it’s absolutely vital to keep the soil evenly moist at all times, and not to let it remain wet for too long. INDOOR BONSAI The tree of a thousand stars (Serissafoetida), also of Asiatic origin, is best known in the UK as one of a series of cultivars with variegated leaf patterns and a range of flower shades. The narrowly oval leaves are only half inch (1 cm) long and symmetrically arranged; in the species they are dark green. The tree is named for the profusion of tiny, star-like flowers that appear in June. They are usually white, although there is a pink cultivar. The branches are covered in a thin, fraying bark. Bonsai requirements This is a popular Bonsai and sells well in Garden Centre outlets. This tree suffers quickly if it is left to dry out. The leaves will wilt go brown and fall off. If it gets to this stage then the only solution is to soak it in water for a number of hours. I have saved a couple like this. The Chinese elm (Ulmusparvi folia) is one of several Asiatic elms that thrive in a subtropical climate. The main colour of the trunk is dark grey, and it tends to become rough with age. Bonsai requirements The Chinese elm is a popular indoor bonsai plant, partly on account of its toughness and resistance to disease. It can usually overcome the ravages of poor treatment, and even of pests such as spider mites, provided you notice them in time. It does, however, need plenty of sun and humidity at all times of year. Out of doors it can stand direct sunshine all day, but you will need to accustom it to this gradually The foliage benefits from heavy rainfall and strong winds, which help it to become tougher and more resistant. If you overwinter the Chinese elm indoors, keep it in an unheated room in the sunniest position you can find; it should grow as little as possible during the cold season. A good soil mixture is a 2:1:1 combination of akadama or john Innes No 3, sand and planting compost. Other similarly porous mixtures are equally common, and will also work well. |
Larch