Halle & Olderman in the 1970s created a model of 23 types of architectural models to which all tree species are believed to conform. They started with the idea that the shoot apical meristem/s (“SAM” – the primary growing tip) is/are the ‘treemakers’.ref The behaviour of the SAM over time determines the form of the […] Read more… >
The reproductive system and organs of plants are extremely varied and complex, and worthy of an entire website to themselves – a comprehensive view is beyond the scope of this website. But what I want to do is provide a bit of information to help you identify which buds might be reproductive vs vegetative. There […] Read more… >
Most bonsai trees progress through stages of development, each with a different objective. In general the progression is thicken trunk -> achieve branch & root structure -> achieve branch, foliage & root ramification -> reduce leaf size -> evolve as branches grow/fall off. The faster we can move through the first few development stages, the […] Read more… >
Once your tree has grown in the general direction and shape you want, you can refine it through pruning. Cutting into a tree can affect its health & vigour, so it’s helpful to understand exactly what happens to a tree when you do this. A really excellent paper explaining the effect of pruning is available […] Read more… >
Fixed Growth (determinate) (leaves formed inside the bud before opening) Free Growth (indeterminate)(leaves and buds continue forming throughout season) Rhythmic Growth (a bit of both) AshBeechHornbeamOakHickoryWalnutHorse chestnutPineSpruceGinkgo short shoots ElmLime/lindenCherryBirchPoplarWillowSweet gum/ liquidambarAlderAppleLarchJuniperWestern Red CedarCoastal RedwoodGinkgo long shootsMaple Loblolly pineShortleaf pineMonterey pineCaribbean pineCocoaRubber treeAvocadoMangoTeaLycheeCitrusOlivePinus radiata From Thomas (2018) and RNETR
You’ve probably heard of rooting hormone powder, or auxin, or gibberellins – these are all ‘Plant Growth Regulators’. Plant Growth Regulators used to be known as ‘phytohormones’ which means plant hormones. This has been quite a contentious topic among plant biologists. A hormone in an animal is a chemical messenger, a substance which acts as […] Read more… >
Gymnosperms relevant for bonsai include ginkgo and the Pinales order (Araucariaceae, Cephalotaxaceae, Cupressaceae, Pinaceae, Phyllocladaceae, Podocarpaceae, Sciadopityaceae & Taxaceae – this is explained in The kingdom Plantae and where trees fit in). Ginkgo is a special case described separately at the end of this post. So what we’re interested in in bonsai is where lateral […] Read more… >
The term phenology is used to describe the life cycle of a biological organism like a tree. Phenological events for trees include bud development, bud break, flowering, fruiting and leaf & fruit drop, as well as other unseen changes such as sap rising, seed development, root growth, cambial activity or hardening off of tissues for […] Read more… >
After establishing trunk and branch structure, ramification (a fancy word for ‘branching’) of branches and foliage (as well as roots) is a key goal of bonsai. This makes a tree look older and more sophisticated, and gives the bonsai enthusiast options for continued development of the tree. Ramification is created by branching the stems. Stem […] Read more… >
This is a rewrite of my original post on shoots, now I know a *lot* more… So what are shoots? They are the vegetative growth which comes from buds, extending to create new stems. Since stems create the architecture of a tree, shoots are really important when it comes to bonsai. There are three key […] Read more… >