Tree of the Month Archive

Wrightia religiosa - Water Jasmine

Water Jasmine, Wrightia religiosa
Carlos A. Morales Collection 

In the year 2001, I started a water jasmine from a cutting. I was intrigued if I could make a bonsai from it. I cultivated it from pot to pot until reaching a 15 gallon nursery pot. Since my knowledge of bonsai at that moment was primitive, I just let it grow without any styling. When the trunk got thicker I started to style it.

  

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At first it was a tall tree. I even used it in a workshop with Mr. Shinji Suzuki to learn more about bonsai. Since at that moment my love for smaller trees was bigger, two weeks later I decided to cut it short. The first part of the trunk had a really nice movement and I decided to change the main trunk of the tree to the first branch, which was very thick. After that, I fell in love with the tree. Both the front and the back of the tree were nice. In a workshop provided by my friend and teacher Mr. Suthin Sukosolvisit, he helped me decide the best front of the tree. We chose the front based on what we thought was the best nebari and tree movement.

Thanks to my photographer Michael Maurer who shot this nice picture of the tree for me on 2014.
In 2015, I decided to restyle the tree into a bigger one, projected in a 5 year plan. I am currently working on changing the angle and allowing the tree to grow. I am looking forward to the new opportunities this water jasmine will bring.

View from above