Page 35 - BSAM 2015 Q3

They grow at high altitudes, in rocky terrain poor in nutrients, in mountainous areas characterized by high humidity, lots of sun and forms a creeping bush, un- like its cousin, the California juniper, Juniperus califor- nica, from a dry desert climate with a tree-like poise.
The subject of this work is a so-called “sumo bon- sai,”aspecimencharacterizedbyconsiderablesizeand with a mighty trunk full of detail due to the dead- wood—very old and worn by the weather. The tree prior to styling measured over 120 cm in height by 160 in width with a trunk diameter of about 40 cm.
When I travel I am fascinated to participate in the creation of specimens that have passed through sev- eral hands and make my mark for their future as a bonsai. This juniper, collected by the famous Ameri- can collector Randy Knight in 2006 (photo 1), shows right away the features that make it a valuable araki: a trunk with accentuated movement, a lot of deadwood and a compact root system, a sign that in nature the plant probably grew in a crevice in the rocks high up in the Rocky Mountains.
The early years of this century has been a golden period for collecting yamadori in the United States. For many American bonsai artists, these plants have
Middle left and right; This juniper, collected by the famous American collector Randy Knight in 2006, shows right away the features that make it a valuable araki:
a trunk with accentuated movement, a lot of deadwood and a compact root system, a sign that in nature the plant probably grew in a crevice in the rocks high up in the Rocky Mountains.
Top left and bottom left; During his first visit to Portland, Oregon, Walter Pall, renowned German bonsai artist, was able to see and buy the specimen that is the subject of this article. In collaboration with Jim Doyle, owner of Nature’s Way Nursery, they brought the tree to the East Coast.
Bottom right; Two years after harvesting, the juniper has thoroughly rooted and has been repotted in a bonsai pot to continue maturing with regard to the branching.
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