Page 44 - BSAM 2016 Q3

I recognized that the vast majority of technical knowledge used
to train temperate trees in Japan was not suitable for our tropical species.
By José Luis Rodriguez Macias, Puerto Rico
For those of us living in a tropical setting, we have o en faced the misconception that tropical bonsai is only suitable as indoor bonsai. Also, many have marveled at the spectacular bonsai hailing from Asia and
often wondered if such a level is possible or even plausible in our backyards. For a long time, the focus of attention and center of knowledge for an immense population of tropical bonsai enthusiasts was Japan and many of the techniques employed on temperate trees found their way to tropical material. Years ago and a er rst seeing the quality bonsai from Taiwan and Indonesia, I recognized that the vast majority of technical knowledge used to train temperate trees was not suitable for our local species. Furthermore, I was able to identify three pivotal characteristics, which I
consider to be the fundamentals on having world class material:
• Species selection
• Resistance to Pruning
• Leaf Character: Small, shiny, green, rounded
and with a thick lamina
Immediately, I began to weed out certain plants
that did not meet the aforementioned characteristics and kept those who met the criteria. Among the select individuals who made the cut was Clerodendrum aculeatum (Clerodendrum), a coastal species in the Lamiaceae family and a close relative to Premna microphylla. In Taiwan, there is also a species of Clerodendrum suitable for bonsai called Ku Lan Pan, Clerodendrum inerme, known as Pacar Laut in Indonesia and Inerme in the Philippines. e latter, is
42 | BCI | July/August/September 2016
Techniques in Creating Tropical Bonsai:
Clerodendrum aculeatum