faux bonsai

[pavel]

This post is not for any of you bonsai purists out there, you'd only be disappointed I'm afraid.

I've always enjoyed looking at bonsai. Even killed 2 of them in my younger years. [They were the juniper types. The care instructions never mentioned that they needed a cold winter rest ... so they didn't get one and croaked.]

This is my faux bonsai.



Why "faux"? Well I've never trimmed its roots or its branches [other than dead ones] & I've had this ficus for over 5 years now. A purist will tell you that under my circumstances, this is a dwarfed tree, NOT a true bonsai. In addition, I've never taken any active role in shaping it. The "wind-swept" look was achieved passively ... I've always just kept the same side of the pot facing the window. I freely admit, it's not as eye catching as a real bonsai -- definitely would look better with a thicker trunk and some shaping. But it has been ever so easy to care for ... minimal maintainence.

[Diane]

It's charming, and I love the long reach of the limbs. Like a willow blowing in the wind!

[Mehera]

That's really nice Pavel! I have a 12' ficus in my living room. What a difference!

[Brutal_Dreamer]

That is cool. I have tried a bonsai tree one time, but it got too dry and died.

Your 'faux' bonsai tree is just fine!!


Cheers,
BD

[wetfeet101b]

That is beautiful. The "bonzai purists" can bellyache all they want. But what you have there still falls into the bonzai category. As the word translates to "potted plant".

I have tried my hands at bonzai some time ago, I never had much success with it.

[Shaydra]

So... when people yell "BONZAI!!!!" they're yelling potted plant?

[pavel]

So... when people yell "BONZAI!!!!" they're yelling potted plant?

Actually, no. "Bonzai" is that famed Japanese battle cry popularized in many WWII movies ... particularly those dealing with Pearl Harbor. The art of miniaturizing trees, or 'potted plant' as Wetfeet mentioned, is "bonsai" [pronounced "bone-sigh"]

[wetfeet101b]

Hehehe. I made a typo

I meant bonsai as in the gardening term.

The "Banzai Charge" was a signature war maneuver by the Japanese military during the WWI era which is basically an infantry version of the Kamikaze dive. The word Banzai itself translates to "Long Life" or "Eternal". Japanese soldiers would shout their war cry that translates to "Long Live the Emperor" or "Long Live Japan" but Allied soldiers would usually just hear the "Banzai" part and the rest is lost in battle noise.