[bowhunter444]

Most of you don't know that I'm an Bonsai Artist. This is a picture of my 120+ year old wisteria bonsai. I've always found that when the flowers open is the best time to turkey hunt. I had to take some pics for a publication so I thought I would share.

 

[bobo64]

[cool][up][up]

 

[kenw]

Nice Bonsai.

I used to spend a lot of time in the Bonsai collection at the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens when I was much younger. Even tried it myself a couple of times, but no luck. It's nice to that the art is still around.

Ken

 

[runum n gunum]

Neat[up]

 

[Elmo]

[up]

 

[Stickythehunter]

Very cool. I love the color!!

 

[blackeyes]

where do you get a plant that old, passed down in family?

 

[bowhunter444]

where do you get a plant that old

The tree was dug up in an old estate in Princeton 10 yrs ago and I've been training it for bonsai since then.

I used to spend a lot of time in the Bonsai collection at the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens

I've work on most of the trees in the botanical gardens a good friend of mine was the curator for 10 yrs

 

[ChrisM]

Give a quick overview of what it means to train the tree for bonsai?

I know nothing about it but it seems interesting.

 

[bowhunter444]

Give a quick overview of what it means to train the tree for bonsai?

Once you start to develop a tree for bonsai you need to get branches in the right spot ussually by wraping annealled copper wire around the branch and bending it where you want Bonsai is basically sculpture that is living. you try and develop a tree you would see in nature only in miniture form.

 

[ChrisM]

you try and develop a tree you would see in nature only in miniture form.

Is the actual "thing" that is dug up (for example the one pictured above) actually a tree? Or is it part of something else (like a bush) that is replanted and sculpted to look like a tree?

I guess what im asking is....What did that thing look like when it was dug up in Princeton 10 years ago?

 

[bowhunter444]

Here is a differant tree that I have developed and sold a couple years ago. When this tree was dug out of the gound the only thing there was the two trunks all the branched were developed over a 10 year period.

 

[telefante]

Very cool 444....120 years old - you must pamper that bad boy - are they just stunted because they are root bound? How do you know that it is 120?

 

[bowhunter444]

Telefante it is just a rough quess on the age but it was on an old estate and the azalea on the property were between 120 -130 years old and the wisteria was probally planted in the same time period we counted rings in the azalea to determine age but it is hard to do with wisteria. the trunk was aroung 10" in diameter before the termites got to it.I have a Sierra juniper in my colletion that is over 1000 years old

 

[ChrisM]

So take the tree on the Princeton property for example. If that tree was dug up 10 years go, that means in was in the ground growing for approzimately 110 years. Why did it stay so small?

 

[Cat]

ken I knew when you told me about these things it was pretty unique but had no idea they are that beautiful. Bad mambee jamie

 

[bowhunter444]

They usually are not small this wistera covered a huge trellis what you collect are the stumps and develop the branches with trees in the juniper familly we usually collect in the mountains and becauce of the terain they grow small. If you have ever been to Mt. Washington you will see what I mean as you go up the trees get smaller and more narly that is what I look for for material to become bonsai.

 

[Bowhunter22]

Very cool bro [up]. Who would have thought that a big, tough guy like you had such a sensitive side .

 

[BROWNING 10 GA]

cool [up]

 

[kenw]

I've work on most of the trees in the botanical gardens a good friend of mine was the curator for 10 yrs

Small world, isn't it??

Are you still involved with the BBG? I haven't been back there for 20 years or more. I may have to make a pilgrimage.

The other (split trunk) tree is very nice. It must be hard to part with them after spending so much time and effort training them.

What are you using for the photography. If you're interested, I may have some tips for you. PM me if interested.

Ken