Monthly Archives: July 2022

Tree of a Thousand Stars Serissa Foetida Type:  Subtropical evergreen that is native to southern China and southeast Asia.  Grown as an indoor bonsai in temperate parts of the world. These small shrubs are much loved as bonsai for their tiny flowers which may occur 2-3 times yearly, gnarled trunks, and naturally miniature leaves. Most bonsai are S. foetida, of which many cultivars are available. Serissa is a notoriously fussy bonsai. The good news is that they aren’t that hard to keep alive. But considering that most people buy…

Bonsai is celebrated across the Chicago metropolitan area during the month of August! Each year in August, we enjoy some of the most important and exciting weekends for Chicago area bonsai enthusiasts. Our event is held this year on August 5, 6, and 7 at Morton Arboretum, as the Prairie State Bonsai Society presents our bonsai show, workshops, and demonstrations as participants in the Arboretum’s Destination Asia Festival. The second event is held at the Chicago Botanic Garden, with our friends at the Midwest Bonsai Society presenting the 44th…

by Jim Keith Sketch by Jim Keith I have begun to sketch some of my trees in order to develop a stronger vision of where I want to proceed with potential designs.  There are many bonsai masters who have taken to sketching their works, and I believe it helps them to better conceptualize their styling. If you have attended any of Ben Oki’s workshops with our club, you know that Ben sketches the trees he works on as a conceptualization of what he believes the tree should look like…

Outdoor: The most important thing is to water the trees. The second most important is water. Heat and drought can have a major effect on our bonsai. In the sun, a tree in a bonsai pot can dry out surprisingly fast. Check the trees as often as possible and water them thoroughly whenever you water them. Spraying water onto the foliage late in the afternoon can help cool the foliage and container and reduce water loss. Reduce or suspend fertilization. If you are not seeing new growth on your…