Yearly Archives: 2025

THINGS TO DO THIS MONTH Outdoor: Protect trees from freezing winds that can dry buds and twigs. Water if the soil becomes dry. Trees wintered outdoors should be watered during snowless and sunny or windy periods. Do not fertilize. Trim off obvious dieback. Ventilate enclosures when the outdoor temperature is 40 F or higher. Prepare for repotting season by acquiring new pots and soil supplies. Take notice of trees in nature and note their shapes and branch structures. These observations can be used when shaping trees later in the…

President's Letter – February 2025Prairie State Bonsai SocietyDear Members,As we look back on 2024, we ended the year with a wonderful holiday celebration at Larry Magee's home in Wayne, IL, on Wednesday, December 4. We are incredibly grateful to Larry for graciously hosting this festive gathering for the second year in a row. It was such a delight to connect with fellow members over food and drinks. The White Elephant Gift Exchange was, as always, full of laughs and surprises! Additionally, Larry generously donated a beautiful bonsai tree as…

'Tsukumo' Japanese false-cypress is a slow-growing, dwarf, needled evergreen shrub in the cypress family (Cupressaceae) that can take up to 20 years to reach a height of 10 inches. Eventually it can grow up to 18 inches tall and wide. The genus name derives from the Greek words chamai, for dwarf or low to the ground, and kyparissos, for "cypress." The species epithet, pisifera, is Latin meaning “pea-bearing” and refers to the small rounded cones borne by this tree. The origin of the cultivar is not known with certainty, but it most likely…