Yearly Archives: 2025

Littleleaf LindenLittleleaf linden is a European relative of American basswood (Tilia americana) that is widely planted in the United States. Leaves are simple, alternate, and dark green. They are smaller than the leaves of American basswood, but are also heart-shaped with finely toothed margins. Flowers are very similar to American basswood, with clusters of 5-11 small, yellow-green blooms and similar colored bracts. Female flowers develop into winged nutlets that fall from the tree midsummer.Honey bees are very attracted to littleleaf linden flowers, and linden honey can be high value.…

Dear Members,I hope this letter finds you well and enjoying the beauty of spring with your trees.At our recent meeting, we were treated to a fantastic demonstration by Elle Nieto-Brodnick on styling a Shimpaku Juniper. In just 90 minutes, Elle transformed an untamed tree into a beautifully styled bonsai. It was both inspiring and educational. A heartfelt thank-you to Elle for sharing her time, expertise, and passion with us.To top it off, the styled tree was raffled off—and congratulations to Annie Krzysko, who won it!Looking ahead, we’re excited about…

Why is my bonsai suffering?It could be your water! Is your tree suddenly turning brown, wilting just looking sad? There could be all sorts of causes but a new one we have discovered here at BC Bonsai is our water.We learned several years ago from a water plant administrator that here in the mid-west we have an aging water pipe system and there are several ways to keep the lead from sluffing off the pipes, so we do not get poisoned. Water plants use Chemicals that coat the pipes…

Outdoor: Place trees in a maximum sunlight location. Make certain to water as often as needed. As the weather warms, the trees will need to be watered more frequently, often daily. Be sure to provide enough water at each watering to thoroughly saturate the soil. Fertilize regularly to keep the trees growing and to support the new growth. Pinch new growth as needed to increase the fullness of the foliage pads. Wire as needed, but be careful when working around the soft new growth as it is easily damaged.…

Dear Members,I hope this letter finds you well and enjoying the spring season with your trees.At our recent meeting, we had an engaging and hands-on mini-workshop led by Linda Camp. Members had the wonderful opportunity to delve into the intricacies of wiring techniques. Under Linda’s expert guidance, we explored important details and best practices for properly wiring trees. It was a rewarding and educational experience, and I want to thank Linda for her time, knowledge, and dedication to helping us improve our skills.Looking ahead, we are excited for our…

EUROPEAN OLIVE   photo by Larry Magee The olive is a tree commonly found in Mediterranean countries, with a long cultivation tradition and symbolic importance. Since the 4th millennium BC, it has been cultivated for its fruit.There are two commonly used Olive species in Europe for bonsai - the European Olive (Olea europea) and the Mallorcan Olive (Olea europea var. silvestris), commonly referred to as Ullastre. The standard European Olive has heavy, hard deadwood and slightly large leaves, whereas the Mallorcan Olive has much more striated deadwood and incredibly…

MAURO STEMBURGERS BONSAI DREAM SCHOOLI recently had the pleasure of being in the first class to graduate from the Mauro Stemburger Bonsai Dream program here in the States. What a wonderful learning experience! This was the first time Mauro offered the program in the United States, and I was very excited to see it was happening at the Hidden Gardens bonsai nursery in the Chicago suburb of Willowbrook.The program was a three-year commitment consisting of two intensive three-day sessions each year. It started with some of the basics, such…

Wigert’s Bonsai Nurseryhttps://www.wigertsbonsai.com/Fort Myers, FLI will review some different bonsai nurseries outside the Chicago land area for something new. I have been to this nursery several times, and club member Jennifer Price apprenticed with Eric at Wigerts. The nursery is only open during weekdays but is a must-stop if you are in Southern FL. Wigert specializes in tropical trees. They offer everything from large quantities of starter material to high-quality large show-ready trees. Their website also has a wide offering and an excellent virtual tour of their impressive show-ready…

If you ever see a weird orange gummy bear-like thing growing on your juniper, you likely have apple trees nearby and apple rust. The first time I saw this I had no idea what I was dealing with! Cedar-apple rust is a common plant disease caused by the fungal pathogen Gymnosporangium juniperi-virginianae. It infects members of the Rosaceae and Cupressaceae families, primarily apple, crabapple, eastern redcedar, and other juniper species. Cedar-apple rust is a widespread disease across the continental U.S. and is a common issue for apple producers due…

Outdoor: All outdoor trees should have been removed from winter protection and placed on their growing benches. The trees should be receiving as much sun as possible. Watering needs will be high, and all trees will need watering at least once daily. Be sure to saturate the soil thoroughly during each watering session.  It is good to send a blast of water through the foliage now and then to help dislodge any insects lurking. Keep an eye out for possible insect infestations. The soft new growth on the trees…