"Bonsai? Yes! Japanese dwarf trees...."
This could be the most common answer that someone would give about bonsai, although, it has some misconceptions. Let's see.
First, undeniably, the Japanese have raised the art of bonsai to a level of high technique and refinement. However, it began one thousand years ago in China; there are some ancient paintings that show small trees, planted in pots and named "pun-sai." These trees were used in religious worships and in some special cases were even venerated as deities.
Some research goes even further and associates bonsai with the very early origins of civilization. They say that nomads used to carry with them, planted in trays and pots, edible small plants and medicinal shrubs vital to their survival. In that way, the practice could have been introduced in the north of India by wandering caravans and then afterwards to China, where it flourished.
Chinese Buddhist monks brought the art of bonsai cultivation into Japan during the Kamakura Age (1185-1333). Adopted by Japanese people as an exquisite expression of art, bonsai cultivation became more common over the centuries, developed according to specific principles, and spread. Nowadays, it is an artistic manifestation of beauty and correctness.
Bonsai cultivation is far more than to stunt the growth of a plant in order to keep it a dwarf. Bonsai literally means "tree on a tray." Although bonsai is an artistic expression that tries to resemble pure nature, this clearly distinguishes a bonsai from a tree merely planted in a pot.
"Many people are attracted to bonsai through a love of nature... with bonsai, you can enjoy the magnificence and beauty of nature recreated on a manageable scale; specimens have been inspired by the way in which trees grow in the wild," bonsai authority Harry Tomlinson wrote.
So, for a tree to be a genuine bonsai, it has to have at least three qualities:
• Natural appearance: It has to resemble a real tree; the hand of the artist should not be perceived in the specimen.
• Beauty: There is no way to gauge beauty. For some artists, there is great beauty in a tree that harmoniously breaks the rules. For others, the supreme beauty is to find a tree that precisely follows those rules. All in all, the tree should be beautiful to the eye that sees it.
• Maturity: The specimen should simulate age. The challenge, then, is to recreate maturity in the tree. Roots, trunk, branches: all the arrangement should look like it were there for decades.
Theoretically, it is possible to make a bonsai from any specie of tree. However, there is an aesthetical principle that rules the creation: the bonsai should look like a tree! Proportion is, then, very important. So it is desirable for that specie to have small leaves and a woody trunk (like the conifers).
But that is very seldom found in tropical natives species. The competition for solar rays in thick rainforests has produced trees with big leaves. Fortunately, in Panama there are several species suitable for bonsai cultivation: Macano, Espino Amarillo, Ficus, Pitecelobio, Caliandra, Tamarindo, Limoncillo, Agallo, Podocarpo, and others.
The trees in the tropics behave differently from those that grow in temperate zones with four seasons of weather. So even though we all have learned the principles, rules and techniques from the available bonsai books (which tend to come from North America or Europe), it has been necessary to develop a new branch in the art of bonsai cultivation --- bonsai in the tropics.
For example, the trees in the tropics grow faster and endlessly. They could be trained, planted, repotted, fertilized, wired, trimmed or defoliated during the whole year. In Panama the soil should drain water easily during the rainy season, but unavoidably, it dries quickly during dry season!
Bonsai art in tropical zones is still on development; for sure, there are many species --- in the forest, coastal areas, savannas --- that have never been tested. There is room for discovery and wonderment.
In Panama 15 years ago, bonsai lovers got together and founded the first local bonsai club: Asociacion Bonsai de Panama. This is the biggest and oldest of the local groups. Also, there are three more bonsai clubs:
• Club Amigos del Bonsai
• Asociacion de Bonsai Las Cumbres
• Asociacion Metropolitana de Bonsai
If you want to begin practicing this beautiful art, it is a good idea to join an association. Usually the members are willing to help newcomers, and it is a great way to swiftly learn the principles of the art by observation and by attending workshops, courses and exhibitions.
Finally, some warning tips for the beginners:
• Bonsai is an outdoor activity! To plant trees in a pot does not transform them in hall adornments! With rare exceptions, a bonsai tree kept indoors will die in a week or less.
• Drought is killing agent number one among bonsai trees. Most bonsai die because of a lack of water. As long as they are planted in small, shallow containers, the quantity of water that the soil is able to retain is very small; also the liquid evaporates swiftly through the drainage holes. Panama's dry season is especially dangerous and it is required to water the plants two times a day. So if you are planning to leave for Christmas vacation, remember your bonsais!
• Try it first with a few specimens. Begin with "forgiving" species like Ficus (F. retusa, F. benjamina, F. Natasha), Espino Amarillo (Pithecellobium mangensis), Macano (Diphysa robinioides) or Carmona (Erethia buxifolia).
• There is no "fast" method in this art. Nothing is achieved immediately. You should wait some years for your trees to mature and grow. It may take 10 years or more to own a genuine and precious bonsai tree. Patience is one of the lessons that this art teaches us.
How will the art of bonsai change you? It's as hard to predict as nature itself. However, to walk the trail of bonsai cultivation will surely change the way your senses perceive Mother Nature. You will not see a tree or a shrub the same way you used to.
