RonMartin(deceased)

I spent a good portion of the day surfing the net for a definition of "pre-bonsai." It was a bit frustrating and educational at the same time. Educational is a term I would use loosely though.

It seems that a pre-bonsai is anything in a nursery pot or -- hate to say it -- in the ground. Another thing that I find dismaying is the fact that a lot, no most bonsai nurseries, think this is true. No style , no potential, just a plant.

A customer buys the tree and magically it seems to improve. It becomes a "POTENSAI". What this means I am not sure. Maybe, potentially, one day it will be a bonsai. Maybe not,but maybe yes I guess.

Backyards are full of these thing sold as pre-bonsai and elevated to "potensai" status. They languish there in the backyard. They are watered and fed, pampered and mostly hid from view.

To say that I am confused would be an understatement. Why can't things be simple? Research for one of my silly articles is not all that easy.

Why can't trees just be classified as, "those that will work and those that won't" or maybe, "things with no potential and things with some potential," or, "garbage and keepsakes?"

I think I have come to the conclusion that bonsai people just like to put a name to things. The names don't have to make sense they just have to be there. If the rest of the endeavors of life were like this we would still be living in caves! Houses would be a dangerous thing. There would be a pretty roof and a grand foundation but no one would worry about the walls.

Somewhere along the line I must have missed a lesson. I am confused. I feel like I am one French Fry sigh of a Happy Meal.

Just what exactly is a pre-bonsai?

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