Bonsai Longevity

jportock

I think this is a good argument for counting the age of a bonsai from first styling.

I do agree with FredL though in that the history of the tree creates more interest for me.

I guess I'm still on the fence here.

JP

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RonMartin(deceased)

The whole history of the tree is indeed important but it is only antidotal to the history of the bonsai.

HB Smith

I agree the history of a bonsai is very interesting - who collected or started the seed / cutting, and whose bonsai tables have it rested upon. It is also of horticultural importance to know the chronological age of the tree - you would repot, trim, and fertilize a twenty year old tree in most cases very differently than a two hundred year old tree.

It may be interesting to know how long a tree has been in bonsai training, but the outcome over the years will vary dramatically depending upon who is the trainer. A professional bonsai artist can probably do in three years what an enthusiast may never achieve in a lifetime. Also, the branch structure of most bonsai, especially deciduous and tropical bonsai will need to be recreated every five to fifteen years - so do we start counting the period of time in training over again as we recreate the branches? If we have a deciduous tree, for example, and its primary branches have become too stubby over the years and no longer have a graceful taper, we will need to lop most or all of the branch off and recreate the taper. The tree, right after the 'lopping' won't look like its been in training for very long that first year or two, but in four or six years it will look even better than before. But the branches are really only in training four or six years. So the age in training doesn't really clarify much, except for what's been done in the past few years only.

While all this is of great interest to me, once your tree is on its stand in your club display, all that matters is how old it looks at that very moment.

Sincerely,
Howard

RonMartin(deceased)

Maybe you are overcomplicating things a bit. ;o)

ALDEVAUX

"Trees age and die because they have reached their carrying capacity and that which doesn't grow, begins to die. But the act of caring for a bonsai tree through the years requires us to reinvigorate the tree by cutting it back and allowing it to grow new roots and branches, thus giving it new life."

This is certainly true for a tree that has not reached it's carrying capacity. But when the bonsai very old and finished styling most parts of the tree, except some roots and leaves, cannot be reinvigorate and must die some day. It's like all living things, you can outspan their lives for some years by giving them the best conditions for growth but there is a limit to which their genetics cannot give them more years to live. I think trees are just like human beings, when we reach between 80 and 90 years only the best conditions of health will make us live over a 100 years but not very much longer because our genetics are made that way.