Tree Tuesday: Bonsai & Banyan Trees
While one is small and the other is tall, these two types of trees have always interested me. Banyans aren't really found in my part of the state, but if you travel down to the southern end of Florida they are somewhat prevalent in certain areas along the east coast. They've always piqued my interest because of their unique appearance.
They have what appears to be an above-ground root system. These sprawling tentacle like extensions of the tree seem to just be reaching out along the ground before disappearing into the earth. To me, they seem like they're straight out of a fantasy realm or something.
Besides the beautiful Banyan trees I found at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, they also had a small nook dedicated to a much smaller, yet just as interesting, type of tree....the Bonsai!
Each little Bonsai tree had a small plaque beneath it with the tree's information and I found the verbage on them quite fascinating. I am in no way familiar with how to care for Bonsai trees but I had no idea they were 'trained' so to speak. While the little tree pictured above fit the image conjured up by my brain when I think of a Bonsai tree, there were also several other species I would've never thought of. If memory serves me correctly, I believe the oldest specimen had been 'in training' since 1997.
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Very nice post - I've often thought of buying myself a bonsai, but I shudder at the thought of it dying because I do not know how to best care for it. It is best to look at what others have achieved.
Training of course is how they create the appearance of the tree - snip a bit here, tie and help a branch grow in the direction wanted - and so on. It is also important nutrition is controlled, you do not want to encourage the tree to grow larger (glad we do not deliberately create bonsai people)
appreciate the info @arthur.grafo!
Those are some impressive roots! I have to say, though, the smaller versions are my favorites.
I kept wanting to act out scenes from Karate Kid when I was in the little Bonsai nook...wax on, wax off!
I'd have the urge to pose some Lego people with axes...
now that would be funny to leave for people to discover...lol!
Such beautiful trees my friend, I love bonsai trees very much and those pictures are amazing 😉👌
And I love the roots on the banyan tree.. Insane how big they are... Lol
Thank you for sharing... Really beautiful.
Have a wonderful week. Cheers! 🤗💕🌼
appreciate it @saffisara!
Absolutely amazing roots, so strong and with the interesting shapes. Like a fairy-tale land of sorcerers :)
Greetings
agreed, I've always felt they were outta some fairy-tale land!
Incredible shots and I love that little tree and the whole magic with them :)
they've always seemed mystical to me, thanks @margaretwise!
Yes, indeed. You are welcome :)
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Two of my favorite things in the world; banyan trees and bonsai.
And I love Marie Selby Botanical Gardens; I've posted about a visit there in the past a time or two.
There used to be a number of large banyan trees around St. Petersburg when I first came to Tampa Bay, but there was a 50-year freeze that winter that killed most of them, until very few remained. Only those very close to the water survived. I absolutely love them.
If you haven't been there yet, I highly recommend a visit to the Edison and Ford Estates and Gardens in Fort Myers. The Edison Estate boasts one of the largest banyan trees in the continental U.S., believed to have been planted in 1925, and just walking around amid its massive root system and multiple trunks is a lovely and humbling experience. And the whole place has amazing energy.
As for bonsai, my sister's first husband was a bonsai artist, and also created ichiban, in addition to street car races with his souped up Camaro . . . a multi-talented guy. ;-)
Anyway, he turned me on to bonsai early on, and when I moved out on my own I started experimenting with them, and created several beautiful specimens. Most I gave away to friends over the years, and unfortunately I lost the rest when I divorced my ex, as they were in the yard of what was then his business location, and he simply let them die, along with all my heirloom roses. Sigh.
But I'm itching to get back into bonsai again, I love working with plants, and now I have the room to really play on a grander scale! ;-)