African Bonsai Association
FORBIDDEN BRANCH TROPHY 2021
History
The Trophy
Japanese black pine
Pinus thunbergii,
Age 26 years old.
Height 43 cm high and 18 cm wide at the base.
Pot It is planted in a brown imported Japanese ceramic pot.
History I bought the tree many years ago from Len Redfern who rescued it after it was very neglected by it’s previous owner.
The first three years was just spent trying to nurse it back to health before any mayor work could be done.
Age 26 years old.
Height 43 cm high and 18 cm wide at the base.
Pot It is planted in a brown imported Japanese ceramic pot.
History I bought the tree many years ago from Len Redfern who rescued it after it was very neglected by it’s previous owner.
The first three years was just spent trying to nurse it back to health before any mayor work could be done.
Chinese Juniper 2010B
Species: Juniperus chinensis
Style: Literati
Years in Training: since 2010
Height: 70cm
History: Started from XL 100litre nursery stock purchased in Johannesburg the intention was to create an imperial sized multi-stemmed umbrella style juniper but upon relocation to Cape Town the tree was severely compromised by a Phytophtera infection and came within inches of dying. It’s recovery and subsequent restyling started in 2015.
Style: Literati
Years in Training: since 2010
Height: 70cm
History: Started from XL 100litre nursery stock purchased in Johannesburg the intention was to create an imperial sized multi-stemmed umbrella style juniper but upon relocation to Cape Town the tree was severely compromised by a Phytophtera infection and came within inches of dying. It’s recovery and subsequent restyling started in 2015.
Chinese Juniper 1 Front
Tree 1 - The George Juniper
Species- Juniperous Chinensis
Height- 80cm
Tree Age- 50 years
Years in Training- 12 years
Father in law planted the tree on his Farm in George as a sapling 48years ago. Since then it was left and often neglected.It has survived a veld fire and on top of that was often driven over by the Tractor . All this has added to its character and struggle to survive. Over the last 12 years, after digging it up,
Species- Juniperous Chinensis
Height- 80cm
Tree Age- 50 years
Years in Training- 12 years
Father in law planted the tree on his Farm in George as a sapling 48years ago. Since then it was left and often neglected.It has survived a veld fire and on top of that was often driven over by the Tractor . All this has added to its character and struggle to survive. Over the last 12 years, after digging it up,
Chinese Juniper Back view
Chinese Juniper Right view
Chinese Juniper Left view
Chinese Juniper 2 Front
Species- Juniperus Chinensis
Height - 70cm’s
Tree Age- Approximately 25 years old
Years in Training - 14 years
History of the tree. The tree was purchased as rough stock in a black bag from Bishopsford Bonsai nursery in 2007.
It has been in training ever since.
Height - 70cm’s
Tree Age- Approximately 25 years old
Years in Training - 14 years
History of the tree. The tree was purchased as rough stock in a black bag from Bishopsford Bonsai nursery in 2007.
It has been in training ever since.
Chinese Juniper Back view
White Stinkwood
Species : Celtis Africana.
Height: 340mm (from lip of pot)
Width: 500mm
Years in training 6 years
The precise age of the tree is unknown but it was as far as I know originally collected somewhere one the early 2000s.
I have been her owner since 2015
She was (as I’m told) growing under a palisade fence and a portion of the tree hit the lowest bar, creating the separation between the bottom branches and apex. It did however create a few issues that I have been able to grow out.
She went into her first bonsai pot in 2017 and has continued to flourish and astound me with her unique characteristics and “gnarled” look since day one.
It has never been wired with the exception of a small wire added to the very bottom branch last year so I consider this tree lingnan hence it’s very natural growth and natural angles.
Height: 340mm (from lip of pot)
Width: 500mm
Years in training 6 years
The precise age of the tree is unknown but it was as far as I know originally collected somewhere one the early 2000s.
I have been her owner since 2015
She was (as I’m told) growing under a palisade fence and a portion of the tree hit the lowest bar, creating the separation between the bottom branches and apex. It did however create a few issues that I have been able to grow out.
She went into her first bonsai pot in 2017 and has continued to flourish and astound me with her unique characteristics and “gnarled” look since day one.
It has never been wired with the exception of a small wire added to the very bottom branch last year so I consider this tree lingnan hence it’s very natural growth and natural angles.
Chinese Maple
Species: Acer buergeranium
Style: Tree on rock
Years in training: Since 1996
Height : 60cm
History: Bought as a starter bonsai in 2001. Changed the pot and added in a rock that seemed to have a similar profile to the trunk
Style: Tree on rock
Years in training: Since 1996
Height : 60cm
History: Bought as a starter bonsai in 2001. Changed the pot and added in a rock that seemed to have a similar profile to the trunk
Chinese Maple 1
Species: Acer buergeranium
Style: Tree on rock
Years in training: Since 1983
Height : 60cm
History: Bought from a collecction 2015. Changed the pot, changed the canopy.
Style: Tree on rock
Years in training: Since 1983
Height : 60cm
History: Bought from a collecction 2015. Changed the pot, changed the canopy.
Wild Olive 9
Species: Olea sp african
Style: Informal Upright
Years in training: Since 2003 current owner
Height : 70cm
History: Bought from John Lynch in 2003. It had 5 trunks. Trunks were eliminated down to 1 apex. It is very old.
Style: Informal Upright
Years in training: Since 2003 current owner
Height : 70cm
History: Bought from John Lynch in 2003. It had 5 trunks. Trunks were eliminated down to 1 apex. It is very old.
Chinese Juniper A
Species: Juniperus chinensis
Style: Literati
Years in training: Since 2010
Height (width): 70cm
History: Ex nursery stock that had been grown too close for conifers and as such the long bare stems were inherited and leaned towards this style. Originally intended to be an upright literati style but to create interest this was planted at an extreme angle.
Style: Literati
Years in training: Since 2010
Height (width): 70cm
History: Ex nursery stock that had been grown too close for conifers and as such the long bare stems were inherited and leaned towards this style. Originally intended to be an upright literati style but to create interest this was planted at an extreme angle.
Buddleja Saligna (indigenous)
Common name : White Olive
Style: Fallen tree
Years in training: Since 2002 (current owner)
Height (width): 55cm x (120cm)
History: Collected tree. Bought as an upright bonsai in 2003, from Hank Miller, but it had only one side. The otherside was eaten by termites. The trunk has just had a make over, the rot removed and dead wood sealed
Style: Fallen tree
Years in training: Since 2002 (current owner)
Height (width): 55cm x (120cm)
History: Collected tree. Bought as an upright bonsai in 2003, from Hank Miller, but it had only one side. The otherside was eaten by termites. The trunk has just had a make over, the rot removed and dead wood sealed
Wild Olive Landscape
Species: Olea sp Africana (indigenous)
Style: Landscape
Years in training: Since 2010
Height (width): 55cm x (120cm)
History: Rocks collected locally. Trees grown from seed. Tray is made from kitchen top granite.Mud hut from the SPCA.
Style: Landscape
Years in training: Since 2010
Height (width): 55cm x (120cm)
History: Rocks collected locally. Trees grown from seed. Tray is made from kitchen top granite.Mud hut from the SPCA.
Porkbush, Spekboom2
Species: Portulacaria afra
Common name : Porkbush, Spekboom
Style: "floating" raft
Height: 39 cm
In training: 19 years
History: The tree was taken as a cutting on 1 May 1995. Bonsai styling began in 2002. It was planted in its signature pot, created specifically for it by Jacqui Jansen van Vuuren in March 2012.
Common name : Porkbush, Spekboom
Style: "floating" raft
Height: 39 cm
In training: 19 years
History: The tree was taken as a cutting on 1 May 1995. Bonsai styling began in 2002. It was planted in its signature pot, created specifically for it by Jacqui Jansen van Vuuren in March 2012.
Bonsai artist
Height 10cm
History: Made from beach stone, sea shells and washed up coral. Picked up along the beach.
History: Made from beach stone, sea shells and washed up coral. Picked up along the beach.
Huilboerboon
Species: Schotia Afa
Age: Unknown
Height is 85cm and the base is 51 cm.
Container: Japanese brown ceramic pot.
History: I got this from a friend many years ago who just grew it wildly in a container. Started training it seriously about 10 years ago.
Age: Unknown
Height is 85cm and the base is 51 cm.
Container: Japanese brown ceramic pot.
History: I got this from a friend many years ago who just grew it wildly in a container. Started training it seriously about 10 years ago.
Cotoneaster
Height : 50cm
Grower : Hennie Reynecke
History : Started as a cutting in 2000, it grew a few long shoots like cotoneasters do.
I just left it for a few years to grow.
Then I picked the best branches and wired it into shape.
I cut the rest of and concentrated on the ones that were left.
The tip of the cascade grew until it reached the ground where it rooted an that is how the bottom pads developed.
I then cut the rooted piece off and the tree developed into the tree it is now.
Grower : Hennie Reynecke
History : Started as a cutting in 2000, it grew a few long shoots like cotoneasters do.
I just left it for a few years to grow.
Then I picked the best branches and wired it into shape.
I cut the rest of and concentrated on the ones that were left.
The tip of the cascade grew until it reached the ground where it rooted an that is how the bottom pads developed.
I then cut the rooted piece off and the tree developed into the tree it is now.
.png "Fig Tree Root Over Rock")
Fig Tree Root Over Rock
Style: Root over rock
Botanical name: ficus
Height: 66cm (from base of pot)
Years of Training: 12 years
History of the Tree: Rock collected in 2007 near Kuruman and small fig planted on it in 2009.
Botanical name: ficus
Height: 66cm (from base of pot)
Years of Training: 12 years
History of the Tree: Rock collected in 2007 near Kuruman and small fig planted on it in 2009.
Porkbush, Spekboom
Species: Portulacaria afra
Style: informal upright
Height: 63 cm
In training: 34 years
History: The plant was taken as a cutting from the perimeter hedge of the DHPS high school, Windhoek, Namibia in 1985. Bonsai training began in 1987.
Style: informal upright
Height: 63 cm
In training: 34 years
History: The plant was taken as a cutting from the perimeter hedge of the DHPS high school, Windhoek, Namibia in 1985. Bonsai training began in 1987.
.png "Wild Olive002")
Wild Olive002
Olea sp Africana
Height: 86cm (from base of pot)
Years of Training: 13 years
History of the Tree: Collected at Mhlopeni in Muden in 2008
Height: 86cm (from base of pot)
Years of Training: 13 years
History of the Tree: Collected at Mhlopeni in Muden in 2008
Juniperus Itoigawa
Common name : Juniper
Style: Informal Upright
Height: 37 cm
In training: In SA since 2016
History: The tree was purchase from the Bowtown Nursery from Paul Liao in Taiwan and flew back in a suitcase.
Style: Informal Upright
Height: 37 cm
In training: In SA since 2016
History: The tree was purchase from the Bowtown Nursery from Paul Liao in Taiwan and flew back in a suitcase.
BOERBOON
Schotia afra var. angustifolia - Pierneef
Height: 75cm incl. pot
Pot: H: (14cm) B (52.5cm) W (82cm)
Age: Purchased in 1996 – age 22 years
Years in training: 25 years
Actual age: 47 years
Height: 75cm incl. pot
Pot: H: (14cm) B (52.5cm) W (82cm)
Age: Purchased in 1996 – age 22 years
Years in training: 25 years
Actual age: 47 years
Tamarisk
Tamarix usneoides
Field collected - 12 August 2006
Training started - 10 February 2007
Approximate age - 19 years
Height of the tree - 40 cm
Width of canopy - 50 cm
Pot made by - Carola Lorck Ceramics
Size - 30 x 25 x 9 cm
Field collected - 12 August 2006
Training started - 10 February 2007
Approximate age - 19 years
Height of the tree - 40 cm
Width of canopy - 50 cm
Pot made by - Carola Lorck Ceramics
Size - 30 x 25 x 9 cm
Firethorn
Species: Pyracantha fortunea
Height: 220 mm
Years of training: 5
Form: Informal upright
Sturdy trunk, branches. Cut back (with difficulty) from nursery sprawl. Sprouted prolifically, but branchlets harden quickly, thus shaped largely by cut-and-grow. Leaves (when present) reduced nicely in size over the years. Lovely blossoms, followed by cheerful orange berries – thus placed in a small round feminine pot despite the rugged masculinity of its growth pattern.
Height: 220 mm
Years of training: 5
Form: Informal upright
Sturdy trunk, branches. Cut back (with difficulty) from nursery sprawl. Sprouted prolifically, but branchlets harden quickly, thus shaped largely by cut-and-grow. Leaves (when present) reduced nicely in size over the years. Lovely blossoms, followed by cheerful orange berries – thus placed in a small round feminine pot despite the rugged masculinity of its growth pattern.
Porkbush
Portulacaria afra Cascade
Height: 100cm
Pot: H: (26cm) B (42cm) W (42cm)
Age: Estimated 20 years – when collected – 1988 – Loerie area Eastern Cape
Years in training: 33 years
Actual age: 53 years
Height: 100cm
Pot: H: (26cm) B (42cm) W (42cm)
Age: Estimated 20 years – when collected – 1988 – Loerie area Eastern Cape
Years in training: 33 years
Actual age: 53 years
Tamarisk2
Tamarix usneoides
Field collected - 10 July 2016
Training started - 15 January 2017
Approximate age - 32 years
Height of tree - 49 cm
Width of canopy - 80 cm
Pot made by artist himself with cement, using a sand mould.
Size - 48 x 28 x 8 cm
Field collected - 10 July 2016
Training started - 15 January 2017
Approximate age - 32 years
Height of tree - 49 cm
Width of canopy - 80 cm
Pot made by artist himself with cement, using a sand mould.
Size - 48 x 28 x 8 cm
Wild Olive2
Olea europaea subspecies africana
Height: 92cm
Years of training: 51 years
History: Yamadori collected in Hout Bay
Height: 92cm
Years of training: 51 years
History: Yamadori collected in Hout Bay
Wild Olive1
Olea europaea subspecies africana
Height: 85cm
Years of training: 51 years
History: Yamadori collected in Hout Bay
Height: 85cm
Years of training: 51 years
History: Yamadori collected in Hout Bay
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