by Jims VIncent Capuno
BELIEVE it or not, bonsai – which has always been conveniently attributed to the Japanese – is really Chinese in origin. Ask Serapion S. Metilla, the country’s foremost expert on bonsai.
“It is highly likely that the Chinese were the first civilization to plant plants in pots because their paintings and scrolls, which date back before the 12th century, reveal images of plants in pots,” Metilla surmised, adding that it was the Japanese who really developed the art to perfection and gave its name: bonsai (pronounced bone-sigh, with accent at the end).
Actually, the word “bonsai” comes from the Japanese words “bon,” which means “pot” and “sai,” which means “to plant.” In simpler terms, bonsai is a potted plant. When miniature landscapes are created as a setting to the “sai,” the art is termed “saikei” (“kei” means “scenery”). But if the artists’ emphasis is strictly a miniature landscape, “bonkei” is the proper term.
If Chinese were the people behind bonsai, how come Japanese are credited for popularizing the art of bonsai? Robert Perry, writing for the ‘Science Notebook,’ contends: “For centuries, the Japanese have been practicing the unusual art forms of miniature tree and landscape culture.” In fact, bonsai figures prominently in ‘The Karate Kid’ series.
“No one knows exactly how long ago it began, but it was known at least as early as the sixth century,” Perry continues. “Someone became intrigued by the tiny gnarled trees he found growing in rock crevices high up in the mountains of Japan. The small trees eventually were cultivated in the emperor’s yard.”
As wealthy patrons, following the cue from the palace landscape, began paying large sums for the best available specimens, others started the practice. The sudden monetary value encouraged perfecting a science of treatment that could produce such miniatures. Today, bonsai has become a popular horticultural hobby.
Many kinds of trees are suitable for bonsai culture. The most common ones, according to Metilla, are mulberry trees, prodocarpus, “kamuning,” “mulawing-aso,” “kalyos” (known scientifically as ‘Streblus asper’), “balite” family (‘Ficus’ species), candle tree (‘Parmentiera cereifera’), “bignay” (‘Antedisma spp.’), pines and junipers, cydas, boxwood, narra, and China holly (‘Malpighia coccigera’).
These fruit trees are also good for bonsai culture: rambutan, caimito, camachile, sampaloc, atis, and duhat.
Among shrubs, bushes and herbs, the following yield the best bonsai results: dwarf bamboo, “tsaang bukid” or Fukien tea, variegated gumamela, bougainvillea, sampaguita, rosal, azalea, santan, lantana, oregano, and chrysanthemum.
Propagation
Propagation of bonsai material may be done by seeds, cuttings, air-layering or marcotting, grafting/budding and separation of runners or suckers. Seed propagation is the most common method used. “By seeds, it will take a longer time,” Metilla says.
There are four ways of propagating plants using the method of cuttings: stem cutting, heel cutting, leaf cutting, and rooting cutting. “For the propagation of materials for bonsai, the stem, heel and root cuttings are recommended,” Metilla says.
Bonsai are classified according to size. The large ones measure twenty-five-and-a-half to thirty-six-and-a-half inches. Midway are the regulars, eight-and-a-half to twenty-five inches. The miniature or midget types called “mame” (pronounced Mah-may) measure two to no more than eight inches high. The price of bonsai ranges from P1,000 to P50,000 – depending upon the planting material and form. The older the bonsai is, the higher the price is.
Metilla agrees. “I think the Philippines is the first country in Southeast Asia to grow bonsai,” he says. “Bonsai was introduced here by the Chinese centuries ago, only we did not develop it until the 1960s.”
