Recent content by William N. Valavanis

Did you know there is a difference between ARAKAWA (rough bark) and NISHIKI (Cork bark)? In the Japanese bonsai community they have distinctively different bark textures. Please select your name appropriately. We already have quite a bit of misnamed Japanese cultivars. Thank you.

Don't worry about the open gap on the top. Jut make certain when you water the maple a bit of water gets inside. Good Luck!!

I don't think that would work. What he is trying to do is the propagate the witch's broom, which is only at the top of the tree. The tree looks a graft of a dwarf cultivar. If the top is cut off, sure new shoots should grow from the trunk remaining, but would loose the ration he want to...

Try air layering at the bottom of the fork. Did you use plastic, poly, saran wrap or tinfoil around the sphagnum? Rooting hormone? My air layers rarely dry out, but can easily be checked through the clear poly.

I would suggest you ar layer it now. And, good luck, Now you have the honor to name this new cultivar! Also take few cuttings its a good time and the dwarf maple cultivars usually root easily. Attached are 4 photos of one of my Koto Hime airliners done in June 1986. This bonsai was airlayerd at...

Personally, I generally use unglazed (brown, gray, tan or red) containers for evergreens (both narrow-lead and broadleaf) because the image combination of the tree and container presents a quiet or dignity atmosphere. Evergreens do not change color seasonally, yea I'm familiar of slight changes...

I like your tree! And it “speaks” to me. What species is it?

Autumn in my gatden

The new 8th US National Bonsai Exhibition Commemorative Album is still in the works. I hit a major delay because many of the exhibitors did NOT fill in their data information. So, I have been hunting them down so i can finish up correctly. Thanks to all for your support and patience. Bill

As our web site indicates shipping season ends in march or April, depending how the weather. Bill

Our forecast is 20F !!!!

Sorry for the delay. My wife Diane got ill at the Winter Silhouette Expo in NC and spent a week in a NC hospital. Then about a week later spent another week in our hospital. She is working on the orders now. Thanks for patiently waiting. Bill

Ugly large scars can often be eliminated on Trident Maples if cleaned up and recut in early autumn. They, and so many other deciduous species grow so fast in spring the wounds build up a lot of callus tissue. Simply remove it. Good luck!

Not Acer palmatum, leaves are too wide and have too many points. Looks like a Full moon maple, Acer japonicum.

First of all that lady that got her tree eliminated, came with her husband, who had a lovely tree and was displayed, so she had to make the 12 hour journey anyway . As is my policy, the final acceptance is when the artist brings the tree to the exhibition. Everyone's tree was checked over as it...