YOUR BONSAI CAN OUTLIVE YOU - THEORETICALLY
Can A Bonsai Tree Live Forever? Trees, in general, can and will outlive all of us - many times over. The giant redwood trees, indigenous to the West Coast of America, are some of the oldest living creatures on the planet. It is understandably difficult for some people to associate or identify a 200 ft. tall redwood tree with a 12 in. tall bonsai tree, but nevertheless they are both trees. In the case of bonsai trees, the simple fact that they are "trees" genetically, and "bonsai" trees by way of human intervention, gives them the inborn capability, under favorable circumstances, to live for several centuries - at least and forever - theoretically.
Of course, there are scores of conditions and variables, some controllable and many others not, that all have the capability to allow or to prevent a tree, be it a bonsai or not, from living for very long.
A tree in nature and growing under what we will deem are "perfect" conditions, will grow until it reaches the natural predetermined height for that species. Once this height has been gained the tree starts its natural habit of growing or, to put it another way, spreading sideways, allowing the tree to support as much foliage as possible. After centuries of this continued growth pattern, what happens is that the distance between the active and effective roots at the edge of the trees root system and the now gigantic amount of foliage at the countless number of branch tips is just too huge. As a result of this natural process, the tree starts to weaken and will eventually die. Why? Because the foliage has grown too far away from the active roots - its leaves are now receiving inadequate amounts of life giving water and nutrients and, in turn, the leaves are unable to supply adequate sugars to the root system. In due time, this course being centuries long, the heartwood will rot and the tree will collapse.
How Can A Bonsai Live Forever? The main difference between a bonsai tree and a tree growing naturally in the wild, as mentioned above, is human intervention. A tree in nature, growing in unimpaired conditions, will grow until it reaches the top dimensions for that species, with consideration given to the specific environmental conditions that it is exposed to, and inevitably it will die. Alternatively, a bonsai tree, which it is not a "species" of tree, but rather a traditional set of techniques and styles for growing and caring for a tree - almost any kind of tree can be trained as a "bonsai" tree - is prohibited from ever reaching its maximum dimensions through regularly pruning of both the root system and branch structure. A non-bonsai example of this pruning technique lengthening the life of a tree is that of trees that are grown as hedge. Hedges live much longer than their full-size counterparts growing in their natural habitat, because they are never allowed to reach their maximum dimensions. While the custom of trimming hedges is not exactly like the practices of branch and root pruning in a traditional bonsai sense, it is a creditable "Western" gardening style example of how the life of a tree can be extended through regular and meticulous human intervention.
Meticulous and calculated care management keeps the bonsai in a continual state of growth, because the bonsai, just like its full-size cousin on the front lawn, is genetically programmed to attain maturity. The essential difference is: by stopping the bonsai from reaching maturity, you are stopping it from ever reaching old age and falling victim to the troubles that inevitably go along with aging process.
A bonsai tree - your bonsai tree - if given the befitting and necessary care, will always stay healthy, growing, and youthful. And, if everyone that is responsible for its care, after you become mulch, continues to care for it properly, it will and should out live them, as well!
For more information please visit Alfie's Bonsai Garden.
Can A Bonsai Tree Live Forever? Trees, in general, can and will outlive all of us - many times over. The giant redwood trees, indigenous to the West Coast of America, are some of the oldest living creatures on the planet. It is understandably difficult for some people to associate or identify a 200 ft. tall redwood tree with a 12 in. tall bonsai tree, but nevertheless they are both trees. In the case of bonsai trees, the simple fact that they are "trees" genetically, and "bonsai" trees by way of human intervention, gives them the inborn capability, under favorable circumstances, to live for several centuries - at least and forever - theoretically.
Of course, there are scores of conditions and variables, some controllable and many others not, that all have the capability to allow or to prevent a tree, be it a bonsai or not, from living for very long.
A tree in nature and growing under what we will deem are "perfect" conditions, will grow until it reaches the natural predetermined height for that species. Once this height has been gained the tree starts its natural habit of growing or, to put it another way, spreading sideways, allowing the tree to support as much foliage as possible. After centuries of this continued growth pattern, what happens is that the distance between the active and effective roots at the edge of the trees root system and the now gigantic amount of foliage at the countless number of branch tips is just too huge. As a result of this natural process, the tree starts to weaken and will eventually die. Why? Because the foliage has grown too far away from the active roots - its leaves are now receiving inadequate amounts of life giving water and nutrients and, in turn, the leaves are unable to supply adequate sugars to the root system. In due time, this course being centuries long, the heartwood will rot and the tree will collapse.
How Can A Bonsai Live Forever? The main difference between a bonsai tree and a tree growing naturally in the wild, as mentioned above, is human intervention. A tree in nature, growing in unimpaired conditions, will grow until it reaches the top dimensions for that species, with consideration given to the specific environmental conditions that it is exposed to, and inevitably it will die. Alternatively, a bonsai tree, which it is not a "species" of tree, but rather a traditional set of techniques and styles for growing and caring for a tree - almost any kind of tree can be trained as a "bonsai" tree - is prohibited from ever reaching its maximum dimensions through regularly pruning of both the root system and branch structure. A non-bonsai example of this pruning technique lengthening the life of a tree is that of trees that are grown as hedge. Hedges live much longer than their full-size counterparts growing in their natural habitat, because they are never allowed to reach their maximum dimensions. While the custom of trimming hedges is not exactly like the practices of branch and root pruning in a traditional bonsai sense, it is a creditable "Western" gardening style example of how the life of a tree can be extended through regular and meticulous human intervention.
Meticulous and calculated care management keeps the bonsai in a continual state of growth, because the bonsai, just like its full-size cousin on the front lawn, is genetically programmed to attain maturity. The essential difference is: by stopping the bonsai from reaching maturity, you are stopping it from ever reaching old age and falling victim to the troubles that inevitably go along with aging process.
A bonsai tree - your bonsai tree - if given the befitting and necessary care, will always stay healthy, growing, and youthful. And, if everyone that is responsible for its care, after you become mulch, continues to care for it properly, it will and should out live them, as well!
For more information please visit Alfie's Bonsai Garden.
Robert Williams writes regularly about gardening related topics. I hope you enjoy this article.
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