NOT SO BONSAI SPECIE KALACHUCHI

Kalachuchi is always mistaken as bonsai, because of it's natural growth it is looking like a bonsai, but in making a bonsai there lots of things to consider in terms of balance an harmony, and a bonsai artist does not consider kalachuchi as a bonsai because it is naturally grown and not made to look like a tree.

BAD SPECIE: IPIL-IPIL

Though Ipil-ipil has one of the qualities for bonsai which is small leaves. It is not good for bonsai, same with other specie that are not good they have brittle twigs when wiring them to form.

BAD SPECIE: MALUNGGAY

Even if an ideal bonsai needs small leaves for bonsai, malunggay is not good because forming it with its brittle twigs is hard.

On a bonsai lecture, I always hear someone suggesting it as one of the specie that can be made as bonsai. Another quality about malunggay is a bad specie is that the smaller twigs and branches always stay green making it look like very young when displayed.

BAD SPECIE: ACACIA

As a bonsai lover I always thought acacia can be made as a bonsai. Most of the bonsai I've seen in photos is like fully grown acacia tree but the miniature one.

Though acacia's leaves are small and it's bark can crack, the problem about acacia as a bonsai is that it can't grow on pots because its roots need deeper soil to grow and the twigs of it is so brittle making it hard to form when wiring.

SPECIE: AZALEA

Azalea for me is the best specie. When it's flowers bloom it usually covers all of the leaves covering all the green making the flowers look like it's leaves.

The only problem with this specie is that in needs a colder temperature to live. Some artist are already cultivating it here on the Philippines, but I've never seen here.

SPECIE: JUNIPER

The Juniper is currently the top species in Japan and Taiwan. It is not hard to grow them and to make bonsai out of it.

The besy way to get them is by hunting it in nature or at mountains dead can't be grown. Most of the bonsai Master's can make better looking dead parts by using bonsai Tools.

SPECIE: AGOHO

At my childhood when travelling to Davao I can always see the trees in the middle of the road of Kidapawan. I am always amazed by the trees because I always think of it as Christmas trees, they put colorful lights and decoration. Agoho is also good for Bonsai, the bark of the trunk can crack looking old and it can have good looking dead parts which is good for competition.

The photo below is an agoho tree in the road of Kidapawan. It is always maintained and cut rounded.