The protective cover of the Calico scale (Eulecanium cerasorum), an invasive species, is readily apparent. Photo by R. Gill. From the USDA website, used under open source permissions.

Scale are another ubiquitous garden variety pest in temperate regions. Scale insects are small insects of the order Hemiptera, generally classified as the superfamily Coccoidea. There are about 8,000 species of scale, with many of that rather large number considered pests on our plants. Scale are one of the most destructive insects in the United States, with many species invaders from other areas of the world. They can survive in harsh conditions, from the tundra to the tropics, and thrive on all parts of a plant, commonly the underside of leaves and on branches, but are not limited in their location habits.

There are three general categories scale insects fall in to: most common being Diaspididae, or armored scales; Coccidae, or soft scales; and Pseudococcidae, commonly known as mealybugs. The armored scales are the ones with the most effective outer coating, and subsequently, the most difficult to deal with.

These invasive scale insects, Citrophilus mealybugs (Pseudococcus calceolariae), when disturbed, secrete a red liquid as a means of defense. Note the two droplets on the large mealybug in the center. Photo by Q. Holdman. From the USDA website, used under open source permissions.

Scale Habits: Most scale are plant parasites. They feed on the sap of a plant, usually pulled directly from the vascular system. While one or two scale may not be a cause for alarm, a host of these little critters feeding on a tree will quickly lead to problems. Almost every woody plant is a target for one scale species or another. Some scale feed exclusively on one type of plant. Others target a small number of species, while still others are happy to feed wherever they end up.

Scales are around year round. They can over winter in any life stage (see Reproduction/Lifecycle below), but eggs and mated females have the best tolerance and survival of low temperatures. Once the weather starts to warm up in temperate climates, the new flush of growth we see in our plants coincides with egg hatching, though there may be later and earlier hatchers, depending on the scale species and host plant.

Soft scale and mealy bugs can excrete honeydew, sometimes in large amounts. Sooty (black) mould happily grows on this stuff, and while it is generally harmless, it is unsightly. Ants are also attracted to the honeydew excreted, though they do not herd scale the same way they do aphids. Armored scale do not excrete honeydew.

Scale insect under a laural leaf. Photo by Ramiro Barreiro, from wikicommons, used under open source permissions.

Scale Reproduction/Lifecycle: The sexual dimorphism (differences in appearance between male and female) is huge (relatively speaking) in scale insects. Mature female scale are sessile (which means they are unable to move), have no legs or antennae, usually much larger than the males, and are usually the ones we see when we notice a scale infestation. Mature males are smaller, typically have visible wings (one pair, thus making them resemble true flies), do not feed (they don’t even have mouth parts), and die in a day or two.

Anatomy of a Scale Insect: Scale insects vary greatly in size, as well as appearance. They can be very tiny, at only a millimeter in diameter, or a little larger, though few are larger than about five
millimeters across. Scale come in almost any colour, from brown to green, white to yellow, all depending on the species, and range in shape, including round, oval, pear shaped, oblong or threadlike. They are covered in protective coatings, ranging from shiny waxy covers to pearl-like, from woolly to oyster-like. These coatings are excreted by the insect for protection, the scale living and feeding under the protective coating. While there is a wide range of appearances, most resemble the scales of a fish or reptile, or like scale armor of the medieval ages (hence, the common name!). The armor of female scale are often larger and more obvious than that of the male. The appearance of the armor can vary not only with species, but also the host plant the scale is feeding on, gender, life cycle stage, time of year, and other environmental conditions, which can make identifying the particular species, or even genus, of scale by the layman, very difficult.

All scale have (or had) antenae and six legs, though mature females lose (or almost lose) these features completely. They have piercing and sucking mouth parts.

How do you know if you have Scale: Scale come in all shapes and sizes, but the appearance of small, scale like or woolly *things* on your plants, especially the trunks and undersides of leaves, is usually a good indicator. There may be no other signs until an infestation is serious. A serious infestation will be obvious by stunted growth, yellow spots on the top of foliage (caused by scales feeding on the bottom part of the leaves – these spots will get bigger and bigger the longer the scale feeds), premature foliage drop, and dieback of young twigs and even whole branches if allowed. An untreated scale infestation could easily be the death of a tree. Fortunately however, these are easy to spot early just by keeping a keen eye on your trees. Also keep an eye out for sooty mould or ants, which can be a sign of both scale and aphids.

With a careful eye, entomologist Gary Miller takes a closer look at a fern scale (Pinnaspis aspidistrae). Photo by Stephen Ausmus. From the USDA website, used under open source permissions.

Scale can live on any part of a plant, so beside checking the most common locations (the stem and under sides of the leaves) be sure to also check in leaf axils, buds, the tops of leaves, along the midveins of leaves and anywhere else you can reach. A magnifying glass can be useful if in doubt, as some scale can look less like bugs and more like naturally occurring bumps on a leaf or stem surface. Crawlers can be detected by wrapping double sided sticky tape around a branch and seeing what pops up over a day or two. Pay careful attention to old wound scars so common to bonsai. The bark may be thinner here, especially if the wound is only a few years old, and the folding of the healing bark can hide scale effectively from view. The colour differences between bark and scale can be very subtle. Wetting the bark can often help differentiate between normal bark bumps and scale.

Examine plants for live scale insects by crushing the wax cover. Dead scales are dry inside. Live ones…
well…. are not.

Scale prevention: The best prevention for scale is healthy, happy plants and early detection. When plants aren’t stressed, they have better defenses against infestations. Keep a good distance between your trees to keep good airflow, adequately water your bonsai, and make sure they are getting the right amount of light for their species preferences. Don’t over fertilize. Chemical fertilizers high in nitrogen produce large amounts of just the right kind of growth that attracts aphids and scale. Scale will also lay more eggs on plants receiving more nitrogen. Slower acting, organic fertilizers are better for helping prevent these infestations. While we go for good growth in our trees, this is another reminder for us that balance is the key to all things in bonsai. Scale can also thrive in thick inner canopies of trees, so keep your trees from getting too over grown in the interior. Allowing light and fresh air to penetrate will help prevent other diseases as well. Because they thrive in warm, moist areas, adding additional fans to increase airflow may help. Keep new plants isolated for a week or two before putting them near your other bonsai. This way, if there are scale nymphs (harder to spot than mature females) on the tree that you may have over looked at purchasing, you have a chance to catch it before it spreads to your other trees.

Scale Removal: If despite your best efforts, you notice a scale infestation on one of your trees, don’t panic! There are several steps you can take, ranging from the simple to the more complex. Scale is a difficult insect to get rid of using common insecticides. Because in mature scale (which is usually when we notice an infestation) their waxy coating protects them from most insecticides, other courses
must be followed.

In cases of only a few scale, the best bet is to just remove them with your finger nails or a stiff bristled brush. Use a strong jet of water afterward to wash off the plant and any possible eggs that might have been left behind. Continue to check back every few days or so, just in case.

Scale are preyed upon by parasitic wasps. Check for tiny holes in the outer armor which is a sign that the beneficial wasps have already been on the job. Some other beneficial insects, such as lady bugs, green lace wings and praying mantis feed on the nymphs (crawlers), but not on mature scale. These beneficial insects will stick around as long as there is food (i.e. scale crawlers, aphids, etc), but you can encourage them to stick around longer by planting certain things that attract them (yarrow, cilantro, parsley and sweet alyssum are all plants that lady bugs in particular like). Lady bugs and praying mantis eggs can be purchased at most garden centers now, as an alternative to chemical pesticides. If you are going to try beneficial insects, make certain you don’t use any pesticides, as these will kill the good bugs as well as the bad.

Insecticidal soap or horticultural oil (like neem oil or dormant oil) can be used against all stages of scale growth, including mature scale (it suffocates them), and is generally safe for bonsai, but check the label, and if in doubt, do a test on a small portion of the plant to be certain it does not cause an ill effect. An even coat that gets every part of the plant (especially the underside of the leaves!) is necessary. These only work on contact, and do not provide long term prevention. If a spot is missed on the plant, the infestation can balloon again once the oils have dried, and applications may need to be repeated. Do not use oils on water stressed plants (those that have been under watered and have wilted, or those that have been over waters and may have root rot), or if the weather exceeds 90F (30C), as this can harm the plant. Supreme- or superior-type oils will kill overwintering populations when applied in late autumn and again in midwinter. These can be safe to use in conjunction with beneficial insects.

Most insecticides that list scale on their labels are really only useful during the crawler stage, or on mealy bugs. If use of an insecticide seems necessary, use the double sided tape method to watch for crawlers and spray then. If possible, prune off as much of the infested foliage as possible before reating, not only to remove the scale, but also to allow deeper penetration of the insecticides. Follow label instructions, coating the plant thoroughly on all surfaces (especially under the leaves!). Some systemic insecticides may be useful as well. Repeat the process if needed (which is likely) one to three weeks later. Some insecticides are safe for bonsai. Others are not. General guidelines are to follow the instructions on the bottle for usage, including timing and dosage. If in doubt, test it on a small area of the tree. If there are no negative affects (dying leaves, blackening bark), you can probably proceed with the rest of the tree.

Even once scales are dead, they will not always fall from your plant. You can tell a dead scale from a live one by crushing the outer coating. Dead scale are dry on the inside. Live scale will squish. There is no way to remove dead scale, other than manually. Use your fingernails or a stiff brush to remove them from the bark and leaves.

*****

Want to know exactly what kind of scale you are dealing with? Below are two online resources that may help further identification of your scale infestation. There are too many types to go over here, and it would be a disservice to everyone involved if I tried.

Scale Keys – http://www.sel.barc.usda.gov/ScaleKeys/index.html
Scalenet – http://www.sel.barc.usda.gov/scalenet/scalenet.htm

Discuss this article >>

I was lucky to get this Juniper from nursery stock in early spring 2007.

The tree had grown out of control for many years, nearly nobody wanted to take a look. But I found the lifeline twists, wider and very strong. Parts of the jin were nicely carved many years ago, leaf is vigorous.  So I decided buy it.

I started to restyle it in the middle of April 2007. First, I selected the best view from all sides.

After a few seconds, I decided to represent the high mountain style that I had seen in the Taiwan High mountain years ago.

Put wood brick to make the main branch toward to left. It’s a pity some ugly lines came out; both are the same in length and the lifeline is similar to “S” style. So another lovely front should be sought out.

The lifeline is powerful and exposes a more lovely jin.

Now, I think it's the best new front.

In the working process should be make stedfast enough.

back view

Remove parts of twigs, highlighting the trunk & main branch.Cut off branch that is too heavy for the tree.

Cut off branch that is too heavy for the tree.

Cut off branch that is too heavy for the tree.

Two hours work—Carve heavy branch to expose magnificent main branch.

One day passed. The Soul of Taiwan high mountain was released.

Repot the next day. After serious treatment , this juniper is pretty weak. It would be better to put it in half sun, water less and maintain it carefully.

Repot the next day. After serious treatment , this juniper is pretty weak. It would be better to put it in half sun, water less and maintain it carefully.

Repot the next day. After serious treatment , this juniper is pretty weak. It would be better to put it in half sun, water less and maintain it carefully.

Repot the next day. After serious treatment , this juniper is pretty weak. It would be better to put it in half sun, water less and maintain it carefully.

Repot the next day. After serious treatment , this juniper is pretty weak. It would be better to put it in half sun, water less and maintain it carefully.

Amazing view

Amazing view

It is strong enough to style again after 7 months. The low branch is too long and straight, so it is necessary to bend it up

After 4 hours of work.

The lowest point of the branch was bent up nearly 100 degrees. As the work proceeded, the branch separated in to two parts. It will need something to protect it, than it might survive. Normally, we use electric plastic to cover the damaged part. Sometime we have two colors to choose from, red and black. I personal like the red one, because red is easier to see and remove when the time it right. Black is not as easy to see, and you could forget to take it off and hurt the branch.

At the end of 2007.

Trying to plant in this 50 years old Taiwan native pot.

Repot in February 2008. Finally enough of the root ball could be taken off. It would be better to keep humility, one of the easily way is cover by the tower.

Repot in February 2008. Finally enough of the root ball could be taken off. It would be better to keep humility, one of the easily way is cover by the tower.

Repot in February 2008. Finally enough of the root ball could be taken off. It would be better to keep humility, one of the easily way is cover by the tower.

Early may, 2008.

Finally, arrive at the station. Later in May 2008.

Compare Before & After

From  April 2007 to May 2008. In the very intensive restyle procedure, this tree has upgraded to another stage. Indeed more work and ideas are waiting to continue to improve it, also infinity interesting will be enjoy by myself also for audience. Not every tree is as lucky as this one. Basics are a healthy tree, right time and season, right technique…..and especiallym “open mind of the creator” are elements to create more advanced trees.

Man & Nature

Taiwan has countless huge junipers in the high mountains, most of them  over 3000 years old, and some parts have trees over 4500 years old.  ” In their many facets & moods , revel the artistically perfect and  breathtakingly graceful hands of mother nature, awe-inspired and instill a great respect.”
This tree is just beginning to catch the essence of YUE SAN junipers. After some years it will full of the Soul of a “Taiwan high mountain style” Juniper. I hope.

( Law of Taiwan Government : It is prohibited to collect any YUE SAN Juniper. –At least 7 years in jail for the stealing one from the mountains.)

Discuss this Progression –>

The contest that has been called the best on the web returns with some tweaks and refinements to the rules, reflecting comments and suggestions by many past entrants.

We have eliminated the separate Professional and Non-Professional categories. Besides reducing the extra work created verifying entrants, researching claims, investigating complaints, and sorting the entries this separation created, eliminating the separation better reflects our philosophy here at KoB.

We have also reduced the number of categories, eliminating those based on styles and instead creating an open environment for all styles. Considering that the style of the tree in this contest is not as important as the end result and the path taken to get there, we feel this is an excellent change. This decision will also reduce the number of winners, thereby increasing the value of prizes for the winners.

We have also eliminated the “one entry per person” rule and will allow multiple entries per person this year.

The winner of this years contest will have their entry published in Bonsai Focus Magazine and, of course, there will be plenty of other prizes for the winners of each category!

http://www.knowledgeofbonsai.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=148&t=4349

Am I a Bonsaist? One often ponders this question, what we make of ourselves, and frequently we hesitate to give an honest answer. However, the reality is very simple to define if we are bonsaist or not.

To help with this estimation I will cite a few attitudes that are common among bonsaist and you can draw your own conclusions and accept if you are a one.

You know you are a bonsaist when it is not hard to get up before the sun rises and drive 100 miles to be in the right collecting place when the sun comes up. You wander, walking for six hours in the fields with several kilograms of equipment on your back; when you get home you still have strength to plant what you collected.

You begin to see bonsai in all plants with strange forms; when you walk through the street, instead of looking forward you look at all the trees, you kneel down just to see the trunk. You can’t pass through a nursery without stopping to see the same plants, pots and fertilizers you already know are there, and if you stop at the bookstore you no longer look at the books of your profession but you search for the suiseki or bonsai books instead.

You become a nature designer with a title, and you design your own garden for your bonsai and begin to hate people that when they see your bonsai say “and that weed.” The same people don’t understand that you save money for some time so you can buy that special concave cutters since in the tool box you already have one that you use for your electrical repairs. They also don’t understand how this cutter becomes part of your daily life.

You begin to program your holidays based on the re-collection potential of the places you’ve already been and begin to negotiate with your partner about going there at a certain time, since the moon will be in good place for collecting. At the end when you go out with the family, you come with the car full of stones, plants and seeds.

You realize you have friends of your childhood and bonsai friends. Your other friends look at you strangely when you talk about plants, nurseries or watering.

You travel several times, hundreds of miles, just to collect a certain tree “that you needed,” and then you travel more just to find one better. Before each trip, as you fall asleep, you begin to enumerate in your mind all of the tools and equipment that you have to take the next day for the collection.
On occasion you walk 100 meters and then another 200 and then 200 more and you do that for the rest of the afternoon without resigning to the fact that there is nothing worth collecting in that area.
When you travel for the weekend to see grandma, you take (just in case!) the tools, saws and bags for collecting.

The trees stop having a common name and now you only call them by their scientific name also you save and treasure each and every rock you could use to complement your bonsai.

You realize that your social life begins to lose its appeal, and if there is full moon you would rather be in your garden. You don’t want people to talk to you when you are working on your bonsai, but when you finish you call everyone in the family to see it.

Other reasons you know if you are a bonsais is that your friends and family members can only capture your attention when they say the word “bonsai.” And then you realize that you have more pictures of your trees than of your own children (Shhh, that’s a secret).

You know a day you get into the forest where you can find spiders, snakes and who knows what else, when before bonsai just thinking about it would make your skin crawl. You get together with your friends in the field and you get lost for hours coming back with your clothing all dirty, and a great trunk in your hands, just to hear, “Son throw out that stick and come to dinner.”

Suddenly everyone you know asks you to help them with their garden, or they want to know what to do with an orchid that is dying, or they send you a dead bonsai so you can save it! “Please I’m only a bonsaist! Not a miracle worker!”

Sometimes you find that after saving and buying that pot you wanted, a week later you find some better ones at another store.

Your biggest dream is to win the Lottery so you can travel to Japan. You look at the movie “karate kid” and stop in the parts were the bonsai come up so you can analyze them. You could paste pictures of bonsai all around your office and… well the list can go on, but don’t be scared. Don’t think you are crazy, better yet, think that you are a bonsaist and this is our passion.

Discuss this editorial –>

USDA img #k836-3, used under open source permission Green Peach Aphids, Myzus persicae.

Aphids are a ubiquitous garden variety pest in temperate regions, as irritating on our tomatoes as they are on our bonsai. Also called plant lice and greenflies, Aphids are part of the insect superfamily of Aphidoidea (which pretty much covers all of the types of aphids but two), with over four thousand species known (over two hundred considered pests to horticulturalists), ranging in size from one to ten millimeters. Soft bodied, tiny, and destructive, they are seriously irritating little buggers that feed on the soft parts of our plants.

Aphids, for the most part, cause damage to our plants in one of two ways: by feeding off of the sap of the plant, and by potentially introducing viruses to the host plant (though fortunately, this is more common with vegetables than with trees, phew). The first is easier to deal with by dealing with the infestation. And, I assure you, if you see a couple aphids now, deal with it, rather than waiting. A couple aphids might not do much, but if they like your tree, they will reproduce, and *quickly*.

Anatomy of an Aphid: Aphids have soft bodies, ranging in color from green, yellow, brown, black and pink (though green seems to be the most common). Some species may appear waxy or “woolly”. Their bodies are squat, and frequently pear shaped, with a tail like protrusion (called a cauda). They have two compound eyes. Aphids have antennae, like all true insects, with as many as six segments. They feed themselves through stylets, which are the sucking mouth parts we find so detrimental, which are enclosed in a sheath called the rostrum. They have long, thin legs compared to their squat body shape and size, with double clawed “tarsi”, which is just a fancy name for a certain part of an arthropod’s leg. Most aphids have a pair of abdominal tubes (called cornicles or siphunculi), through which they exude defensive fluids to help ward off predators. The presence of cornicles distinguishes aphids from all other insects.

USDA image from wikipedia, used under open source permission The green apple aphid (''Aphis pomi'') *A, adult sexual female *B, adult male *C, young female *D, female laying an egg *E, eggs, which turn from green to block after they are laid. (Enlarged about 20 times)

Aphid Habits: Some species feed on only one type of plant (these are called monophagous), though there are others that will feed on a large number of different types of plants (the green peach aphid, Myzus persicae, as a for instance). They are passive feeders. This means rather than sucking out the sap of a plant, they use their mouth parts to puncture the phloem of their host plant, letting the natural pressure within the phloem force the sap out to them. Since the sap of most plants is relatively high in sugar (a product the aphids don’t need much of) and relatively high in nitrogen (something the aphids do need a lot of), they frequently give off a waste product known as ‘honeydew’, drops of sweet liquid containing the sugar they didn’t need. Ants on a plant can frequently be an indicator of an aphid problem, as ants are attracted to the honey dew. Some species of ants will even ‘herd’ aphids as food sources, moving them to new plants and protecting them from predators. When host plant quality becomes poor or conditions become crowded, some aphid species produce winged offspring (known as alates) that can disperse to other food sources.

Aphid Reproduction: Interesting note- Aphids give birth to live young, called Nymphs. At least, some do, others lay eggs. There are also species that can reproduce asexually, which, considering how invasive these things are and the fact that they can be spread via wind, goes a long way toward explaining why this family of insects is so darn pervasive. Different species of aphids have different methods of reproduction, which makes it difficult here to give a brief over view. But the general gist is that most aphids reproduce rapidly when conditions are right. In the spring and summer the females (asexually) give birth to live young (all female), some of which may have wings to help them spread. At the end of the summer, males and females are produced, and eggs are laid and fertilized from this generation which will hatch the following spring. But in a warm situation like the tropics or a greenhouse, female aphids can reproduce asexually for years.

Photo by Scott Bauer. USDA Img #k9602-1, used under open source permission. An alate (winged) green peach aphid, Myzus persicae.

How do you know if you have Aphids: Aphids come in a number of colours and sizes, but all are tiny, soft, pear shaped bodies with cauda (tail like protrusion) and cornicales (two tubes protruding from the rear end). If you have an infestation, you’ll be able to see them. You can also look for ants that are traveling up your plants (they look like they are on a mission, which is pretty accurate actually). Honeydew, the sweet liquid excreted by the aphids is another sign. Black moulds can grow on the honey dew, but they are generally considered harmless. Ugly, but harmless. Aphids leave pretty distinctive signs, even beside themselves. Leaves in an infested part of a plant will often look wrinkled or folded, even outright distorted. Aphids feeding on the base of a leaf will cause the leaf to curl backward, folding over them. Flower buds may be damaged or fall off completely. Some species of aphids will form a gall (an abnormal lump on a branch) and live inside of it, to help protect them from predators. You may also see yellow, stunted growth, wilting, mottled and brown foliage. Beside the weakening caused by the removal of sap, some aphids’ saliva is actually toxic to the plants they feed on.

Aphid prevention: The best prevention for aphids is healthy, happy plants. When plants aren’t stressed, they have better defenses against infestations. Keep a good distance between your trees to keep good airflow, adequately water your bonsai, and make sure they are getting the right amount of light for their species preferences. Don’t over fertilize. Chemical fertilizers high in nitrogen produce large amounts of just the right kind of growth that attracts aphids. Slower acting, organic fertilizers are better for helping prevent these infestations. While we go for good growth in our trees, this is another reminder for us that balance is the key to all things in bonsai. Aphids can also thrive in thick inner canopies of trees, so keep your trees from getting too over grown in the interior. Allowing light and fresh air to penetrate will help prevent other diseases as well. There are also some studies that have been done using reflective mulches (silver coloured polyethylene sheets) to help prevent aphid infestations, though I’m not sure if anyone has tried them in bonsai cultivation. Keep new plants isolated for a week or two before putting them near your other bonsai. This way, if there is an aphid problem you may have over looked at purchasing, you have a chance to catch it before it spreads to your other trees.

Aphid Removal: If despite your best efforts, you notice an aphid infestation on one of your trees, don’t panic! There are several steps you can take, ranging from the simple to the more complex.

The simplest, and cheapest way to deal with a mild aphid problem is to spray the entire plant with a strong burst of water to knock the aphids off. Make sure you get everywhere, especially the bottoms of the leaves and branches where the aphids might hide. Remove any leaves that have curled in on themselves, as aphids will hide in these as well. Don’t just knock them on to the soil beneath your benches though, as they will just come back. Find someplace out of the way or over a drive way where you can then wash the whole thing down again. Spray your plants early in the day so they have a chance to dry and you can check them again in the afternoon. A solution of soapy water can also be used to wash over the entire plant.

My personal favorite (an a preventive measure I take almost every year anyway) is to release insects that feed on aphids in to my garden and amoung my bonsai. The most common are lady bugs, though there are also types of parasitic wasps, aphid lions, crab spiders, syrphid flies and lace wings amoung others. These beneficial insects will stick around as long as there is food (i.e. APHIDS!), but you can encourage them to stick around longer by planting certain things that attract them (yarrow, cilantro, parsley and sweet alyssum are all plants that lady bugs in particular like). Lady bugs can be purchased at most garden centers now, as an alternative to chemical pesticides. If you are going to try beneficial insects, make certain you don’t use any pesticides, as these will kill the good bugs as well as the bad.

Photo by Scott Bauer. USDA Img #k5812-17, used under open source permission. A P-14 lady beetle (Propylea quatuordecimpunctata) devours a pea aphid.

Insecticidal soap or neem oil can be used, and is generally safe for bonsai, but check the label, and if in doubt, do a test on a small portion of the plant to be certain it does not cause an ill effect. An even coat that gets every part of the plant (especially the underside of the leaves!) is necessary. These only work on contact, and do not provide long term prevention. If a spot is missed on the plant, the infestation can balloon again once the oils have dried, and applications may need to be repeated. Do not use oils on water stressed plants (those that have been under watered and have wilted, or those that have been over waters and may have root rot), or if the weather exceeds 90F (30C), as this can harm the plant. Supreme- or superior-type oils will kill overwintering eggs of aphids trees if applied as a delayed dormant application just as eggs are beginning to hatch in early spring. These treatments will not give complete control of aphids however, and additional controls may be needed later in the season. Earlier applications will not control aphids.

There are also many other, stronger insecticides available for aphids (malathion, permethrin and acephate to name a few). Some of these are safer for bonsai than others. Especially if a certain tree is hit consistently by aphid infestations, a systemic pesticide might be worth considering. Maples and Elms in particular can be susceptible to repeat attacks. There are so many kinds available it is hard to go over all of them. General guidelines are to follow the instructions on the bottle for usage, including timing and dosage. If in doubt, test it on a small area of the tree. If there are no negative affects (dying leaves, blackening bark), you can probably proceed with the rest of the tree. If you can, however, avoid the use of diazinon and chlorpyrifos; beside diazinon being dangerous for a few species we use for bonsai, both have been identified as serious sources of pollution in lakes and rivers. Carbaryl is not recommended because it is not very effective against aphids. In general, check the labels and see what pests they are effective against.

Keep in mind that if you see ants in conjunction with the aphids, you also have to deal with the ants, as they will simply re-infest the plant. If they have made a nest in the pot itself, repotting and making sure to remove all of the old soil is effective. There are also some insecticides useful against ants, but many are not, so be certain to read the labels. Smaller garden centers can often lead you in the right direction for which pesticides will be the best for your area.

On large, landscape trees, Aphids are seldom a problem. But on small bonsai with limited roots, they can weaken a plant quite a bit, and even lead to death if not taken care of. While it may seem simple, or even not very worrisome if you see only a couple aphids, whether on a bonsai or another garden plant, early reaction and prevention are your best defenses again a full blown infestation.

Discuss this article –>

Although the article contest idea is not a new one, AoB and KoB have taken the concept and added professionalism, a solid format, and judging by some of the most respected authors and publishers in the bonsai community. All this, coupled with the largest pool of prizes ever assembled for such a contest makes this contest a must enter for anyone who has an interest in writing about bonsai.

The AoB / KoB Article Contests of the past had entries from bonsaists around the world, bringing new ideas, innovations, and information in for all to benefit from. The entries have been published on-line as well in some of the major bonsai publications. Even after the contests, entrants have gone on to write and publish articles and continue to add to the knowledge base of bonsai. It is for these reasons that AoB and KoB feel the article contest is one of their most important contests ands they take great pride in holding it every year.

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The Willow Leaf Ficus has grown into one of the most popular and perhaps best ficus trees for creating a shohin bonsai specimen. It’s a tropical tree easy to care for, versatile to style, not fussy about water or light that can thrive in either outdoor summer conditions or in indoor culture. The small leaves look good in shohin size pots and it can develop fine ramification in scale with the smaller trees. Every shohin bonsai enthusiast should have several in their collection.

Figure 1 A shohin-size formal upright Willow Leaf Ficus with great nebari and branch placement. It’s the author's favorite bonsai.

Species Characteristics

There remains considerable discussion about the Willow Leaf Ficus’ true Latin name which has changed over the last several years from Ficus salicifolia, (a direct translation of the common name Willow Leaf Ficus), to Ficus neriifolia, (nerii refers to the genus Oleander which has narrow leaves but is not a ficus), to Ficus salicaria. In 2004 a botanist published an article declaring it as a new species and calling it the Ficus salicaria. Salicara is latin for “Willow-like.” (The citation is Berg, C.C. 2004. A new species of Ficus (Moraceae) of uncertain provenance. Brittonia 56(1): 54-57. As Berg named it the full name would be Ficus salicaria CC Berg.)

The origins of the Willow Leaf Ficus are a mystery. No bonsai artist has reported seeing a Ficus salicaria in the wild. Jim Smith, the Florida expert on this Ficus, believes it is a native of South Africa, although the South African tree has larger leaves. But doubt exists about it coming from South Africa as that area has an arid climate and the ficus appears to prefer a more humid environment. Dr. Enrique Castano, a Mexican microbiologist and bonsai enthusiast, compared its DNA to that of the similar looking Ficus Pertusa in Latin America and found it did not match. It’s possible that the Willow Leaf Ficus is a sport of some other ficus and may not exist in the wild. It first appeared at a South Florida orchid nursery in the 1950 or 1960s. Perhaps one of those avid orchid hunters of that period brought it back from some exotic jungle locale. Since not even Berg knows where the tree originally came from, the mystery will only be solved when some intrepid bonsai artist finds the long lost mother grove. Until then, one can only wonder.

The tree was first started as a bonsai by the late Joe Samuels, of Miami, Florida in the early 1970’s. Joe found the plant at that South Florida nursery and over several years convinced the owner to sell the only sample to him. Joe developed the famous “Cloud” banyan-style bonsai from it. Since cuttings readily root soon many Florida bonsai nurseries and growers developed specimens and started selling them.

There is one common variation in the bonsai trade that is due to some unusual genetic mutation – Ficus 89. This mutation occurred at Jim Smith’s nursery in Vero Beach, Florida, during a freeze in 1989. The trees appeared to die from the cold, but certain specimens eventually budded again, however the leaves on these changed and returned larger and longer. Jim called them “Ficus 89.” These Ficus 89 are not ideal for shohin bonsai due to the larger leaf size. While the Ficus 89 will respond to leaf reduction techniques, the smaller leaf variety responds just as well and starts from a smaller leaf, hence better for shohin.

Styles

The Willow Leaf Ficus has stylistic versatility. It can be made into virtually any style from formal upright to cascade. The only style that doesn’t work is driftwood attached as the dead wood of the Ficus is not very hard nor very durable. Deadwood branches don’t last long. Holes and scars can be used but expect them to rot over the years.

One style that this tree assumes very well is the shohin sumo style. A short fat trunk reminiscent of a sumo wrestler can be developed from the swollen roots or trunks of a chopped tree.

Figure 2 A sumo style shohin Willow Leaf Ficus growing in a very shallow pot that accentuates the trunk taper.

Bonsai Traits and Care

The Willow Leaf Ficus has eminently suitable traits for shohin bonsai. It makes small narrow leaves that respond well to leaf reduction techniques. It grows quickly so it can develop into a shohin style in a short time. The fast growth also means it will develop ramification in a one or two seasons giving the feel of a mature bonsai.

It thrives in shallow pots and hardly needs any roots for growth. However little root room will slow development so it’s best to put only finished shohin bonsai in a very small pot. The Willow Leaf Ficus can grow in virtually any soil. In fact, it can grow without soil if given sufficient humidity and liquid fertilizer. As with all bonsai the amount and timing of water used depends on soil size, temperature and root mass. Fortunately the tree isn’t fussy and can tolerate wet roots and dry roots although it will thrive if the surface of the soil dries out between watering.

Root development requires the most attention to create a good shohin bonsai. This tree, like many other ficus will make vigorous roots, called tubers. These tubers will develop underground or at the surface and can quickly ruin the scale of a shohin bonsai. Fortunately these tubers can be cut and carved and will create new smaller roots from the cut surfaces.

Another interesting root feature is its propensity to make aerial roots. Under very humid conditions and with a dense tropical canopy the tree will drop aerial roots which are indicative of a tropical tree and can be incorporated into a shohin bonsai design.

The tree’s scar healing capability is only average. Small scars will heal but major scars don’t seem to fully cover over. The exception entails a shohin made from a root cutting. For some reason the root tissue seems to form a complete callous much better than trunk tissue.

Shohin Bonsai Care

Care will vary depending on the growers’ location. As a tropical tree, it can’t survive any freezing weather and prefers to be hot and humid. In tropical regions they grow outdoors in full sun all year long and barely take a dormant period. For those in temperate climates, the tree can thrive in indoor culture provided its tropical environment is mimicked to a degree. That is it needs to stay warm and humid and have sufficient light.

The tree will enjoy most any fertilizer types. Miracle Grow granular gives great results as the granules give a bit of nutrient to the tree with each watering. The trick is keeping the granular fertilizer on the small surface of the shohin pots. Liquid fertilizer works as well but must be given regularly as this tree is always growing. Organic fertilizer can satisfy the plants needs but might be too smelly for indoor cultivation.

Shaping follows regular bonsai techniques. The tree responds well to aluminum wiring although the wire can dig in rather quickly if the tree is growing vigorously. Smaller twigs will also respond to manual manipulation – that is bending a branch each day in the desired direction. This however is a time and labor intensive process so wiring offers a more efficient method to style the tree. The tree can also be grown with the clip and grow technique.

Regular defoliation can help develop ramification. When performing defoliation, cut the leaves just above the petiole. Some growers will pull the leaves off to save time but this is a bit crude, even if the tree will tolerate it. Pinching new growth will reduce the leaf size. The new leaves appear in a pleasing orange color that soon turns light green.

Pests and Disease

The leaves are susceptible to fungus. The leaves will turn brown and some ramification lost. If defoliated and fungicide provided quickly the damage can be contained.

Scale is the most common insect. They can be removed manually or treated with dishwasher soap or insecticidal oil. Indoors you might find white flies. Borers can be deadly as they can girdle a tree and kill all live growth above the girdle. Systemic pesticide will help prevent the borers.

Propagation

This tree is extremely easy and fun to propagate. Cuttings root so readily that it’s not unusual for Florida growers that hate to throw away clippings to have hundreds of cuttings after a major pruning session. Placing a bit of rooting hormone and keeping the cutting moist but not submerged will grow a new tree. Root cuttings also will sprout buds and make trees. These cuttings having grown in the confines of a container can have very interesting shapes very suitable for shohin bonsai. The trees also air layer very readily, in fact the aerial roots can actually support the growth of a new tree.

The Willow Leaf Ficus sometimes makes a small fig. To date no American growers have noticed viable seeds from these figs due to the fig’s symbiosis with a specialized insect. Most ficus require a wasp to fertilize the flowers which lie in the interior of the fig. The female wasp enters a small stoma in the bottom of the fig to lay eggs and in turn distributes the pollen to the seeds. Perhaps the wasp species unique to the Willow Leaf Fig doesn’t live in North America.

Case Studies

Here are a few case studies to illustrate the development of a shohin Willow Leaf Ficus.

The first is a shohin bonsai called “Rigatoni”. In 1999 this bonsai started from a simple tubular cutting akin to a piece of rigatoni pasta. The cutting was about 1.75 inches tall and about 3/4 inch diameter in 1999.

After it sprouted numerous buds, a leader was selected to make an informal upright tree. Usually when developing a ficus, branches are pruned very short and regrown to develop taper. This approach is a bit different than working with a juniper or pine. A ficus can be grown into a design instead of wired to heavily contort the branches to move the foliage pads in close.

It has since developed into a shohin bonsai – about 5 inches tall.

Here it is with and without leaves. When developing the pads, prune them as triangles when looking from the side and from the top. With shohin size trees, the pads will merge into one another as there isn’t room to “let the birds fly through.” The surface roots to the right formed as a result of a tuber that was allowed to grow and then cut and carved. It gives the tree a sense of maturity. The pot is a hand signed Japanese pot I picked up in Japan.

Figure 3 Here is the Rigatoni Ficus in leaf. Hard to believe it was a cylindrical shoot 8 years prior to this photograph.

Figure 4 This is the same tree 15 minutes later after defoliation. Defoliation helps develop ramification and will create smaller leaves temporarily

Figure 5 This photo shows the tree in 2008, Nine years after being a tubular cutting, The blue pot is a hand carved pot by the author replacing the prior pot which broke after falling off the bench.

Root Cutting Example

This shohin Ficus bonsai started as a root cutting in 2004. An interesting portion of Willow Leaf Ficus root was trimmed at both ends and left free to grow for a year.

Regular pruning kept the non leader branches short and thin- a critical step in shohin Willow Leaf Ficus development. Also note the granular fertilizer on the soil. The slanting shape on the right of the tree came from the clever use of a root to add trunk mass. Aerial roots can also provide this function.

Figure 6 Here it has developed branches after about 1 year. Note branch selection and the development of the tuber root on the right. The scar where the main leader was rechopped to change direction and add taper and to keep the tree small is still visible.

Figure 7 After two years of pruning and defoliation it has developed stout taper and wonderful ramification. Note how well the scars have healed on this root cutting. The pot is hand made by the author

Gallery

Here are some other shohin Willow Leaf Ficus trees to enjoy.

Figure 8 This little tree has quite a history. It was originally started by Jim Smith. At one point Suthin Sukosolvisit rewired the tree. Five years ago it was restyled by the author by raising the trunk, growing new roots and selecting a new front. Now it has the look of an ancient ficus in an 8 inch tall tree. The pot is by Sarah Rayner. Note the orange color on some of the new leaves.

Figure 9 This trunk of this slant style might be a bit thick for a shohin, but the tree is only 9 inches tall. It was air layered off a larger ficus and has had major work including the wedge technique to lower the number 1 branch. The pot is the BCI World Convention Commemorative pot by Certe of Italy.

Figure 10 When this tree started several years ago it had very poor rootage. Using sphagnum moss and rooting hormone, ground layering improved the surface roots in only a couple of years. The tree tops barely reaches 10 inches. The pot is a Bonsai Society of Florida 2002 Convention Commemorative pot by Horse Creek Pottery.

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