Not all bonsai are old, but many of them may be older than you realize. Yamadori especially, can be very old for their size. The great age vs. size is something I mentioned in an earlier post; These trees are growing in a severely constricted environment. A crack in a rock only holds miniscule amounts of soil, moisture and nutrients for a tree. In a bonsai pot we are basically creating the same type of environment, except that we are regulating the amount of soil, nutrients and water to keep the tree thriving and happy all year.

Steve recently cut a slice from the base of a deceased common juniper he found in the mountains. This tree is barely over a foot tall and over 301 years old!

Junipers grow with veins, somewhat like hoses that go up and down carrying nutrients and water. (Pines and deciduous trees are slightly…