Coast Live Oak update – plus submission tips for the Pacific Bonsai Expo – Bonsai Tonight

For the past five years I’ve been working to rehabilitate a semi-cascade coast live oak. Now that the tree is healthy, the silhouette is filling in quickly.

Here’s the tree after cutback and wiring last summer (see “Rehabilitating a coast live oak – part 2” for details).

Coast live oak – July 2021

And here’s what the tree looked like last week.

March, 2021

After producing a flush of summer growth last year, the tree was due for pruning again. Although most of the branches were already in a good position, I added a few wires to improve the silhouette. I also repotted the tree to help maintain healthy roots.

After cutback and wiring – 17″

Although I’d love to show the tree this year, It has a ways to go before the new silhouette fills in. I’m hoping it’ll be a candidate for an exhibit – possibly a subsequent Pacific Bonsai Expo – in 2024.

As for this year’s Expo, the submission period is almost half-way over! If you are thinking about submitting one or more trees to the jury, you have until April 30th to complete your submission.

Do note that we don’t need photos of full displays at this time. A photo showing the main tree in the display is acceptable for large bonsai. For small and medium-sized bonsai, you can submit photos of each tree separately or submit a single photo showing the complete display – either way is fine.

For more info about submitting, see the Pacific Bonsai Expo Submission Guidelines.

News and Updates

• This week Carmen Leskoviansky and Samantha Holm launched the Purple Pot Society, an organization whose mission is “To support, encourage, and inspire female bonsai artists and advocate for diversity and inclusion of all underrepresented groups within the bonsai community.”
  
  Carmen and Samantha spell out the idea for the Society in a recent episode of the Bonsai Wire Podcast. You can also find them on Facebook.
  
  
• Save the date: this year the World Bonsai Friendship Federation will host the 9th World Bonsai Convention. Originally slated to be held in Perth, Australia, the event will now be virtual.
  
  An impressive roster of international demonstrators are participating and there will be a large marketplace and online auction. The event runs from October 8-16 and attendees are welcome to participate from all over the world. Learn more at worldbonsaiconvention.com.