Piece 6: Bjorn Bjorholm

"Tornado (Tatsumaki)" Post 2019 styling, Bjorn Bjorholm. One-seed Juniper. Photo from Nebari Bonsai Blog. https://nebaribonsai.files.wordpress.com/2019/06/img_6348.jpg?w=1100

    Tornado, also called by its Japanese name -- Tatsumaki, is a bonsai in training by Bjorholm. Unlike many of the other trees in this exhibition, it's still in training and not ready for actual showing. It's a one-seed juniper (Juniperus monocarpa), native to the Southwest U.S. This bonsai was named for its spiraling deadwood features. It's the largest of the American bonsai shown in this exhibition. It's also considered the largest American origin bonsai.

    This bonsai is also a driftwood style bonsai. It also has the most deadwood of all the bonsai of this exhibition. In the picture above, it's still in a wooden training crate, both for ease of transport and care. In Bjorholm's most recent video on his Youtube page, the tree has been potted into an unglazed pot.

    Note how the foliage is present on both sides of the trunk, helping to frame the massive trunk and deadwood. Once again, the foliage is used to bring the eye around the tree, using the same spiraling movement as the deadwood. Keeping the foliage tight against the trunk also compacts the tree, making it seem like it takes up less room.


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