North Alabama Living Art Bonsai Society LABS

Address

Kids Kount Daycare

23631 AL Hwy 24 Trinity, AL

Quick contact

Living Art Bonsai Society

LivingArt.HSV@gmail.com

DONATE

Goals of the
Living Art Bonsai Society
“LABS”

To promote knowledge, interest, education, and the enjoyment of bonsai and other living plant materials.

To encourage members’ collections and exhibitions of bonsai.

To develop learning opportunities to assist members in the preparation and care of bonsai.

To raise awareness of bonsai in the community through public service communications and operations as well as demonstrations to the general public.

If you are interested in learning more, would like to visit us, or are interested in becoming a member, please attend one of our meetings!

Check out the details on the Meeting Schedule page for information about
our next scheduled meeting or contact an Officer in the Society.

Living Art Bonsai Society is a registered Non-Profit organization.

find out more

2024 Bonsai Show’s judge:

“Mr. Bjorn Bjorholm”

Mr. Bjorholm received high quality photos of our competitive bonsai trees and made his favorite selection.

White Pine – Pinus parviflora

Style: Informal upright

Age of Tree: 30 years

Years in training: 18

Winner: Gerald Tolleson

Links We Share:

Living Art Bonsai Society FACEBOOK Page

Brian Van Fleet

Alabama Bonsai Society

Huntsville Botanical Garden

Nashville Bonsai Society

The North Carolina Arboretum

Atlanta Bonsai Society

Bonsai Nurseries

Brussel’s Bonsai Nursery

Catbird Seat Garden Center & Landscape Nursery

Wigert’s Bonsai Nursery

Myrick’s Bonsai Pottery

A Message from Our President Mr. Terry

Our December discussion centers around documentation, a subject we don’t often see discussed in reference to bonsai. Let’s think for a moment about the life of a bonsai tree. Plant origination could be from a cutting, air layering, a harvested tree, a garden center, from a friend etc. Application of fungicide, dormant oil, and grafting are additional actions we take. We repot trees periodically, fertilize on an irregular schedule, and root prune as required, just to mention a few of the many activities surrounding a bonsai tree. A great way to track all of this activity is to first number or name each tree (identify). Then we can record through some mechanism (logbook, binder, or software program) all that information that most of us would forget. One good method I use is an application called Bonsai Album (available in both Apple and Windows format). There are other programs out there, but these tracks pot history, plant history, have a photo area, an excellent documentation method and many other features that I enjoy. We can prevent repetition of an action or forgetting when we repotted last. We expend a great deal of time and effort raising bonsai, this extra effort is indeed worth the time required.

As we always say, enjoy this great art, join a local bonsai group and enjoy sharing it with great friends. To all our wonderful bonsai friends enjoy the holiday season.

Phil Terry
President LABS

Current Trees that you may find in our collections

BOXWOOD

Boxwood (Buxus) are very robust and can grow even on barren ground, in fu ll sun or shade. As boxwoods tolerate constant trimming very well and can bud from old wood, they are very well suited for bonsai.

CYPRESS

One of the best bonsai trees for beginners is the Bald Cypress, or Taxodium distichum. A member of the Redwood family, Taxodiaceae, it is a primary tree species & can reach heights of 100-120′ with a trunk diameter typically between 3-5′.

AZALEA

Azaleas can be trained for either flowers or bonsai but not really for both. Azaleas trained primarily for flowers usually have a shrubby appearance – Azaleas bloom in various colors and are an ideal species for bonsai.

ELM

The Chinese elm is a very popular choice of Bonsai for beginners, as it is a strong tree that reacts well to pruning and can be kept outdoors as well as indoors. The fine ramification, tiny leaves and beautiful bark are characteristics most loved for this tree species.