Today is the spring equinox. days are definitely longer and getting slowly warmer. The bonsai have noticed and many of the deciduous trees have started to grow.

By spring sales stock at Shibui Bonsai are usually at the lowest levels. Most of the trees Shibui offers are grown on site. We dig new trees from the grow beds in late winter and pot them up but it takes a few months for those trees to grow new roots. Shipping trees with tender new roots would likely damage those fragile roots as the tree is jostled and shaken in transport. To give you the best stock I don’t ship trees until I am sure the new roots are strong enough to handle the rigors of the postal service.

It is officially spring here at Shibui Bonsai and, this year, the trees match the calendar. Most of the trident maples have begun to open new buds with those lovely red new leaves. Here are a couple of my trident maples today.

Most of the Chinese elms have also started to unfold new leaves. Chinese elms start off with brilliant green buds.

Finally for today, a crab apple. Leaves have opened fast this year. Flowers should follow soon after. This one is old enough to have developed plenty of fruiting spurs so it is usually a mass of flowers. Crab apple flowers come and go pretty quick but I’ll try to catch it at its best for you.