Bonsai Teaches Us Respect for All Life

Dear Friends of the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum,

In this time of global pandemic and awakening to end racial injustice, we look forward to the reopening of the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum so again we all can walk among the majestic and inspiring bonsai and penjing waiting for us there.

Our hearts are heavy for those hurting around the nation and the world, and we hope that you and your family are safe and healthy. We give thanks for those bonsai masters like John Naka, Yuji Yoshimura and Saburo Kato who were instrumental in creating the Museum and taught us the true meaning of bonsai. As Saburo Kato once said:

“From bonsai we receive peace of mind, health, and a life’s pursuit. We can also learn generosity, patience and even philosophy about life. We have also had the good fortune to make friends of all nationalities and races with whom we share a mutual trust and respect. This is all thanks to bonsai.”

The core values of bonsai, which we strive to uphold at the National Bonsai Foundation, are rooted in promoting and fostering world peace and respect for all life. Together we can take comfort in the art of bonsai to encourage inclusivity, empathy and peace throughout the world.

In Solidarity,

Felix Laughlin and Jack Sustic
NBF Co-Presidents

Thank You Essential Workers!

Dear Community,

In these unprecedented times, the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum and U.S. National Arboretum are unfortunately closed to the public. We wish we could be sharing our blooming trees, luscious greenery and bonsai history with you all right now! 

Luckily, a handful of Museum employees are still hard at work – safely distanced and wearing masks – to ensure our trees are in healthy, thriving condition when we can welcome visitors again.  

Thank you so much to these five essential workers for your dedication to the preservation of our Museum’s trees! We wish for your safety and good health as you continue to take care of our fields, gardens and displays.

Sincerely,

Jack Sustic, Felix Laughlin and Bobbie Alexander, on behalf of the Board of Directors of the National Bonsai Foundation

Scott Aker, Head of Horticulture and Education, USNA

Michael James, Museum Curator

Andy Bello, Garden Technician, Museum

Patrick Lynch, Garden Technician, Asian Collections and Holly & Magnolia Collections

Brad Evans, Horticulturist, Introduction Garden

World Bonsai Day’s Impact Around the World

World Bonsai Day was Saturday, May 9 this year and although we couldn’t celebrate in person, we certainly all celebrated together. If you missed the virtual celebration, click here. Check out the record-breaking numbers of engagement we saw on our website and social media on World Bonsai Day alone:

• 1,000+ website visits

• 16,000+ Facebook accounts reached

• 70+ posts used #WorldBonsaiDay or #WorldBonsaiDay2020

• 179,000 social media users that saw posts with #WorldBonsaiDay and #WorldBonsaiDay2020.

Creating Origami in the U.S. National Arboretum’s National Bonsai & Penjing Museum

Origami instructor, Jeff Raab

A young participant holds her origami crane

As one of the programs and classes offered at the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum, origami professional Jeff Raab led the Museum’s first-ever origami class in January. People of all ages and folding skill levels attended to learn different bases and models.

Raab started small, with a few simple folds and models, eventually moving to the quintessential paper crane, in hopes that attendants would then use their crane-creation skills to contribute to the National Symphony Orchestra’s effort to bring 1,000 paper cranes to the Children’s Peace Monument in the Peace Memorial Park in Hiroshima, Japan as part of their Asia 2020 tour.

Kennedy Center leader Andrew Brown wrote a note of thanks for everyone who participated in the project:

I am proud to report that the National Symphony Orchestra received more than 3,000 paper cranes sent from around the country. It was a remarkable response to our project in preparation for our visit to Hiroshima, Japan.

As I am sure you may have realized, the NSO tour to Japan was canceled due to COVID-19. After 15 months of preparation, we were very disappointed, but our offices were full of the most beautiful and colorful origami cranes. We continued to organize and string the cranes together even after the cancellation of the tour.

On Friday, March 6th, NSO musicians performed a concert at the Japan Information and Culture Center in Washington, D.C. On that occasion, we were able to present 2,000 origami cranes to Minister Takehiro Shimada from the Embassy of Japan, along with a special poster made by members of the D.C. Youth Orchestra Program.

All of the origami cranes presented will be carefully packaged and mailed to the City of Hiroshima along with a record of everyone who participated and shared comments as part of this project.

Click here to see photos of the journey of the NSO Paper Crane Project. It has been a pleasure to work on this project with you, and we thank you for your contributions towards this project in recognition of the 75th Anniversary of the end of World War II.

Sincerely,

Andrew Brown

Participants learned how to fold different figures

While we are currently closed to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, we are looking forward to continue hosting our variety of workshops – from origami to forest bathing to tai chi – as soon as authorities permit reopening. We can’t wait to see you again!

Repotting the World-Famous Yamaki Pine

Yamaki Pine at the Museum (Photo courtesy of USDA Agricultural Research Service, US National Arboretum)

National Bonsai & Penjing Museum and U.S. National Arboretum staff have repotted the Yamaki pine, one of the world’s most eminent and symbolically powerful bonsai.

Almost 400 years old, the Japanese white pine has survived generations of travel and travesty, most famously the 1945 bombing of Hiroshima where the tree sat in late bonsai master Masaru Yamaki’s garden. Yamaki donated the pine in 1976 as part of Japan’s bicentennial gift to the American people – the gift that created the Museum.

Museum Curator Michael James alongside former First Curator’s Apprentice Andy Bello worked with Patrick Lynch and Bradley Evans, two Arboretum staff members, to repot the magnificent tree on March 26. James spoke to NBF about the logistics of the repotting.

Last repotted in 2015, the tree’s soil had compacted so much that water had begun to run off the surface of the soil and barely soak in. Sometimes the water might take up to 15 minutes to infiltrate the pine’s root ball, which is a sign that repotting is needed, James said.

The particles of Akadama, or the granular, clay-like type of soil used to plant the Yamaki pine, had compacted from their usual ball-shaped structure to very small, clay-sized fines, blocking water and air from traveling throughout the root ball.

“When the soil gets that dry, it becomes almost like a brick, and then there’s no oxygen in the soil for the roots to breathe and they rot,” James said.

Finding dead roots and compacted soil could derail the repotting plan, raising issues that have to be dealt with on the spot instead of the intended process. 

“It’s hard to do everything you want to do in one repot,” James said. “This one went really well and pretty much as expected. We found healthy roots all around and a really strong mycorrhizal network of beneficial fungal surrounding the roots.” 

Yamaki Pine’s exposed roots (Photo courtesy of USDA Agricultural Research Service, US National Arboretum)

The process

In preparation to remove the pine from its pot, James, Bello and the staff members pushed the tree off of its pedestal and onto a hydraulic lift cart. 

The tree and container weighed somewhere between 200 and 300 pounds, requiring the group to use straps – cushioned with a towel to distribute the pressure point and weight of the pine – to secure the tree to a beam on the roof of the Japanese Pavilion.

The group then carefully cut between the rim of the pot and the edge of the soil ball a few times to release the ball from the pot. Because the Yamaki pine is so large, the group couldn’t simply lift the pine from the pot. They had to lower the hydraulic cart from under the tree and carefully catch the pot as it fell away, freeing the tree, James said.

“The tree looked like it was floating, especially when you’re not looking up to see the strap and the root ball is suspended from the bottom of its trunk,” he said. “It’s a very surreal image because trees don’t float this way and they’re never positioned like this.” 

Tools used during the repotting (Photo courtesy of USDA Agricultural Research Service, US National Arboretum)

James said that, during the winter, the pot had been enclosed in a mulch box, which buffered the pine’s roots from cold temperatures over the past few years, so the bottom and sides of the soil were in good shape. The surface soil, which the mulch did not cover, contained the least healthy roots, so the team used awls, small hooks and brushes to slowly break up that compact area. 

“It's a little bit like art restoration and a little bit like archeology,” James said. “It’s slow, a little tedious and you have to be really careful that you are removing soil and not roots.” 

One challenge the group faced was clearing away old roots that had died without removing healthy new roots or disrupting “essential” symbiotic relationships the tree had formed with other organisms. 

James said mycorrhizal fungi, a white cottony material found among tree roots (see last photo below which shows the white mycorrhizae), feeds off of sugars the pine’s roots created. The pine then benefits from moisture and nutrients the fungus pulls into the roots, so the team had to ensure that some of the fungus remained.

“When you break up that soil, you destroy or hamper that relationship, and it has to regrow,” James said. “The relationship between the roots and the fungus has to remain intact for the pine to stay healthy.” 

He added that no specific date is set for the next repotting, but the process could happen again between the next three to seven years, depending on how the pine recovers from this repotting, how well water drains through the soil and the tree’s overall health. 

“You want to do these repots few and far between on an old tree like this,” James said. 

Yamaki Pine at the Museum (Photo courtesy of USDA Agricultural Research Service, US National Arboretum)

Andy Bello with the Yamaki Pine during the repotting (@bellcraze).

NBF Taps Sophia Osorio for 2020 First Curator’s Apprentice

We are pleased to announce the hiring of the NBF 2020 First Curator’s Apprentice, Sophia Osorio. 

Robert Drechsler served as the first curator for the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum from 1976 to 1998. During the celebration of the 35th anniversary of the Museum in 2011, NBF established an internship – called the First Curator’s Apprenticeship – to honor Robert’s many years of service. The apprenticeship aims to train the next generation of American bonsai artists.

Sophia, who started on March 10, said a previous internship at the Central Park Conservancy in New York City first piqued her interest in wanting to work outside.

“I’ve known since graduating college that I never wanted an office job,” she said. “I wanted to be outdoors doing hands-on work.”

Sophia, 23, said her passion for trees first came to light during an environmental ethics course she took during her undergraduate education at Binghamton University in New York. She learned about the philosophical side of the environment, like how society’s carbon footprint affects Earth. 

“It sort of inspired me to want to make a difference in my own small way,” Sophia said.

She said she first became interested in bonsai during an arbor culture certificate program she took part in at the New York Botanic Garden in the Bronx. Sophia said she saw the posting for the apprenticeship at the garden and decided to apply. 

“I’m still trying to find a specific career path, like what I would like to do specifically with trees, because I feel like the options can be endless,” she said. “Bonsai have a visual aesthetic to them. I thought that was super interesting to learn more about, like pruning and care and things like that.”

Sophia said she has spent her first week working closely with Museum Curator Michael James, jotting down notes and tips about the trees she will be working with for the next year. 

“There’s so much care and many different tactics that go into keeping trees alive for so long, like the Yamaki Pine,” she said. “Some people can’t even keep houseplants alive, so I think that’s amazing and it’s definitely a skill I would like to pick up on.”

When she isn’t learning about the Museum’s collections, Sophia keeps active with trips to the gym, hikes and long walks. She recently visited the Redwood Forest in California. 

“You can leave me in a national park for hours and I'd be fine,” Sophia said. “I'm down for anything outdoors.”

We look forward to all Sophia will contribute to the Museum in her capacity as First Curator’s Apprentice. A special thanks to our 2019 apprentice Andy Bello, whom the U.S. National Arboretum has hired as a temporary agricultural research science technician.

The National Bonsai Foundation is looking for a new funding source for this program. Please contact us if you are interested.

COVID-19 Response

UPDATED JUNE 8:

Beginning June 8, the U.S. National Arboretum in Washington, D.C., will reopen with operational changes in place to protect staff and federal resources. The new schedule will see the Arboretum open from 1 to 5 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Entry to the grounds will be provided via dedicated access points and there will be limited services and amenities during this time.

The Administration Building/Visitors Center and the Museum will remain closed for now until further notice.

Arboretum visitors will be required to follow all posted guidelines designed to maximize the safety and health of all visitors and employees, including social distancing rules. For more information on new operating hours and a listing of accessible areas, potential visitors are encouraged to review the Arboretum website at www.usna.usda.gov.

While the Museum remains closed, you can virtually enjoy the peace and beauty that our beloved collections and serene space offer through regular blogs, our website photos and our website.

Also, if you are not already, we invite you to subscribe to our e-newsletter and receive monthly messages about the art of bonsai, our collections, and the bonsai community around the world.

NBF Board Member Passes Away at 94

Jack Wells, middle, while volunteering at the Museum in the late 1990s with (right to left) David Gavin, Jack Cardon, former assistant bonsai curator Dan Chiplis and Warren Hill.

The National Bonsai Foundation is sad to announce the passing of former Board of Directors member Jack Wells. 

Wells was an establishing member of NBF in 1982, served on the Board for many years and previously held the top post at the Potomac Bonsai Society. 

“Jack’s dedication to and history of the Museum was evident from the start,” NBF Co-Presidents Felix Laughlin and Jack Sustic said in a letter to NBF board members. “As a friend, mentor to many and bonsai leader, Jack played a significant role in the development and appreciation of the art of bonsai in our nation’s capital.”

Jack and his wife Kathi at an NBF reception in 2011 talking to the U.S. National Arboretum’s then-Director Tom Elias.

Born in Independence, Oregon in 1925, Jack grew up on the family farm which eventually became a century farm. He graduated from Oregon State University in 1951 from the College of Agricultural Sciences with a major in horticulture, according to his obituary.

Through the International Foreign Youth Exchange program, Wells traveled to Bolivia where he discovered his love for agriculture. While working with the USDA as an Agriculture Marketing and Seed Specialist, Wells traveled to 68 different countries to educate on agriculture improvement techniques. He also worked for the American Seed Trade Association, according to his obituary.

He is survived by his wife Kathi, four children, two stepchildren and 16 grandchildren, his obituary states.

Please Vote for Us for "Best Place to Take an Out-of-Towner" in Washington City Paper's Best Of DC Contest!

For the last two years we have been named one of the THE BEST PLACES TO TAKE AN OUT-OF-TOWNER from Washington City Paper’s Best of DC Readers Poll. With your help we can do it again!

Please write in “The National Bonsai & Penjing Museum” into the THE BEST PLACE TO TAKE AN OUT-OF-TOWNER category, in the PEOPLE & PLACES section.

Polls close March 1st.

THANK YOU SO MUCH!

The National Bonsai Foundation Announces Retirement of Dr. Johann F Klodzen

Dr. Klodzen to step down after nearly 20 years as Executive Director

Johann Klodzen at the U.S. National Arboretum (2020)

As of February 1st, 2020, Johann Klodzen will step down from her role as Executive Director of The National Bonsai Foundation (“NBF”). All of NBF’s officers and members of its Board of Directors are sincerely grateful to Johann for her nearly 20 years of service guiding NBF’s work in support of the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum at the U.S. National Arboretum (the “USNA”).

During her tenure at NBF, Johann collaborated closely with several Directors of the USNA, most recently Dr. Richard Olsen; supervised NBF’s involvement in numerous projects at the Museum, including the complete rebuilding of The Japanese Pavilion and most recently the development of a master plan for the future renovation of the rest of the Museum; oversaw NBF’s efforts to give NBF and the Museum a significant online presence; oversaw the inauguration and publication of NBF’s Annual Report in 2016, which received several awards for design; and worked tirelessly to give the Museum an increased recognition in the United States and across the world of bonsai enthusiasts. Her passion for and knowledge of the artform was infectious to all of those who had the privilege to work alongside her. Though she is leaving the position, we know Johann will continue to be a part of our bonsai family.

While we conduct a search for a new Executive Director, we are delighted to announce that Bobbie Alexander will step into the role as Interim Director of Administration. Bobbie has served as Chief of Staff and Managing Director of Governance for the American Diabetes Association, as a Senior Administrative Consultant for The Food Allergy Research & Education Association and most recently as Chief of Staff and Operations for the National Health Council. We are confident that during this transition period, we are in very good hands.

Though we begin 2020 on a note of bidding farewell to our esteemed colleague, there is much to look forward to in the new decade ahead. Our next Executive Director will be tasked with the exciting planned renovations of the Museum, overseeing NBF’s efforts to make that project a reality, thereby ensuring the continuation of NBF’s mission of preserving a history, protecting a legacy, and preparing a future.