When Calamity Strikes:An apex is saved on this Buddhist Pine

摘要

Sometimes our bonsai trees take an unexpected turn. Such was the near devastating case of the "Wind Crack." Let's set the stage. Florida, where this Buddhist Pine, Podocarpus sp., lives has a deserved reputation as a windy state, just ask any golfer.In March 2015, returning home one evening after a particularly windy day I found thisbonsai tree had done a headfirst dive unto the gravel path that leads to my bridge over a stream. The tree fell about 3 feet, and according to high school physics hit the ground at about 11 miles per hour. This impact was enough to cause serious damage to the apex. (Figure l) In fact, the main apex trunk extension cracked about 70 percent across. (Figure 2) However it was not totally broken off so I decided to try to save the top by applying some reconstructive surgery.