Japanese Black Pine – Flaws and Fixes

Botanical Name: Pinus thunbergii

Common Name: Japanese Black Pine

Story of the Tree

This Japanese Black Pine has been in training since the 1960s. Idris purchased the tree in May 2022 from the estate of long-time Kusamura member Jim Thompson, becoming its next caretaker in a lineage of club hands.

At first, she nearly passed on the tree. A severe reverse taper at the base gave him pause—until fellow club member Marsha Mekisich offered a clever idea:

“If you find the right stone, you can camouflage the defect.”

That advice changed everything. Idris bought the tree, began the search for a solution—and eventually found just the right stone to mask the taper and complete the composition.

Now, the tree doesn’t just speak to age and refinement, but also to resourcefulness, mentorship, and a little creativity at just the right moment.

Let me know if you want to title this “Flaws and Fixes” or “The Right Stone”. It’s such a great blend of bonsai realism and ingenuity.

Exhibited by: Idris