The Patient Art of Bonsai

Bonsai (pronounced "bone-sai") is the Japanese art of growing and shaping trees or shrubs in small pots to represent a realistic, miniature version of mature trees found in nature. It is an art form that goes back thousands of years and directly translates to "planted in a container." Over the past three decades, Millersville biology professor and botanist Dr. Ryan Wagner has practiced the art of bonsai, even incorporating it into a course.

While his first attempts were during his undergraduate years at South Dakota State University, Wagner became aware of the art form from the 1984 film "The Karate Kid." "I thought the idea of miniature trees in pots was pretty cool," he says, "so I thought I would try it." Wagner summarizes his initial attempts quite simply: "It did not go well."

After a few tries and several dead trees, Wagner halted his bonsai practices. "Over the subsequent years I still thought about it off and on," he says, "but information was not as readily accessed as it is now, so I did not advance much." Wagner reattempted his practices during his postdoctoral years at Iowa State University and succeeded in establishing his first surviving bonsai with a dwarf Norway spruce; however, he explains that his "eye for bonsai" was still lacking, and he did not see rapid growth.

After moving to Lancaster in the early 2000s, Wagner learned about a local club, the Lancaster Bonsai Society, and joined. He found the club to be a supportive community and developed his skills "rapidly." "Fast-forward 20 years," says Wagner, "and I now teach a free bonsai workshop every spring to introduce people to bonsai."

In the practice of bonsai, Wagner explains that part of the reason he enjoys it is because of how it blends horticultural techniques with artistic expression. "The two aspects that I enjoy the most are the act of 'making' something and the representation of miniaturization," he says. "Since bonsai employs both of these, I find it quite fun."

Wagner describes the lessons learned through bonsai as "very practical and personal. From a practical perspective, there is much about the anatomy, physiology and ecology of plants, particularly trees, that can be learned," he says. "Many horticultural techniques can be applied and developed through bonsai. From a personal perspective, bonsai teaches perseverance and patience. There is only so much work that can be done on a tree each year, so once that is done, you must wait until the next growing season to take the tree to the next level of its development."

At Millersville, bonsai has been included in the horticultural science course, currently taught by Dr. Laura Ramos-Sepulveda. "When I taught the course," says Wagner, "I added lecture and lab content to highlight the history, aesthetics and development of bonsai." At Ramos-Sepulveda's request, he teaches one lab during the course dedicated to bonsai development.

For those interested in bonsai, Wagner recommends not overworking a tree at the start. "You can always take branches off, but you cannot just put them back on," he says. Wagner also recommends joining a local club or connecting with other bonsai enthusiasts to learn more about proper practices and techniques.

Wagner further explains that it requires time and patience, and that "most people will not realize their vision on their first try. Persistence is needed to keep learning," he says. "Mistakes will be made, and trees will die. That is part of the process of working with living art."

To learn more about Millersville University's biology department and its degree programs, be sure to visit www.millersville.edu/biology/