Two weeks ago I spent five days in Brazil. I stayed at the Golf Hotel of THERMAS, which is near Belo Horizonte in Minas Gerais, a place where a large golf course and a family amusement center are next to each other. This place was built by Francisco Carlos Correa, who was my host there. Franciso has a large tree nursery for his place. Eighteen years ago he stated to do bonsai, not knowing much though. he took a few hundred junipers, put thick wire around them and made bundles which he planted. He says it is Juniperus communis. I rather think it is Juniperus procumbens. Anyway, they grow VERY well in the tropical climate twelve months a year. Thus in eighteen years they have diameters from 8 to 16 cm (3 to 6 inches). He then put wire around the branches and grafted thousands of Itoigawa junipers onto these trees. They look strange, but when looking closer I could see many which are excellent bonsai material also for European standards. In Brazil this is unique, the otherwise have almost no conifers.
Francisco also make a few hundred Caliandra, the nice flowering tree to excellent bonsai material. Then he is collecting large and very large Brazilian trees to form into bonsai. Franciso's dream is a bonsai museum in the amusement park. He is also willing to sell raw material.
Thank you Francisco for your great hospitality.
THERMAS: Rodovia BR 040 Km 497 (entre e Sete Lagoas) Minas Gerais
2 comments:
can usual juniperus will be healthy without winter relax?
Most junipers can not. the only one is Junipers procumbens that can stand a climate without cold winter.
In my opinion these are Juniperus provcumbens although the owner says they are Juniperus communis.
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