Kuromatsu Kotobuki Yatsufusa “Senjumaru” Easiness Popular In Abroad
Tadashi and Tadahito Ayada cultivate Kuromatsu Kotobuki Yatsufusa at Ryoshoen bonsai garden in Takamatsu’s Kokubunji town. Tadashi found a mutation of Kuromatsu Kotobuki whose an upper branch changed to Yatsufusa at his garden 12 years ago. It was named “Senjumaru.” Now there is a mother tree whose bottom part is Kotobuki and the upper is Yatsufusa.
Fast Complete Tree Shape
“Senjumaru” has many good points. The Yatsufusa has many buds and it is easy to develop branches. The dark green needle is short and thick. In addition, it is fast to complete developing the tree’s shape. So people can easily enjoy it. It is also popular in other countries. Especially it is suitable for shohin.
Tadashi who is known as master of Tsugiki increases “Senjumaru” by Tsugiki. He uses “Teitsugi” technique which grafts at the start point of roots. The best time for it is in Febuary and March every year. At the garden, they attach importance to grow the good materials. Usually they grow the nursery tree grafted to 2 years old Kuromatsu in a pot and ship it in the next autumn.
There is a “Senjumaru” which was put in a pot about 2 years after grafting and has been cultivated at the garden. It is about 10 years old and Mikigamae (trunk style) gets the dignified atomosphere.
Complete Tree and Sashiki
Tadahito has arranged the shapes of trees which Tadashi grafted. Now, as a next generation of the garden, he learns the technoque of Tsugiki. They say, “We have to cultivate the good materials and give them to people who has high level skills.” Also Tadahito has his own vision of the future.
About 10 years before, Tadashi grafted a “Senjumaru” to an old Kuromatsu. Tadahito takes care of it sometimes using scissors. In his plan, making the complete tree like this is one of his future works. Another is to develope the way of cultivation by Sashiki (cuttings). He says, “We can’t see the grafted point of Sashiki so the rank of it is higher than Tsugiki. It is also unnecessary to use the stock. However sometimes the trees having thick needles can’t grow the roots.”
(By Shigeo Hano)