Name: No Meetings due to Holidays
Start: 2026-12-24T19:00:00-08:00
End: 2026-12-24T21:00:00-08:00

Developing Ficus Bonsai with Pedro Morales

Authored by George Haas

On August 24, 2026, Pedro Morales joined me at my home for the afternoon to help with development of a large Ficus bonsai.

Pedro is a tropical bonsai expert from Puerto Rico. Pedro is one of the most influential tropical bonsai masters in the world, known especially for his work in Puerto Rico and across Latin America. Born 1961 in Chicago, he is a Puerto Rican bonsai artist, teacher, exhibitor, and founder of Futago Bonsai, one of the most important tropical bonsai schools in Latin America. His work is widely recognized for elevating tropical species to world class bonsai standards.

Ficus (Ficus retusa) is a species of evergreen woody plant in the Fig genus. The tree is native to Borneo, Java, and Peninsular Malaysia.

I acquired the tree in May 2007 from Steve Faulk’s demonstration hosted by the East Bay Bonsai Society. From looking at the base, it appears to have been three rooted specimens that fused together forming the single base. Steve purchased the tree in Miami, Florida. When alive, Steve loved working with tropical bonsai.

The first priority action taken was for Pedro and me to fully defoliate the bonsai tree. This allowed to really see the bonsai structure. He only then began to prune out unwanted branches. Once that was done, Pedro wired the primary, secondary and twig branches.

Pedro had taken photographs of the Ficus bonsai, depicting the front, left side, back, and right side. A day later, he provided edited photographs of the tree. In addition, Pedro Morales provided a future vision image he created using artificial intelligence Chatbot app. The future vision gives information on further development over a period of two years from now.

There are a number of bonsai related artificial intelligence apps under development. None are perfect, but the work continues. Using other AI app can achieve quite different results.

We are incredibly lucky to have many qualified bonsai instructors in the greater San Francisco Bay Area. They provide a variety of services, including development of bonsai and guidance of future growth expectations. However, it can be beneficial to see an image of the tree’s future. AI can allow for conventional styles, pot selection, and more.

Matsuri! Japanese Arts Festival

Redwood Empire Bonsai Society (REBS) played a role in the Matsuri Japanese Arts Festival, at Juilliard Park, Santa Rosa, CA, on Sunday, May 17, 2026, from 11 AM to 5 PM.

REBS members volunteered to set up a bonsai tree display for guests attending the Matsuri Festival, which has become an annual event for the club. The festival has occurred for 13 years. The event was well attended. The Japanese Consulate General of San Francisco was an invited guest. Admission was free.

The festival presented a full schedule of cultural demonstrations, including taiko drumming, traditional folk dance and music, martial arts exhibitions, Kyogen theater performance, and mochi pounding. Additional features include Japanese art and cultural exhibits, clothing and craft vendors, food offerings, a children’s activity area, a Japanese‑language information booth, origami demonstrations, and other interactive experiences.

REBS showcased a number of bonsai species and included trees in training. One member brought a developing tree to work on during the festival. Many thanks to the participating club members!

Photos by George Haas.

Bring Your Own Tree Workshop

2026 Kokufu-ten Bonsai Exhibition Part 2

Prepared by George Haas

2026 Kokufu-ten Bonsai Exhibition Part 2

The première bonsai exhibition Part 2 took place at the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum, Tokyo, Japan from February 14 thru 18, 2026. It was celebrated as the 100th anniversary of the of Kokufu-ten bonsai exhibition.

Ivan Lukrich and George Haas attended Part 2 of the renowned bonsai exhibition on February 17 and 18, 2026. Photographs were allowed for the 181 additional bonsai displays. A photograph album is available for purchase with the publication date due sometime in June 2026. Nippon Bonsa Association sponsored the bonsai exhibition.

The following photographs are some of the 181 bonsai trees on display for Part 2:

Mr. Masahiko Kimura and visitors in attendance

*Juniperus chinensis var. sargentii* and George Haas

2026 Kokufu-ten Bonsai Exhibition Part 1

Prepared by George Haas

2026 Kokufu-ten Bonsai Exhibition Part 1

The première bonsai exhibition Part 1 took place at the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum, Tokyo, Japan from February 8 thru 11, 2026. It was the 100th anniversary of Kokufu-ten. The first Kokufu-ten was held in 1934 and has a history of more than 80 years. The Nippon Bonsai Association sponsors the bonsai exhibition. The exhibition bonsai are judged, and the best are awarded the Kokufu Award. Kokufu-ten is the largest and oldest bonsai exhibition in Japan. Its aim is to improve bonsai art and traditional Japanese culture. It is widely known for being the best bonsai. More than 2,000 visitors attended the first day of the exhibition.

George Haas attended Part 1 of the renowned bonsai exhibition on February 11, 2026. Photographs were allowed for the 181 bonsai displays. A photograph album is available for purchase with the publication date due sometime in June 2026.

The following photographs are some bonsai trees on display for Part 1: