Where Less Is More

There's something about a well-crafted bonsai tree that conjures notions of dwarves, hobbits, and enchanted forests. A product of the ancient Far East, this almost 2,000-year-old hobby grafts the most striking elements of art and gardening, mirroring both the sublime beauty and the rugged hardship of nature.

But mimicking nature is no easy task, and while the trees are trained to look small, the body of knowledge about bonsai gardening is immeasurably vast.

At the Muranaka Nursery in Nipomo, George Muranaka and his father Kanemi have harnessed two generations of experience to create one the best bonsai nurseries in California. But in an apprenticeship where you spend the first three years learning to water and pull weeds, George maintains that he’s still just a beginner.

Kanemi, now in his 70s, moved to the U.S. in 1956. In Japan he had been an artist, but in California he had to find a more practical way to make a living, and like so many immigrants to the Central Coast, he began working in the strawberry fields.

Kanemi quickly demonstrated a knack for horticulture, but he never lost his skill as an artist. And for several years, he studied bonsai gardening under the great Japanese-American master, John Naka, who passed away a year ago this week.

Bonsai Sensei Kanemi Muranaka, founder of the Muranaka Nursery, has studied the art of bonsai for decades. This handsome maple in the foreground showcases the root-over-rock style, in which a rock is buried under the tree, and over several years, the roots are slowly exposed to reveal the irregular structure. CHRISTOPHER GARDNER

In 1978 Kanemi opened the nursery. Slowly, like a steadfast bristlecone pine, it grew; and gradually, it flourished. Today the Muranakas attract bonsai enthusiasts from across California and the country. Most of their business comes from L.A., the Bay Area, and the Central Valley, but they also serve customers from Texas, Boston, and New York. And it’s all by word of mouth; their only advertising is a small listing in the local yellow pages.

With about two acres of potted and ground-grown trees, the Muranaka Nursery has an incredible selection of hard to find material. While most people think of small trees in small pots — bonsai literally means “potted tree” — the most robust specimens start out in the ground where they can develop stronger roots and a thicker girth.

Two-thirds of the nursery’s trees are in the ground — mostly black pines, but also junipers, cypress, and maples. Customers peruse the aisles studying the shapes of the young trees, and in late winter they can dig them up and take them home to be potted.

That’s when the real fun begins. By the time the six- to eight-year-old tree is uprooted, it’s usually developed some shape that will lend itself to a particular style of bonsai, like windswept, cascading, formal, and informal upright. But it will take years of pruning and wire training to achieve the stateliness of a genuine bonsai.

Some of Muranaka’s best trees are actually collected from the wild. Common trees like the California juniper can be found in uncommon shapes, and a skillful gardener can train the tree to show its more distinct characteristics. Kanemi has one such juniper, which is about 350 years old, in his private collection.

It’s hard for a bonsai grower to part with a tree of such age and stature. (It’s even harder to find someone to properly care for the tree when you want to go on vacation!)

The age of a bonsai can be one of its most impressive qualities, but as George explained, “It’s not the age of the tree that’s important; it’s the appearance of age.”

There are a number of tricks used to give bonsais thicker bark and other features that suggest old age. But the general rule of respect is to treat the tree like a woman: never ask its age.

Size Matters Bonsais are typically kept very small, but with careful training they can have all the same proportions of a full-grown tree - as shown in this close up of a miniature juniper grove. CHRISTOPHER GARDNER

Though the art of bonsai has been around for millennia, it’s still something exotic and mysterious to Westerners, surrounded by misconceptions. One of the biggest myths, according to George, is that bonsais are meant to be grown indoors. With a few minor exceptions, including certain varieties of ficus, that’s just not true. All of Muranaka’s trees grow outdoors, mostly in full sun.

In the beginning, George didn’t take much interest in his father’s business. He had a steady job working retail at a local hardware store. Before or after work he would walk around the property, watering the multitudes of trees.

“To me, it was just a chore,” George said.

But then Kanemi wanted to retire, so George stepped in to lend a hand, and for the last 10 or 12 years he’s basically been running the place.

“He’ll tell you he’s retired,” George says of his father, who speaks very little English. “That just means he works eight hours a day instead of 10.”

As for keeping the business in the family, George is skeptical about his own son ever getting involved. He’s studying graphic design and computer animation at ITT Tech, and George said frankly he’s more interested in video games than gardening.

Those who are interested in learning more about bonsai should contact the Bonsai Club of Santa Maria. The group meets once a month for a three-hour workshop in Nipomo, and membership is just $25 for 6 months.

For more information about the club, the nursery, or bonsai in general, call the Muranaka Nursery at 929-4818.

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