Bald Cypress Bonsai “Knees”Marion Bonsai Society, Ocala FL 2009The bald cypress bonsai (Taxodium distichum) caught my eye, but it was not the first in line to be discussed. Members brought their trees for sharing and suggestions (some call it critique). We discussed several very nice specimens and their potential as good bonsai. Then came the bald cypress bonsai with "knees” … lots of them.
What I saw on this bonsai was not exactly what you see in the nature, but they were on their way. I had to ask how the knees got started. 
The owner, Ronald Weiss was more than willing to share his technique. He explained that his “cypress is a work in progress”; and went on to give details. His bald cypress bonsai is being styled after a specimen tree near the entrance of the 'Silver Springs' attraction in Central Florida. “My tree was purchased in 1995, and was ten feet tall at the time. I topped it at the nursery, no taper." Photo to the right shows a scar from the original cut. (Placed in the back, so it doesn't show). "Then there were no branches, trunk only. I allowed several loss leaders to fatten the base. It continued to develop. I skipped an annual re-potting so I would have long heavy roots to work with. During repotting, all the roots are visible; it is then easy to select the best for potential knees. I tie the roots together with wire into hair pin design. With roots that are long enough, I make two knees each."
"Always make extra faux knees; not all the knees will thicken or survive. At first, plant the entire root below the soil surface. Don’t try to expose the new knees in the beginning. I remove extra knees that don’t fatten or are not necessary."
When I asked Ron where he learned this technique, he told me - “I had never seen it done, this was just an experiment.” What an experiment! Admittedly it is a long, slow process. Imagine the difference it could make in your Bald Cypress bonsai.
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