macrophyllus

Podocarpus is one of the first few species of bonsai trees that I have learned about the first time I set foot in the world of bonsai. Macrophyllus Podocarpus is native to China and Japan. While the tree is called Kasamaki Inumaki or Japanese, Podocarpus macrophyllus is also commonly called Buddhist pine, a literal translation of the Chinese name of the tree -. Luo Han Song (罗汉松)

leaves, flowers and fruits

Buddhist Pine has narrow leaves, are stiff elliptical and spiral texture crowded. The cone-shaped tree flowers are unisexual. While the male cones are yellow-brown, women are greenish.

The oval shaped fruit sitting on thick fleshy receptacle turns red / purple when mature, which looks a bit Buddha meditating on a rope red / purple.

Sun

While Buddhist pine

loves full sun, can tolerate partial shade, which makes this beautiful conifer tree indoor bonsai.

illegal excavation

year

Recently, there have been many cases of Buddhist Pines illegal logging. As China’s economy grows, the demand for Buddhist pine, which is seen as a lucky charm, rises. One Buddhist pine can cost up to HKD $ 100,000 (about U.S. $ 13,000). The high profits from illegal harvesting of trees have attracted many mainland illegal to come to Hong Kong, digging and smuggling of trees back to China.

Happy Bonsai

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