Bonsai trees exhibition today

An interesting array of bonsai trees is on display today in the hall underlying St Publius church in Floriana.

Miniature trees, that have been painstakingly shaped by their dedicated owners, are on show at the annual bonsai exhibition, organised by the Bonsai Culture Group. The exhibition will be open today between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. and 4 to 8 p.m. Entrance is free.

The exhibits include local trees such as the tamarisk, fig, carob, plum and Aleppo Pine. Bonsai are cultured by severe pruning and clamping to manipulate the tree's appearance.

The art of bonsai is believed to have started in China 2,000 years ago and was then adopted by the Japanese in about 1133 AD. Bonsai is a Japanese word meaning a plant (sai) in a shallow container (bon). The culture of bonsai kicked off in the early 1990s, with the group being founded in 1991. The group aims to promote the cultivation of bonsai trees and increase awareness on Malta's endemic Maltese and Mediterranean trees.