The Ancient ArtThe Ancient Artofof

BonsaiBonsaiBy Saburo Kato Kimura, sedjBy Amboru Kato Kimura, sedj

SERIOUS SKILLSSERIOUS SKILLS

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The Ancient Artof

BonsaiBonsaiBy Amboru Kato Kimura, sedj

SERIOUS SKILLSWiley Publishing, Inc.

Second Edition

Cover Designer: Pompeii ClarenzCover Image by Curacho Images.Copyright © 2007 by Amboru Kato Kimura, sedjPublished by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, IndianaPublished simultaneously in Canada, Japan and UKISBN-13: 978-0-4700-4287-833ISBN-10: 0-4700-4287-76

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Pemphis acidula, one of the world’s best bonsai materials from the wild.

"You ask me why I dwell in the greenmountain;

I smile and make no reply for my heart isfree of care.

As the peach blossom which flowsdownstream and is gone into the unknown,

I have a world apart that is not among men."

-- Li Po

To Presy

CHAPTER 1 - The history of bonsai• Penjing: History, aesthetics & spiritual background• The ancient arts of bonsai and penjing• Zen and the art of bonsai maintenance

CHAPTER 2 - Acquiring & caring for bonsai• Creating your own bonsai• Purchasing a tree• Sunlight• Watering• Misting• Fertilizing• Repotting• Trimming & pruning• Pests & diseases• Winter care

CHAPTER 3 - Styles of bonsai trees

CHAPTER 4 - Shaping the bonsai• How to prune bonsai trees

CHAPTER 5 - How to train your bonsai tree• How to begin• Wiring a bonsai tree• Dealing with breaks• Care after wiring• Removing the wire

CHAPTER 6 - Additional training techniques• Tying• Weighting• Spreading• Snugging• Potting

Table Of Contents

CHAPTER 7 - Displaying your bonsai outdoors

CHAPTER 8 - Special bonsai plantings• Rock plantings• Group plantings• Saikei, bonseki and bonkei

CHAPTER 9 - Trees suitable for bonsai culture

Table Of Contents (continued)

1The History of Bonsai

Gazing upon the stark beauty of a bonsai, images ofisolated monasteries on a steep mountainside oftencome to mind. While no one can say with certainty, it

is quite likely that the gentle Chinese monks first begantransplanting naturally dwarfed trees into ornamentalcontainers, and that it was they who firstbegan to appreciate the windsweptbeauty of these trees in their homes andgardens.

The Japanese, however, have sincebeen responsible for refining the art ofcultivating bonsai trees to its presentstandards. The word bonsai simply means“a plant in a tray”. Authentic records ofbonsai trees date back to the early 14thcentury. It is quite possible, however,that the practice of bonsai cultureoriginated over 1,000 years ago in Chinaon a very basic scale known as pun-sai,where only a single specimen is grown in a pot. These earlyspecimens displayed sparse foliage and rugged, gnarled trunkswhich often looked like animals, dragons and birds. There are agreat number of myths and legends surrounding Chinese bonsai,and the grotesque or animal-like trunks and root formations arestill highly-prized today.

Chinese bonsai come from the landscape of the imaginationand images of fiery dragons and coiled serpents take far greaterprecedence over the natural beauty of the trees, which ispreferred by Japanese bonsai artists - so the two forms of thisart are quite far apart. The Japanese tend to focus on usingnative species for their bonsai - namely pines, azaleas andmaples (regarded as the traditional bonsai plants). In othercountries however, people are more open to opinion, and evenperennial herbs and common weeds are may be grown assummer bonsai.

It is generally accepted, however, that most bonsai aretrees or shrubs. With Japan’s adoption of many cultural

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trademarks of China - bonsai was also taken up, introduced toJapan during the Kamakura period (1185 - 1333) by means ofZen Buddhism - which at this time was rapidly spreading aroundAsia. The exact time is debatable, although it is possible that ithad arrived in AD 1195 as there appears to be a reference to itin a Japanese scroll attributed to that period. Once bonsai wasintroduced into Japan, the art was refined to an extent not yetapproached in China.

Over time, the simple trees were not just confined to theBuddhist monks and their monasteries, but also later wereintroduced to be representative of the aristocracy - a symbol ofprestige and honor. The ideals and philosophy of bonsai weregreatly changed over the years. For the Japanese, bonsairepresents a fusion of strong ancient beliefs with the Easternphilosophies of the harmony between man, the soul and nature.

In an ancient Japanese scroll written in Japan around theKamakura period, it is translated to say : “To appreciate andfind pleasure in curiously curved potted trees is to lovedeformity.” Whether this was intended as a positive or negativestatement, it leaves us tobelieve that growing dwarfedand twisted trees incontainers was an acceptedpractice among the upperclass of Japan by theKamakura period. By thefourteenth century bonsaiwas indeed viewed as ahighly refined art form,meaning that it must havebeen an established practicemany years before that time.

Bonsai were broughtindoors for display at specialtimes by the “Japanese elite”and became an importantpart of Japanese life by beingdisplayed on speciallydesigned shelves. Thesecomplex plants were nolonger permanently reservedfor outdoor display, although

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Over time, bonsai began to take on different styles, each which varied im-mensely from one another.

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the practices of training and pruning did not develop until later- the small trees at this time still being taken from the wild. Inthe 17th and 18th century, the Japanese arts reached theirpeak and were regarded very highly. Bonsai again evolved to amuch higher understanding and refinement of nature - althoughthe containers used seemed to be slightly deeper than thoseused today.

The main factor in maintaining bonsai was now the removalof all but the most important parts of the plant. The reductionof everything just tothe essentialelements andultimate refinementwas very symbolic ofthe Japanesephilosophy of thistime - shown by thevery simple Japanesegardens such asthose in the famoustemple - Roan-ji. Ataround this time,bonsai also becamecommonplace to thegeneral Japanesepublic - whichgreatly increased demand for the small trees collected from thewild and firmly established the art-form within the culture andtraditions of the country.

Over time, bonsai began to take on different styles, eachwhich varied immensely from one another. Bonsai artistsgradually looked into introducing other culturally importantelements in their bonsai plantings such as rocks, supplementaryand accent plants, and even small buildings and people whichitself is known as the art of bon-kei. They also looked atreproducing miniature landscapes in nature - known as sai-keiwhich further investigated the diverse range of artisticpossibilities for bonsai.

Finally, in the mid-19th century, after more than 230 yearsof global isolation, Japan opened itself up to the rest of theworld. Word soon spread from travelers who visited Japan of theminiature trees in ceramic containers which mimicked aged,

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Bonsai is no longer reserved for the upper-class, but is a joy shared byexecutive and factory worker alike.

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mature, tall trees innature. Furtherexhibitions in London,Vienna and Paris in thelatter part of thecentury – especially theParis World Exhibition in1900 opened the world’seyes up to bonsai.

Due to thisphenomenal upsurge inthe demand for bonsai,the now widelyexpanding industry andlack of naturally-forming,stunted plants led to thecommercial production ofbonsai by artists throughtraining young plants togrow to look like bonsai.Several basic styleswere adopted, andartists made use of wire,

bamboo skewers and growing techniques to do this – allowingthe art to evolve even further.

The Japanese learned to capitalize on the interest in this artform very quickly - opening up nurseries dedicated solely togrow, train and then export bonsai trees. Different plants werenow being used to cater for worldwide climates and to produceneater foliage and more suitable growth habits. Bonsaitechniques such as raising trees from seed or cuttings and thestyling and grafting of unusual, different or tender material ontohardy root stock were further developed.

Bonsai has now evolved to reflect changing tastes andtimes - with a great variety of countries, cultures andconditions in which it is now practiced. In Japan today, bonsaiare highly regarded as a symbol of their culture and ideals. TheNew Year is not complete unless the tokonoma - the specialniche in every Japanese home used for the display of ornamentsand prized possessions - is filled with a blossoming apricot orplum tree. Bonsai is no longer reserved for the upper-class, butis a joy shared by executive and factory worker alike.

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The penjing artist’s goal is not only to re-create a natural scenery in acontainer, but to capture its essence and spirit.

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Penjing: History, aesthetics & spiritual backgroundMany people think of bonsai as exclusively Japanese. But

there is a long tradition of bonsai from China. Penjing is theChinese art of creating a miniature landscape in a container.The word consists of the two characters shown on the left:“pen” - “pot” or “container”, and “jing” - “scenery”. An artistmay use plant material and natural stone to portray an idyllicmountain retreat with a murmuring brook or a waterscape witha lush tropical island. Or he or she may design a much simplerscene where one single tree makes up the entire composition.

Penjing and bonsai are closely related art forms. Penjing isthe older form from which bonsai derived. While the similaritiesby far outweigh the differences, there is a significant variancein scope: “Bonsai” literally means a “tree in a pot” and thereforeas an art form, bonsai is morenarrowly defined than penjing, a“landscape in a pot”. Many of thebeautiful, elaborate traysceneries created by Chineseartists clearly defy theparameters of bonsai. Whilepenjing can be found in manyvariations, the Chinesethemselves recognize threedistinct categories:

• Tree Penjing (shumupenjing)

• Landscape Penjing(shanshui penjing)

• Water-and-Land Penjing (shuihan penjing)Penjing as an art form spans over a thousand years. Our

earliest historical records of a stone and a plant arranged in acontainer to form an artistic scenery date from the TangDynasty (618-907). By the Song Dynasty (960-1279 ), theChinese already practiced the art at an advanced artistic level.Paintings from that period depict pieces that would be prizedamong seasoned collectors today. Penjing artists have drawnmuch of their inspiration not only from nature, but from naturepoetry and landscape painting.

Similar aesthetic considerations have guided all three artforms. With landscape painting attaining unprecedented heights

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Penjing and bonsai are closely related art forms. Penjing is the older formfrom which bonsai derived. While the similarities by far outweigh thedifferences, there is a significant variance in scope: “Bonsai” literallymeans a “tree in a pot” and therefore as an art form, bonsai is morenarrowly defined than penjing, a “landscape in a pot”.

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during the Song Dynasty (960-1279), penjing, too, was poisedfor vigorous artistic development. By the early years of the QingDynasty (1644-1911), the art had become very popular, andthe first manuals appeared. With increasing popularity, however,more commercial, folkloristic, and regionally defined strands ofpenjing sprang up alongside the more sophisticated, artisticforms.

In addition to aesthetically refined penjing, one could findtrees whose trunks had been coiled to represent dragons orwhose canopies were to depict cloud layers, or trees shaped toresemble the strokes of fortuitous characters. The variationswere endless. In the later years of the Qing Dynasty, the 19th

century, foreign aggression anddomination led to a decline inpenjing, and this development wasexacerbated during the years offoreign occupation and humiliation,war, civil war, and culturalrevolution that China experiencedduring much of this century. Oldcollections were lost, artistsstruggled to survive and to passon their wisdom and insights. Only

in the last twenty-plus years have the conditions in Chinaallowed for a renaissance of this ancient art form.

Today, a quickly growing number of enthusiasts andcollectors have discovered their roots in penjing. It is assumedthat the art of creating miniature trees reached Japan by the13th century. Beginning in 600 A.D., Japan sent envoys to Chinato study her arts and architecture, her language and literatureas well as her law and the forms of Buddhism evolving there,which were grafted on the original Indian teachings. DuringChina’s Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279) in particular, theJapanese imported Chinese culture and arts on a large scale. Itwas during that time that the Chinese form of Buddhism knownas “Ch’an” was introduced to Japan and given the name “Zen” -the name by which it is known in the West today. This massivetransmission of culture begun in the the 1200’s would last forcenturies as Japanese artists continued looking to their Chinesecounterparts for guidance and inspiration.

The penjing artist’s goal is not only to re-create a naturalscenery in a container, but to capture its essence and spirit. To

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achieve this objective, a widepalette of artistic devices comesinto play. Like a Chinese landscapepainting, a penjing is a study incontrasts. On a philosophical level,this presentation of opposites isevidence of the Chinese artist’sconceptualization of the universeas being governed by two poles ofcosmic energy, the yin and theyang. Artistically, the contrastscreate rhythm and dramatic tensionwhich then is resolved in a dynamic balance, a delicately tunedequilibrium.

The attainment of overall structural unity is critical,especially in a more complex composition like a water-and-landpenjing where design elements such as trees, rocks, mosses,small grasses, and water all need to harmonize with each otherand contribute to the design in a meaningful fashion. Carefulselection is critical. In addition to deciding on a container anddetermining the tentative placement of the composition, theartist will consider the tree species, number of trees to beused, their sizes, trunk angles and the density of their foliagemass. He or she will choose rocks for their size, color, shape,surface details, and compatibility with the trees.

In the end, each and every element in the design needs torelate to all the others so that the entire landscape appears asan all-embracing, encompassing entity. Penjing artists do notseek to create perfection. As a matter of fact, trees trainedinto highly stylized forms where every angle and every root andbranch placement has been meticulously calculated by a rigidformula do not suit their tastes. Apart from being beautiful, anoutstanding penjing must look entirely natural. It should look asif Nature herself had spontaneously created it - like amarvellous accident of Nature.

Spiritual backgroundBonsai and penjing may be viewed as objects of meditation.

The act of creating bonsai or penjing by itself is acontemplative, meditative exercise - a practice of Zen. Thelittle trees and miniature landscapes can be seen as acelebration of Nature and the healing powers extended by an

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intact natural environment. Creating and taking care of bonsaiand penjing will draw you closer to Nature, enabling you toexperience her in a more direct, intimate way.

For a more in-depth understanding of bonsai and penjing,the practice of creating miniature trees and landscapes shouldbe viewed against the backdrop of two of China’s greatphilosophical traditions, Daoism (Taoism) and Zen Buddhism.Daoism has exerted a profound infl uence over Far Eastern artsfor over two thousand years. It’s a way of thinking and livingthat can liberate mind andbody. Daoism proposes thereturn to a state of originalspontaneity by discarding therules of rigid conventionalbehavior and thinking. Itsuggests that by learning togo with the flow and allowingour minds to functionnaturally, tremendouscreative power can beunleashed.

Tuning into the rhythm ofNature and understanding theinterrelatedness of all thingsaround us are keycomponents of Daoistteachings. Zen Buddhism -known as “Ch’an” in Chinese- evolved as a new strand ofBuddhism with unique Chinesefeatures after Indian monksintroduced MahayanaBuddhism around 500 A.D. Itcame about when a form of Indian Buddhism was grafted uponthe native Chinese Daoist tradition. Chinese-style sittingmeditation (“zuo Ch’an”, a concept called “za zen” in Japanese)does not seek to bring the mind under rigid control as doestraditional Indian Buddhism, but instead seeks to liberate,encouraging the mind to fl ow without impediment and to followits own, intrinsically good, nature. Ch’an, popularized in theWest under its Japanese name, Zen, teaches that the receptive

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mind can findEnlightenment everywhere,at any time, in the form of“sudden awakening”.

And so it is that abonsai or penjing artist,working with naturalmaterials andconcentrating moment tomoment, may come uponsudden insights,inspirations, andresolutions. This is thecreative process. It fi ndsthe artist quietly absorbedin a state of active

meditation. Arranging trees and placing rocks, he suddenlydiscovers something new, not pre-meditated - a compositionthat flows naturally and harmoniously, engendering great beautyand universal, eternal truths with seemingly little effort.

The ancient art of bonsai and penjingMasters of Japanese bonsai and Chinese penjing techniques

are gardening artists. The tiny trees they meticulously shape—ranging in age from newborn to centenarian — create a senseof full-grown trees in their natural surroundings while taking uponly the space of a coffee table. Perfecting such miniaturemasterpieces is truly the pinnacle of gardening skill.

A well-trained bonsai or penjing specimen should give theimpression of being a tree, not a shrub. Trees have well-definedfoliage layers with open areas between them, while shrubs aremasses of foliage that need pruning to define and improve theirbranch structure.

Though many people believe such trees are simply dwarfedversions of natural trees, the truth of the art form lies in thecreation of the image. Masters manipulate potentially full-sizedtrees and mold them into beautiful pieces of art that, withproper care, can last for generations—sometimes centuries. Buttake a bonsai or penjing tree out of its pot and plant it in theground, and it’ll reach its full, normal height.

Masters coax the roots of penjing or bonsai specimens overlarge rocks placed at the base of young trees or shrubs in

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The idea of growing and refining a tree in miniature in the confines of aglazed clay pot is intriguing and found to be a challenge to many who havegrown trees or other plants with success.

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training. The roots of bonsai plants often rise in sculpturalshapes above the stones.

Some penjing has been trained, or molded, into the shape ofa dragon, with one of its larger branches looking like a head andanother, a tail. Eventually, the art of penjing migrated fromChina through Korea to Japan. The Japanese term “bonsai”refers both to the plant and to the pot or tray in which it sits.The two must complement each other to create visual harmony.Bonsai come in all sizes: miniature (six inches tall or less), small(six to 12 inches), medium (12 to 24 inches), and large (24 to48 inches).

It’s certainly not easy to create a miniaturized tree, and itcan be daunting countless days, months, and years can bespent learning techniques for creating and maintaining bonsaiand penjing. With practice, you can shape a tree by removing abranch, allowing one to develop in a desirable location, orallowing the trunk to grow more.

Balcony view of one of the four rooms at the National Bonsai Exhibition heldin the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum. This room has large size bonsaiwhile the room on the upper left has medium size bonsai.

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Repotting lets you place the trunk where you’d like in thepot, wiring lets you alter the position of the branches, andpruning keeps the branches short. Creating a bonsai from seedcan be tricky. So one popular way is to start by choosing anursery tree, shrub, or even a vine, then potting and beginningto style your bonsai—a step called “pre-bonsai” or “bonsai intraining.” This process of training a plant in a pot takes severalyears. With proper care and the appropriate techniques, oneday it may earn the title of “masterpiece.”

While training aplant, one may need toreplace the original potas the tree gets bigger,and special attentionneeds to be given todrainage and soil mixesso that the treeremains healthy. Oncefully formed, a bonsaiwill have a thick trunk,a shape like thenormal-sized tree,branches of the rightsize and in the rightplace, leaves that areas small as they canget, and a potperfectly matched tothe style and color of the tree. This maintenance processrequires years of trimming and restyling, but it’s very satisfyingto the owners and gives a deep sense of artistic pleasure.

Zen and the Art of Bonsai MaintenanceOver the last couple of decades, according to writer Michael

Turley, there has been a dramatic increase in the number ofWesterners who have become involved with bonsai as a hobby.Many of these people have come to bonsai through an interestin gardening or horticulture. The idea of growing and refining atree in miniature in the confines of a glazed clay pot isintriguing and found to be a challenge to many who have growntrees or other plants with success.

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The art of bonsai needs the knowledge and the technical expertise of thegardener for the physical bonsai to survive and flourish.

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For them, bonsai is the next logical step in refining theirhorticultural skills. For others, the art of bonsai is what drawsthem to the hobby. Instead of using clay or paint or some othertraditional media, plant material is used to create a “livingsculpture”. The “artist” looks at the raw material to “see” thetree inside, then gradually removes the unnecessary parts toreveal the prize within. The artist continues the development ofhis or her “sculpture” over a period of years through strategicwiring and pruning, taking great pride in the resulting artistic

“creation”.However, there is

another aspect ordiscipline of bonsai thatrarely gets the attentionit deserves, even thoughit has played a significantrole in the evolution ofbonsai design anddisplay. This third aspectis “religion” or“spirituality” – the “soul”of the art of bonsai.While our numbers arefewer than those whofollow the traditionalpaths of art orhorticulture, those of uswho follow the “spiritual”path of bonsai are ingood historical company.

Religion and/or spirituality have a long historical connection tothe development of bonsai, especially in Japan. Bonsai can betraced back for over ten centuries in China where it was knownas “penjing”.

The term “penjing” included both miniature landscapes andindividual or groups of trees in pots. Penjing was oftenpracticed by members of the elite or religious communities, sowhen penjing, later to be known as “bonsai”, was introduced toJapan, it was natural for it to come by way of Zen Buddhism,which was rapidly spreading throughout Asia at that time. Infact, the name for the “bunjin” or “literati” style of bonsaicomes from the artist class of calligraphers, painters, and

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Like Christianity, which celebrates a divine trinity, Zen also has its trinities,especially in its relationship to bonsai. One of these is the three basicvirtues that are needed to create bonsai: shin-zen-bi, or truth, goodness,and beauty. The trinity is also expressed as a relationship between “god”or a “universal life energy”, man or the bonsai artist, and nature or thebonsai itself.

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poets, oftenmembers ofreligious orders,who were theearlycustodians ofbonsai in Japan.

During thisearliest periodof bonsai inJapan, thepractice ofbonsai wasalmostexclusively thedomain ofBuddhist monks and their monasteries. Bonsai design underwenta significant change during this time as the practice of Zenspread throughout Japan. In China, the Linguan-style of clip-and grow was the predominant method of developing andstyling bonsai. However, this changed as the more abstract andminimalist philosophy of Zen influenced more areas of Japaneseculture.

Like Christianity, which celebrates a divine trinity, Zen alsohas its trinities, especially in its relationship to bonsai. One ofthese is the three basic virtues that are needed to createbonsai: shin-zen-bi, or truth, goodness, and beauty. The trinityis also expressed as a relationship between “god” or a“universal life energy”, man or the bonsai artist, and nature orthe bonsai itself.

This is mirrored in the traditional “tokonoma” found in mostJapanese homes. In the tokonoma, bonsai are displayed onstands accompanied by a wall hanging or painting and a viewingstone or “accompanying plant” on the floor. In this setting, thepainting represents “god” or the “life energy”, the stone oraccompanying plant represent the earth or nature, and thebonsai itself represents man.

This triad of design continues in the actual structure of thebonsai tree itself. The trunk is divided into thirds with the firstthird absent of branches, the next third containing the firstthree main branches, and the final third containing the balanceof the tree including the apex. The first three branches are

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maintained at different heights, usually circling the trunk fromside to back to opposite side. The remaining branches are alsogrouped in threes as they move towards the apex.

The shape of the overall tree reflects the shape of atriangle with the topmost corner representing the deity, thelowest corner representing the earth, and the middle cornerrepresenting man between god and nature. The Zen trinity isfurther represented in the concepts of “kami”, “wabi”, and“sabi”. Kami is synonymous with “divinity” and relates to theinner spirit or life force that inhabits all life forms – human,animal, and plant.

The concept of wabi and sabi are more elusive to theWestern mind. Wabi refers to an inner peace or tranquility andthe notion of humility when confronting or meditating on nature.While in the West, man is often placed in the center of theuniverse, in Zen, man is just a part of a balanced naturaldesign. The concept of sabi is even more difficult to understandfor many Westerners. It relates to the pleasure derived fromthe tending, loving, and possessing of things that have beentransformed by man, nature, and time.

As these concepts apply to bonsai, the bonsai hobbyist orenthusiast recognizes that he or she is a part of nature and atone with nature, andthrough meditation on his orher trees, the bonsaistreaches deeper into his orher own soul or spirit to findfulfillment or enlightenment.How we come to bonsai isreally immaterial to thegrowth of bonsai in theWest.

The art of bonsai needsthe knowledge and thetechnical expertise of thegardener for the physicalbonsai to survive andflourish. The craft ofgrowing trees in pots needsthe artist to transformleaves, bark, roots, andbranches into living works of

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art. However, the bonsai, and the bonsai artist, is not completewithout the “soul” of bonsai – that recognition of ourrelationship to our “creations” and the world around us, thesun, rain, and elements that nourish our trees – for without thisconnection, a bonsai is just a pretty little tree in a pot.

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Maple

2A BONSAI is literally a “tree in a pot,” which further

imitates, in miniature, the appearance of an old tree innature. Old specimens in nature, unlike juvenile trees,

have compact rounded tops, and horizontal or droopingbranches, which make them appear aged and graceful. Thereare three sizes of bonsai, ranging from under five inches toabout 30 inches in height.

Not all plants are equally effective as bonsai. To produce arealistic illusion of a mature tree, all parts of the ideal bonsai -trunk, branches, twigs, leaves, flowers, fruits, buds, roots -should be in perfect proportion with the size of the tree. Plantsused for bonsai should have small leaves or leaves that becomesmall under bonsai culture. Plants with overly large leaves, suchas the avocado, will look out of proportion if chosen for bonsai.Sycamores also develop leaves that are too large.

Certain species of both maple and elm trees usually respondwell to bonsai culture and develop leaves that are in proportion.Among the plants with small leaves and needles appropriate forbonsai are spruce, pine, zelkova, and pomegranate. Leaves willminiaturize naturally the longer a tree grows in a shallowcontainer, but onemust still begin witha relatively small-leafed type. Plantschosen for bonsaishould haveattractive bark, andthe trunk must givethe illusion ofmaturity.

The trunk shouldhave girth, but mustremain in proportionto the entire treeand should tapergradually toward the

Acquiring & Caring For Bonsai

Bonsai material hunters in the Philippineslooking for Pemphis acidula.

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Plants for bonsai can be collected from the wild, but it is a slow methodand there are many unknown factors. It is difficult to tell the age of a plantfound in the wild and since they must be collected while dormant, it is alsodifficult to be sure that the specimen is healthy.

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top of the tree. An ideal trunk has good buttress rootage at thebase, and graceful movement as it rises to the apex. Branchesthat occur lower down on the trunk should be the longest, andbiggest in diameter, with branches growing higher on the trunkbecoming successively shorter and smaller in diameter. Thisimitates the natural appearance of a tree, suggesting that thelowest branches are the oldest (biggest/longest), and higherbranches, having grown more recently, are smaller and shorter.

Most bonsai trees sold at garden centers and nurseries areof excellent quality,but there are a fewpoints to bear in mindwhen buying a newplant.

• Age and shapeof the tree

• General health• Soil should be

damp but not soggy,unless it has justbeen watered

• Leaves shouldlook bright andhealthy, not burntaround the edges orspotty

• If buying adeciduous tree inwinter, last year’sgrowth should besmooth and plump,with no sign of barkwrinkling

• The tree should be steady in its container, which shouldhave at least one drainage hole

• A white fungus in and around the drainage hole is naturaland harmless

Creating Your Own BonsaiPlant Selection. It is safest to begin with common plants

that do well in your area. Be sure that the plants you considermeet the requirements for good bonsai. Some old favorites for

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bonsai specimens are Sargent juniper (Juniperus chinensis‘Sargentii’), Japanese black pine (Pinus thunbergiana), Japanesewisteria (Wisteria floribunda), Chinese wisteria (Wisteriasinensis), Japanese flowering cherry (Prunus yedoensis), andJapanese or sawleaf zelkova (Zelkova serrata).

Nursery stock can be a very good selection since the plant’sroots have already become accustomed to being containerized.Look for well-rooted specimens with good branches. Plants forbonsai can be collected from the wild, but it is a slow methodand there are many unknown factors. It is difficult to tell theage of a plant found in the wild and since they must be

collected whiledormant, it is alsodifficult to be surethat the specimen ishealthy.

Take all theequipment needed tokeep the plant in goodcondition afterdigging. This includesplastic bags to wrapthe root ball, moss topack around theroots, and water tokeep the specimenmoist if it cannot bereplanted soon after

digging. Don’t forget the crowbar; roots are sometimes wrappedsecurely around rocks. Be sure to have permission beforedigging plants on property other than your own, and don’tforget to check the endangered species list for protectedplants before you begin. It is not legal to take plants fromnational parks and other conserved areas. After the plant isselected, dug, and brought home, plant it in a protected area inyour garden. Water the plant and feed it sparingly.

After one year, it is ready to be placed in a trainingcontainer. A light pruning of the branches can take place atpotting time, but training should not begin for another year. It ispossible to propagate your own bonsai. It is a slow method, butit has the advantage of letting you shape the plant from thevery beginning. Plant seedlings in the ground outside so that

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Most bonsai are hardy trees and shrubs whose natural habitat is out in theopen. They are not permanent houseplants; and even semi-tropical treesshould be placed outside when weather permits.

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the trunks will develop rapidly. They may need to stay outdoorsfor two to five years. Each spring, dig up the plant and pruneits roots as you would if it were potted.

Bonsai can also be started from cuttings. Make cuttings inlate spring before the buds open. Some plants that propagateeasily from cuttings are olive, willow, cotoneaster, firethorn,azalea, and boxwood. Plants can also be propagated by layeringand grafting, but these methods are not recommended for thebeginner.

Purchasing A TreeWhen buying a tree from a store during the summer, be sure

to give it at least two weeks outside, avoiding heavy rain andhigh winds before displaying it indoors. If purchasing in winter,however, do not allow it to be exposed to frost for the rest ofthe season, as it will probably have begun to shoot. This ismost important with deciduous trees, and while varieties ofjunipers are veryhardy it is as well notto take any chances.

Most bonsai arehardy trees andshrubs whose naturalhabitat is out in theopen. They are notpermanenthouseplants; andeven semi-tropicaltrees should beplaced outside whenweather permits.During the summerthe plant must be able to carry out the process ofphotosynthesis, and during winter it is resting and building upits strength for the coming spring. Too long in a warm room willpersuade it that spring has arrived early and it will startbudding. If this happens more than once, the tree will simply dieof exhaustion.

SunlightSunlight is critical for a tree’s good health, but how much is

best? For most conifers – spruces, pines, junipers, tamarack,

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For many broadleaf, deciduous trees full morning sun and partial afternoonsun is best.

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etc. – full sun is best. For many broadleaf, deciduous trees fullmorning sun and partial afternoon sun is best. In general treeswith thick coarse leaves will tolerate more sun than those withthin, delicate leaves. As an example of the later, the Japanesemaple, full sun can desiccate the leaf margins, so these growbest in filtered sunlight.

Sunlight, especially the ultra-violet ray, affects the growthof trees. Therefore, except inspecial cases such as immediatelyafter repotting, extensive trimming, etc, bonsai should beplaced in a sunny location. Bright light will also work well butthe tree should not be placed more than 12" away from thedirect light source. An east, west or southern exposure worksbest. A northern exposure will require the use of “grow lights”which should remain on up to 16 hours each day and the lampshould not be more than two inches from the top of the tree.Incandescent light is too hot and will not provide the variousspectrum of light that is required to maintain your bonsai tree.If you do not have a window or light source that provides aneast, west or southern exposure, be sure to select a bonsaitree that does well in lower lighting conditions.

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All bonsai trees are grown in special bonsai potting mix – not dirt, notpotting soil, and not garden soil. This special bonsai soil is coarse andgranular, and should allow for water to freely run through it.

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WateringWatering is the

single most importantfactor in keeping yourtrees alive. It is alsothe hardest skill tolearn. This is becausevarious species oftrees have differentwater demands. Sometrees tolerate dryconditions better thanothers. Some treeswill tell you when theyare thirsty when theirleaves look limp. For

other trees limp leaves mean the tree has already died.So where do we start? All bonsai trees are grown in special

bonsai potting mix – not dirt, not potting soil, and not gardensoil. This special bonsai soil is coarse and granular, and shouldallow for water to freely run through it. All bonsai pots haveholes for drainage. When bonsai are watered, most of the waterruns out the bottom of the pot, and only a small amount isretained in the pot. If a bonsai is growing in a free draining soilmix, during the active growing period (spring to fall) they areusually watered once a day.

Water your bonsai with a watering can, or with anattachment to your garden hose that will deliver a gentle sprayof water. Be careful you do not blast the soil from the pot withtoo strong a spray. Water until water runs from the bottom ofthe pot. Watering is best done in the morning so the tree andsoil are fully hydrated during the hottest part of the day. It isoften said that it is impossible to over-water a bonsai if it is in agood potting mix. However, down and become more compacted,the pot will not drain as freely as it once did.

So some trees may require water today and others not. Youshould check to see if your bonsai need water by gently probingwith your finger slightly below the soil surface to check formoisture. Do not water if the soil is still moist. However, do notlet the soil become bone dry. Some bonsai growers insert ashort section of wooden chopstick near the edge of the pot. To

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Because bonsai trees are cultivated in limited amounts of soil, adequatefeed is very important. As a general rule, a small amount of feed is given inthe spring and a larger amount in the fall.

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check moisture simply withdraw the chopstick and examine itfor moisture. Then replace it again. Most conifers generallydon’t like their roots to be wet all the time and tolerate dryconditions better than broadleaf trees. Smaller pots will requiremore frequent watering than larger pots. Wind, humidity, potsize, temperature, and soil compaction all are factors in howoften you should water. When you go on vacation have areliable neighbor water your trees.

Unlike a houseplant, bonsai trees use a “free draining” typeof soil because their roots cannot tolerate “wet feet”. In

addition, they aregrown in significantlyless soil and,therefore require morewatering. Factorssuch as tree location,temperature, lightingconditions, quantityof soil used, and thechanging seasons willdetermine thefrequency ofwatering. You can getto know when yourtree needs to bewatered by observingthe foliage, testingthe soil with yourindex finger just belowthe surface, or justby the weight of thepot. (The drier thetree, the lighter it will

feel.) To take the guesswork out of watering, an inexpensivemoisture meter which works very much like a thermometercomes in handy. Insert it into the soil and the movement of theneedle will tell you if it is time to water.

Rainwater is best for watering plants, but tap water thathas stood for a few hours is adequate. In summer, trees shouldbe watered in the early morning or late afternoon to avoid themidday heat. This will prevent the leaves of the finer bonsaifrom burning. In winter, water early to permit any excess to

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All potted plants will eventuallyoutgrow their containers. Whilehouseplants need to be “potted-up”, that is, placed in larger andlarger containers, the miniatur-ization of a bonsai trees ismaintained by keeping the rootsconfined to the small container.

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drain before the night frost. Plunging the pot into a bowl tosoak is ideal for recently potted trees, small collections and fortrees that have dried out. Be sure to drain properly, however!

MistingAll trees grow in more humid conditions than our homes,

offices and dormitories. So what can we do to provide thisessential humidity ? Misting the tree is only beneficial for ashort time, so what we recommend is to place the tree on ahumidity tray and add water to the tray. As the water in thetray evaporates it creates a humid environment around the tree

24 hours a day.When the water inthe tray is gone,add more water.It’s a good idea toseparate the potfrom the water inthe tray by addingsome pebbles tothe bottom of thetray. This willprevent any rootsfrom sitting in thewater.

FertilizingBecause bonsai

trees are cultivatedin limited amountsof soil, adequatefeed is veryimportant. As ageneral rule, a small

amount of feed is given in the spring and a larger amount in thefall. Feed for bonsai should contain three principle ingredients;nitrogen, phosphoric acid, and potash. It is also a good idea touse a fertilizer containing “chelated” iron. Water beforefertilizing your tree and then apply at half the strengthrecommended by the brand’s manufacturer. Rotate the use ofbrands since different manufacturers add different amounts oftrace elements and minerals. You could also add Superthrive,

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On average, repotting will be necessary every 3-5 years, but the treeshould be removed from its container and its root system inspected once ayear.

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which is a vitamin supplement to the fertilizer mix. You may findit simpler and easier to use slow release fertilizer granules(placed over the soil) whose nutrients are released with eachwatering.

RepottingRepotting must be done periodically to keep your bonsai

healthy. Trimming the roots prevents the tree from becomingpot bound and also stimulates new root growth. For almost allvarieties of bonsai, repotting is best done in the spring just asthe plant is awaking from dormancy. Most bonsai need to havethis done every two or three or four years. Older trees requireless frequent potting than younger trees; conifers requirerepotting less often than broadleaf deciduous trees.

To repot a bonsai the tree is carefully removed from its pot(there may be a wire anchoring it in place. Cut this wire andremove it.). The roots are then carefully combed out with aroot hook. Trim off theroot ends enough sothat it will fit backinto the same pot.Replace the soil withnew bonsai pottingmix. Secure the treein its pot with wire toanchor it in place. Atree that wiggles in itspot will have difficultygrowing new roots.Newly repotted treesshould not be exposed to full sun and drying winds until theroots are actively taking up water.

All potted plants will eventually outgrow their containers.While houseplants need to be “potted-up”, that is, placed inlarger and larger containers, the miniaturization of a bonsaitrees is maintained by keeping the roots confined to the smallcontainer. On average, repotting will be necessary every threeto five years, but the tree should be removed from its containerand its root system inspected once a year. If the roots form acircular ball around the perimeter of the pot, it is time to trimthe roots and repot.

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The main objective of trimmingand pruning is to shape thebonsai into the desired form andto reduce growth above groundin order to maintain a balancewith root growth.

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When repotting remember to:• Use only bonsai soil• Remove air pockets by working the soil down through the

roots• Do not remove more that 20% of the root system• Repot during the appropriate repotting season• Water well and keep out of the sun for a week or two

Trimming & PruningThe main objective of trimming and pruning is to shape the

bonsai into the desired form and to reduce growth aboveground in order to maintain a balance with root growth. Theprocess of shaping begins when the tree is very young and ison-going as it continues its growth. Trimming is accomplishedby using a sharp scissors or shears. This traditional tool iscalled butterflyshears or bonsaishears and is usedfor removing foliageand light branches.When heavierbranches areremoved, we call itpruning and the toolto use is theconcave cutter, forwhich there is nosubstitute. Theconcave cutterallows you to removesmall, medium andeven large brancheswithout leaving anyvisible scars. Sometrees such as theJuniper should betrimmed by using thethumb and indexfinger to remove newgrowth and toprevent browning

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Bonsai from foresttrees must liveoutdoors except forshort periods of timewhen they may bebrought inside forviewing.

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and a “sheared” appearance.

Pests & DiseasesMany, if not most, insects are not harmful to your bonsai.

Some are beneficial in that they prey on insects that will dodamage to your trees. If you find that harmful insects havetaken up residence on your bonsai, you need to take action.Many of these can be washed or picked off. Many are small anddifficult to see. Red spider mites are frequently a problem withjunipers, and can be discerned by holding a white piece ofpaper below a branch and tapping on the branch. If you seewhat looks like moving red paprika, you have a spider mite

problem. Treat withan appropriateinsecticide. Be sure toread all labels andapplicationinstructions for anypesticide. To dootherwise is aviolation of federallaw. As living trees,bonsai are susceptibleto insect attacks anddisease. Preventiveand correctivemeasures include:

• Keeping yourbonsai in good health, since insects and bacteria tend to attackweak trees

• Giving your tree ample light, fresh air and ventilation• Keeping the soil free of spent blooms and fallen leaves

etc. You may also use an insecticidal soap spray which is notharmful to humans or animals. This soap derivative, however,may require more than one application to control the insectpopulation. It’s also a good idea to use this spray weekly toprevent any attacks.

Just remember that bonsai from forest trees must liveoutdoors except for short periods of time when they may bebrought inside for viewing. These indoor periods should only befor two or three hours and should not occur at all in summerunless the interior is well ventilated. In the summer, bonsai need

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Tropical and sub-tropical trees can begrown as indoorbonsai. A few hobby-ists grow theseindoors all year longwith supplementallighting.

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cool nights, sunny days, and mist or rain almost daily. If yourclimate does not offer these conditions naturally, you mustsupply them. Avoid any extremes in temperature, light, rain, andwind. Water the entire plant daily, but do not let them becomewater logged. Placingbonsai on a slattedstand in the garden isa good way to keepdrainage conditionsoptimum.

Learn theconditions (culture)that your bonsairequires. Junipers andpines need full sun allday. Maples, elms andboxwoods needmorning sun andafternoon shade, etc.Apply fertilizer onlybefore and duringactive growth. Ahouseplant fertilizerdiluted from one quarter to one half strength will suffice. In thefall, bonsai must be prepared for the winter. Slow the growth ofthe plants by watering less frequently and discontinuingfertilizer application. Do not prune or cut any branches aftermid-August.

Winter’s low temperatures and drying winds can easily killbonsai. If the winter temperature drops below 28º F, bonsaimust be protected by a greenhouse, pit, or coldframe. However,do not overprotect the plants; they must be kept cool to staydormant. Don’t forget to water them while inside the coldframe.Winter watering may be necessary only once a week. Morebonsai are killed by over-watering than by desiccation.

A dormant period is necessary for all temperate trees, andtrees that are not given this period of rest will die. This doesnot apply to tropical or sub-tropical varieties, which aredescribed on the next page. The type of winter protectionneeded by your trees depends on the type of tree that youhave and the severity of winter in your area. If you live in anarea where the coldest night temperatures in the winter are no

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colder than about mid twenties Fahrenheit – typically the deepsouth - your trees will not need any special protection, and canremain on their benches all winter. But for most regions of theUnited States your trees will require winter protection of somesort. This can be accomplished by placing your tree in anunheated garage; an unheated shed; a cold frame; a windowwell on the north facing side of your house; a root cellar; byhealing them into a flower bed; by carefully burying them inlight snow. Wherever you store your bonsai, they should not besubjected to repeated cycles of freeze-thaw. A sun porch thatgets warm during the day and freezing at night would not be afavorable location.

Also check periodically during the winter months to see ifthe tree needs to be watered. Other bonsai growers in yourarea are a good source of information regarding winter care.

In the spring, start new bonsai, prune the old ones, andcontinue training measures. The remaining part of the growingseason is used for the plants’ adjustments to these practices.

The rule-of-thumb is, if the soil is still wet – don’t water.

Indoor BonsaiTropical and sub-tropical trees can be grown as indoor

bonsai. A few hobbyists grow these indoors all year long withsupplemental lighting. But even these trees will do best if theyare grown outdoors during the normal growing season. Whennight temperatures drop below 50 degrees Fahrenheit, thesetrees need to be brought indoors. Tropical environments receiveabout 12 hours of daylight all year long. Indoors, give yourbonsai as much light as possible, perhaps supplemented withgrow lights set on a timer to mimic natural conditions.

Most of our homes have a low relative humidity during thewinter. Misting the foliage, or grouping your plants together, orplacing pans of gravel and water under, or near, your bonsai willhelp raise the humidity. Remember, however, your bonsai potmust never be sitting in water deeper than the feet on the pot.The water level must never be above the bottom of the pot.

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The most popular bonsai styles today are the simple butrelaxed forms.

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3Bonsai trees and plants vary greatly in style and size.

Miniature specimens, up to 6 inches tall, are usuallynaturally dwarf plants trained even smaller. Small

bonsai stand up to 12 inches tall, and medium trees from 1 – 21/2 feet. Bonsai do not have to be small however, with somemagnificent trees at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo growing morethan six feet tall. These plants are hundreds of years old! Themost important classification of style refers to the angle atwhich the trunk stands in the container. These range from theformal upright style, in which the trunk grows straight andvertical, to the full cascade, in which the bonsai tree is trainedso that the upper growth sweeps down below the pot. Themost popular bonsai styles today are the simple but relaxedforms such as the informal upright and leaning styles, togetherwith small groups.

BONSAI STYLESIn the Japanese bonsai tradition, each bonsai must conform

to a clearly defined style. There are more than 100 recognizedstyles in bonsai, but most experts consider five basic styles tobe essential — formal upright, informal upright, slanting,cascade and semi-cascade. This guide will help you becomefamiliar with the essential bonsai styles andtheir Japanese names.

Formal Upright (Chokkan) - A bonsaitree trained in the formal upright style mimicsthe growth of a tree under perfect naturalconditions. The most important requirementfor this style is that the trunk must beperfectly straight, tapering naturally andevenly from bottom to top. The best speciesfor training in the formal upright style are larches, junipers,pines and spruces because of their naturally tapered shape.

Styles Of Bonsai Trees

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At the outdoor sales area of the Ueno Green Club bonsai (Japan),prebonsai, containers, tools, soil and seeds can be found for sale. Notemany of the large size bonsai on the roof are sold as bare-root specimens.

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Informal Upright (Moyogi) - Innature, trees bend or change theirgrowth direction in response to theirenvironment. They might grow awayfrom the wind or other trees, or growtoward sunlight. The informal uprightbonsai style represents this naturalcurve of a tree trunk in an imperfectenvironment. In the informal uprightstyle, the top of the tree, its apex, isusually positioned directly over itsbase, so the overall effect is that of anupright tree. Most species of sturdyplants are suitable for training in this style, but the mostpopular are maples.

Slanting (Shakkan) - Trees slant naturally as a result ofexposure to buffeting winds or deep shade when they are

young. A bonsai tree trained in thisstyle displays a trunk that leans tothe left or right to imply a difficultchildhood. Some bonsai trees thathave been trained to slant look as ifthey will fall over because of theangle at which they lean. No need toworry, though – these trees havestrong roots growing under the soilthat support the tree’s weight. Theslanting bonsai style is similar to the

informal upright, but in this style the tree’s apex is not directlyover its base.

Cascade (Kengai) - The cascade style of bonsai calls tomind a weather-beaten old tree clingingto a cliff face. In this style, the tree’sgrowing tip extends below the base ofits container. A cascade bonsai appearsto be struggling against gravity orseeking out scant sunlight. The semi-cascade (han-kengai) bonsai style issimilar to the cascade style. In thisform, the tree grows over the rim of the

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Juniper bonsai being airlayered

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container but does not drop below the container’s base. Manyspecies of plants will adapt to cascade training, as long as theyare not strongly upright naturally. Juniper is a favorite fortraining in the cascade and semi-cascade styles.

Broom (Hokidachi) - A broom-style bonsai looks like aconventional handmade broom, turned upside down. Branchesfan out from the top of a single straight trunk. This styleimitates one of the common natural shapes of trees. Becausethe broom shape is so common in nature, broom-style bonsaitrees are often considered to be the most realistic-looking. The

broom style, though,is considered anadvanced techniqueand is difficult toachieve. Deciduoustrees are the bestcandidates for trainingin this style,especially those withfine branches andleaves. The elm is themost popular speciesof tree used forgrowing and trainingin the broom style.

Windswept(Fukinagashi) - The

windswept bonsai has all of its living branches facing the samedirection, a training method creating the illusion of a tree thatgrew up in a very windy place. When done well, windsweptbonsai trees can look as if they are still being lashed by thewind. The windswept effect can be applied to basic bonsaistyles of trees, including formal or informal upright, slanting orsemi-cascade trees. You may see a bonsai that fits into morethan one styling category because of a combination oftechniques The windswept style is most effectively applied toconifer species of trees. The effect is more difficult to achieveconvincingly with deciduous trees because their leaves face inall directions.

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Ficus eugenoides

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Forest (Yose-ue) - Forest-style bonsai plantings consist ofseveral trees of the same species growing in a single pot. In theJapanese tradition, trees are always planted in odd-numberedgroups that are said to echo the randomness of nature.Although a bonsai forest is viewed from outside, the style ismeant to give the viewer the sensation of actually being withina forest.

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Juniperus phoeniacea thurbinatta

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4Shaping the Bonsai

Before deciding on the shape of your bonsai, study thetree carefully and take into account the natural formof the species. To achieve an impression of age and

reality, observe the way mature trees of the same kind grow intheir natural setting. Decide on the final shape and size of yourbonsai before beginning. Make a rough sketch of what you wishto create, and use it as a guide.

Bonsai are shaped by pruning, wiring and pinching. Pruningand wiring create the tree’s structure by shaping its woodyparts, whereas pinchingback the long ends of softfoliage helps side buds todevelop, making a branchbushier or twiggier (this iscalled “ramification”).Pruning is less stressfulfor the tree than wiring,but both are usuallynecessary to achieverefinement. Pruning shouldbe done with a concavecutter, a special bonsaitool for making sharp cutswithout collars (stubs). Allbut maintenance pruning should be done at the same time ofyear as root pruning in order to maintain a supply-and-demandbalance between foliage and roots.

Deciduous trees can be pruned back quite severely if anequivalent amount of root is removed at the same time. Olderevergreens should be pruned back very gradually. Starting atthe bottom of the trunk, remove branches that are growingstraight up, those that grow inward towards the trunk, and oneof two branches that grow opposite one another, after selectingthe correct one to keep, usually according to an alternating(side-to-side) arrangement of branches that start near the

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bottom. Only after wiring should you prune to shorten remainingbranches, leaving lower ones longer than upper ones.

Wiring can be done at any time of year, but it is most easilydone on deciduous trees in the winter when they have no

leaves. Buy annealed aluminum orcopper wire made for use on bonsai,which is much more pliable than regularwire. To make the branches flexiblebefore wiring, do not water the plantthe day before you wire it. Begin at thebottom of the tree when wiring andshaping, and work upward. Anchor theend of the wire at the base of the treeby pushing it into the soil.

Use foam pads under the wire toprotect the branches. Keep turns

around the branches or trunk about one quarter inch apart, andspiral upward at a 45 degree angle. Do not wire too tightly. If abranch should snap, the ends can be rejoined if not completelybroken. Wind some garden tape around the break. If a branchsnaps off, prune it back at the first side branch. Wire shouldnot be kept on the plant longer than one growing season. Whenremoving wire, start at the end of the branch and work backcarefully.

How To Prune Bonsai TreesBonsai trees need training throughout their lives in order to:(1) Maintain the small size of a naturally large tree(2) Give the plant an appearance of age and maturity

Pruning ToolsPruning instruments should always

be sharp and clean because blunt toolswill leave a ragged stump, which couldeasily become a doorway for diseaseand pests. Heavy pruning cuts shouldbe whittled down to a slight hollow inthe trunk or branch in order toencourage the formation of a callous.Large cuts should be painted withprotective paint. When pruning abranch, try to make the cut just above

a bud that is pointing in the direction you want the branch togrow. If the cut slopes downwards, then the water will run offand the chances of rot will be considerably lessened.

Main branch pruningHeavy pruning should be carried out in autumn, winter, or

early spring, and is the major way of shaping a bonsai tree. Themain priorities are to remove any branch that is too low at thefront any branch directly opposite another any that creates aso-called cartwheel effect and any that crosses the front orback to the other side of the tree. Hollow out all stumps with asharp knife .

General PruningThroughout the growing season, cut back shoots of maples

zelkovas and other broad-leaves to the first or second pair ofleaves. Pinch out the tips of juniper shoots . With pines,remove the center “candles” and pinch back the others.

Leaf CuttingDo this in early summer on deciduous trees that do not

flower or fruit. Use sharp scissors to remove half of each leafon weak branches or trees, but all but the stalk on strongwood. In a few weeks the stalk will drop and new small foliageand shoots will grow.

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5How To Train Your Bonsai

Often considered the most difficult training technique,wiring is used to bend the trunk and branches of atree into the shape you would like your bonsai to

take. Beginners can learn to judge tension in different sizedbranches, and the various ways of securing wire, by firstpracticing on a small branchfrom an ordinary tree orshrub. Never rush.

Deciding the shape yourtree will take is a lifetimedecision, so be sure toexamine all angles andpossibilities. Copper wire,though expensive, is mostsuitable for wiring a bonsai-to-be such as the juniperabove, because it remainssoft. Galvanized iron orplastic coated wire may be used, but they tend to look ratherugly and detract from your tree. Remember, the largerconiferous trees will be wearing their wires for 12 - 18 months,so please take care in choosing the best “look” for your bonsai.

If you study very carefully the way trees grow in nature, itis possible to design a realistic looking bonsai without knowingthe names of styles, etc. The most important part is alwaysremember that you are working with a living plant. Lookcarefully at its natural characteristics and you may discernwithin them a suitable style, or styles. Once a certain “shape”begins to reveal itself, you will find that gentle bending of abranch before wiring will increase its flexibility and give you anidea of the correct strength of wire. What you are looking for isa wire that will give you a tension slightly more than the

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tension of thebranch. Tender-barked trees,such as maples,should be trainedwith paper-wrapped wire toprotect the bark.

When ToWire

Deciduoustrees should bewired after their

leaves have matured, in early summer, and the wires removed inautumn to avoid wounding the bark. Coniferous trees should bewired during the winter months, since they take considerablylonger to become fixed in position. All trees should be protectedfrom hot sun and heavy rain for a month after wiring.

Wiring A Bonsai TreeBegin wiring from the base of the trunk, anchoring the wire

in the soil. You may need two wires to hold the trunk inposition. After securing the base of the trunk, proceed to themain, and then the smaller branches, ending with the highesttwigs. Wires should be wound at about 45 degrees to the lineof the branch. Gauge the tension carefully, as tight wiring willcut into the bark, and loose wiring will slip.

Bonsai Wiring Rules1. Size of the wire is 1/3 the size of the branch for copper

wire. Aluminum wire is slightly larger.2. Apply wire at a 45 degree angle to the branch. 50

degrees is better.3. Spiral gap between wire loops should be equal.4. Spiral should be closer to the way the branch bends.

Never leave gaps between wire and branch.5. Change the thickness of the wire as the branch thickness

changes.6. Wire heaviest wire first to the thinnest wire.7. Wire 2 branches with one piece of wire, not far apart or

too close.

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Top view of a section of the bonsai exhibition. Here one can study theplacement of each bonsai display and also the overall silhouette of eachmasterpiece.

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8. End of the wire always faces backward and upward. Endof the wire faces upward to support the tip (bud) of thebranch.

9. Positioning of your hands and body is fundamental towiring because it is important to achieve the 45 degree angle ofwire placement.

10. Hold branches underneath when wiring.11. Hold wire from the end to keep wiring hand free of the

tree and not to disturb buds. Hand tension holds the branchbottom while the other hand holds the wire.

12. The left hand is stiffwhile the right hands areloose when wiring (Righthanded people).

13. Never move bothhands at the same time.Move inside to outsidewhen wiring.

14. Over wire thickbranches and under wirethin branches.

15. Wire on the outsideof the branch wherepressure is to be applied.

16. Always support theweakest part of the branchwhen bending.

17. Wire from thethickest branch to thethinnest branch.

18. Wire from thebottom of the tree to thetop of the tree.

19. Start wiring fromthe inside to the outside of the branch.

20. Always bend the branch first, not the wire.21. Wire the branch to bend it in the direction of your

intended movement, i.e. wire on top to bend the branchdownward, wire on the bottom to bend the branch upward, wirethe back to bend the branch forward, and wire the front tobend the branch backward.

22. Wiring at the branch junction is very important.

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23. Crossing wires should be avoided. This causes gapsbetween wire and the branch and it could result in damagingparts of the tree when underneath wires are removed.

Dealing With BreaksEven if you are very careful, you may bend a branch to its

breaking point while wiring. If the break is simply a fracture withthe broken part still partially attached, you have a chance ofsaving the branch. Very gently ease the broken part into place,carefully fitting both ends of the break together. Wrap thebreak with garden tape or raffia and tie it securely, but not tootightly. Within several months, the fractured branch tissue mayknit together. If the break is complete or the ends fail to unite,

you have severalchoices. You can cutthe broken branchback to where sidebranches grow outfrom it, or you cancut it back to itspoint of origin.

Care AfterWiring

To help yourbonsai recover fromthe trauma of wiring,keep it out of directsunlight for severaldays. It’s also a goodidea to keep itsheltered from wind

for several weeks. Water the plant routinely, giving the foliage adaily sprinkling.

Removing The WireTo give wired branches a good chance to grow into their

new positions, leave wires in place for a full growing season.Then, in early autumn, remove them to avoid any constrictionduring the next growth phase. If wires are left in place toolong, the bark will show unsightly spiral scars for years. Withstiff copper wire, it is best to cut it carefully from branches to

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All bonsai begin their development in training pots, where they stay untilthey have a good, fibrous root system and relatively full foliage develop-ment which make them look like bonsai rather than just a shrub or tree in apot. Training pots help trees grown for bonsai make the transition betweena deep nursery container, a balled and burlapped root system, or land-scape, to the shallow confinement of a bonsai pot.

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avoid inflicting damage by uncoiling. Aluminum wire can beuncoiled, starting at the outmost end and carefully uncoilingtoward the anchor end. If wired branches still need morecoaxing to achieve the desired positions, they can be rewiredat the appropriate time for another year of training. When yourewire a branch, vary the wire position from that of theprevious year.

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All bonsai pots have large drainage holes, which are essential for the rapiddrainage that promotes root health

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6Before wiring became standard practice, bonsai

practitioners manipulated the shapes of their plants inother ways. These methods lack the relative

unobtrusiveness of wire, but they are still effective trainingtechniques.

Bending BranchesIf you need to make a simple downward bend in a branch,

there are three reasonably easy ways to do it:1. Tying to the trunk: Branches too stiff to bend by wiring

can often be bent by tying. You simply attach wire to thebranch, bend the branch down and tie the wire to the trunk.You can use a thinnergauge of wire for tying thanfor wiring a bend. Encirclethe branch with a loosewire loop, protecting thewood by slipping padding(such as cloth, paper, orrubber) between the branchand the wire. Also placepadding between the wireand the trunk where thewire exerts pressureagainst the trunk. Make thebend gradually in order toavoid breaking the limb.Start by pulling the limbabout 1/3 of the waytoward its desired position.After two - three months,bend the branch a bit more,and then give it more time

Additional Training Techniques

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The Ueno Green Club (Japan) on the left is the three story headquarters forthe Japan Bonsai Cooperative where exhibits, auctions, sales and meet-ings are held. During the National Bonsai Exhibition the parking lot istransformed into a sales area, in addition to all three levels of the building.

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to adjust to that position. Repeat this process until youeventually achieve the bend you desire.

2. Tying to the container: You can also wire branches to theplant’s container to pull them downward. Loop a strand of wireunder the pot and up over the soil, then tie the ends togethersnugly. Now run a separate loop of padded wire from eachbranch that you wish to bend down to the wire that goesacross the pot. Pull down on the wire until the branch is in theposition you want, then secure the branch wire to the pot wire.As with the previous method, it’s best to do this in gradualstages so that the branch doesn’t break.

3. Weighting a branch: A third way to bend a branch downis to attach a weight to it. Fishing weights suspended from thebranch by a string are traditional, but any object heavy enoughto exert the desire pressure will work. Choose the weight withcare - if it’s too heavy, it may break the branch. Don’t use thismethod if you bonsai plant is in a breezy location: in a wind,weighted branches can pump up and down to the breakingpoint.

Spreading & SnuggingIf your bonsai has a pair of branches or trunks that are

either too close together or too farapart and you can’t separate themby wiring, these two trainingmethods off a simple solution tothe problem.

Spreading: a simple wedgecan permanently spread apart twobranches that are growing tooclose. This works particularly wellto separate parallel trunks andforked branches. Take a small pieceof wood, cut it into a triangular ortrapezoidal shape, and gentlywedge it between the limbs untilthey are separated as far as youwant. Be very careful whenseparating forked branches; toomuch pressure can cause a splitdown the fork. Remove the wedgeafter 4 months. If the branches

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If you grow just a few bonsai plants, you will have noproblem displaying them. All you need is something thatelevates the pots so that you can view them from thefront rather than from the top down.

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return to their originalpositions, put thewedge back in place.Eventually thebranches will losetheir tendency tospring back when youtake away thewedge.

Snugging: tobring branches closer,especially parallelones, loop a softcord or a small beltaround them and pullthem into the desiredposition. Or form apiece of sturdy wire into an “S” shape, hooking each branchinto one of the curves of the “S”. In time, the branches willstay in place on their own.

Bonsai ContainersAll bonsai begin their development in training pots, where

they stay until they have a good, fibrous root system andrelatively full foliage development which make them look likebonsai rather than just a shrub or tree in a pot. Training potshelp trees grown for bonsai make the transition between a deepnursery container, a balled and burlapped root system, orlandscape, to the shallow confinement of a bonsai pot.

Above all, resist the urge to collect (dig) a tree and put itdirectly into a bonsai pot, where its chances of survival areslight. The best sort of training pot is often a large-diameternursery container with good drainage holes, and with its top cutoff to a depth of eight to 10 inches. During its time in a trainingpot, the tree should be grown in coarse, fast-draining soil.Traditional bonsai pots, available at bonsai nurseries, and somelarge nurseries and import stores, are round, oval, square,rectangular or hexagonal. Some are unglazed on the exterior(traditional for evergreens) and some are glazed and aresuitable for most types of trees, as long as the pot

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complements but does not compete with the tree. Pots forcascade, semi-cascade and flowering bonsai are deeper thanothers.

All bonsai pots have large drainage holes, which areessential for the rapid drainage that promotes root health, butwhich must be covered with screening on the inside bottom ofthe pot to prevent coarse soil from washing away with drainingwater. Bonsai containers should be unglazed on their insidewalls, and on the bottoms, both inside and out.

Before repotting, familiarize yourself with the proper time ofyear to repot specific types of trees. For example, junipers canbe repotted at any time during the growing season because

they grow throughoutit. Pines and mostother evergreensmust be repottedduring the late winterbefore they showsigns of new growth.Most deciduous treesshould be repottedbefore they leaf out invery early spring. Abonsai that is readyfor a bonsai potshould not betransplanted into ituntil all foliage work(pruning, wiring,pinching) has beencompleted.

This precautionprevents the tree’s newly placed roots from being dislodged. Atthe time of “potting up,” turn the bonsai container so that itsfront side (essentially the same for all shapes exceptrectangular, in which case only one of the two long sides shouldbe the front) is toward you roughly at eye-level. Hold the treewith its front view toward you and place the base of the trunkvery slightly off-center to the opposite side from which thedominant visual weight of its branches occurs.

In other words, if most branches occur on the left whenviewing the tree from the front, place the base of the trunk

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Keeping your collection of bonsai trees on astand makes them easier to work with and tosee, and gives protection from extremes ofweather.

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slightly off-center to the right. This maintains the asymmetricalbalance that is the basis of Japanese design. Comb out theroots, pruning back (shortening) those that have become wiryor stiff deep in the soil. Keep, but trim, fibrous roots and spreadthem out inside the container. Add coarse porous soil such asTurface (a soil amendment), or “soilless soil,” which can bepurchased at large landscape supply businesses. Water the treethoroughly and keep it in a dry protected place for the next fewdays. Check it for soil moisture daily, but do not water it untilthe soil on top begins to feel a bit dry.

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In the tokonoma, bonsai are displayed on stands accompanied by a wallhanging or painting and a viewing stone or “accompanying plant” on thefloor. In this setting, the painting represents “god” or the “life energy”, thestone or accompanying plant represent the earth or nature, and the bonsaiitself represents man.

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7Remember that simplicity is very important in Japanese

aesthetics and bonsai should be displayed in anuncluttered environment where the details of the plant

can be appreciated. This is, after all, a wonder of nature -trees and shrubs made miniature. Gravel beds in the garden aregood backgrounds for bonsai outdoors, and a simple stand ortable before a blank wall makes an appropriate setting indoors.Make sure that the front view faces the viewer. Your beautifulbonsai can greatly benefit by the right setting.

Outdoor DisplayIf you grow just a few bonsai plants, you will have no

problem displaying them. All you need is something thatelevates the pots so that you can view them from the frontrather than from the top down. A patio bench, for example, willaccommodate one or several bonsai plants, and can also definethe edge of a deck or serve as seating.

Benches and ShelvesYou can put together a simple bonsai bench in a matter of

minutes. Select a sturdy wooden plank, such as a 2 x 12, andraise it onconcreteblocks, bricks,or flat stones.If you useslats (2 x 2’s,or 2 x 4’s)instead of asingle plank,water will drainthrough thebench. If youdisplay bonsaion shelvesplaced againsta wall or

Displaying Your Bonsai Outdoors

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fence, remember that theheat reflection from light-colored walls canseriously damage bonsaiplants in the summer.Make sure these displaysare sheltered from directsun during the warmestpart of the day, usuallylate morning throughafternoon.

TablesOutdoor tables will

certainly hold a collectionof bonsais trees, but theymay not display them totheir best advantage asall the pots rest on thesame level. If you do keepyour collection on a table,choose one just wideenough for three plants, then place the larger specimens in thecenter, with smaller plants on the outside rows. Staggerplacement so that no plant is directly behind another one. Forbetter display, construct a unit along the lines of a patio tablethat has built-in benches. Make the center section (table) justwide enough to hold a single or double row of plants; the twolower sections (benches) can be just a bit wider to show off anumber of smaller specimens on each side.

Outdoor Bonsai Maintenance Tips• Don’t crowd bonsai plants. You should leave about 8 - 12

inches of space between the outspread branches of adjacentplants so that each plant can develop independently.

• Make sure the plants receive at least morning sun, more ifclimate permits. This is particularly important in spring whenplants are putting out new growth.

• Rotate containers about a quarter turn in the samedirection every other week to expose all sides to the sameconditions. Otherwise, new growth will be strongest on the sidefacing the light while roots will tend to grow away from the sun.

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The exquisite beauty of a bonsai tree welltrained in a simple style, and growing vibrantlyin a pot of suitable size and shape, can be thefocus of many happy hours of contemplation.

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Specimens placed too close to a wall or fence can become one-sided as rear branches dwindle from lack of light.

• Rotating small containers is easy; turning larger specimensis more difficult. Use a lazy susan-type turntable, and you’ll beable to turn the largest bonsai with the push of a finger.

Display Stands & Winter ShelterDisplay Stands. Keeping your collection of bonsai trees on

a stand makes them easier to work with and to see, and givesprotection from extremesof weather. The largedesign on the left is simpleto build from wood, havinga shade of timber battensand a slatted bench-top.There is a shelf forminiature bonsai at theback and a tool drawerunder the bench. In severeweather, the trees can beplaced under the benchand enclosed withheavygauge clear plasticsheeting (shown rolled).

Building A DisplayStand.The number of trees in your bonsai collection willdetermine the size of the stand. When calculating thedimensions, be sure to allow each tree plenty of space, and

remember that small as they are,they do grow. To allow for easierworking, the stand should be made alittle higher than an indoor table. Itshould be made of good quality wood,treated with a preservative, or itcould have a metal frame with awooden top. The trees can be placedon a gravel bed, as this cuts down onthe need to water; but in this casethey should be lifted every now andthen to make sure the roots are notgrowing into the gravel. Above thestand, around the sides and at the

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back, a weather-shade of thin timber laths or canes should bemade. Each strip should be secured an inch apart. This will helpprotect the trees from all extremes: hot sunlight, heavy rain,high winds, and even a certain amount of frost. For harderwinter conditions the bottom of the stand can be enclosed andthe trees placed inside.

Winter CareContainer plantings of any kind are more subject to damage

from cold than plants growing in the ground. Containers justdon’t hold enough soil to insulate plant roots. Where wintertemperatures are frost free or relatively mild (above 20F or -7C)you can leave a bonsai outside if its normal display area isprotected from wind. Spreading straw or mulch around the potsalso helps insulate the soil. An unheated greenhouse is ideal asa winter shelter since the plants receive good light, aresomewhat protected from the cold, and with a door ajar orvents opened slightly, get plenty of air. You can devise apolyethylene plastic and wood greenhouse by extending a lean-to from under house eaves. Leave all or part of one end open,unless winters are severe.

Building A Cold FrameWith just a bit more effort you can build a simple cold frame

- essentially a low greenhouse with a translucent hinged top.Placed against a south-facing wall and recessed into the groundit will keep plants dormant but not frozen (unless you live in thecolder regions of Canada, for example). Dig a rectangle aboutsix to eight inches deep beside the wall. Using scrap lumber orplywood, build a framewith sides the slopedown toward the front; asix inch slope issufficient. Make sure thefront is high enough(about 18 inches) toaccommodate yourshortest bonsai. Then setthe frame againt the walland spread 3 - 4 inchesof gravel in the bottom.Traditionally, old window

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Wind-swept style bonsai

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sashes formed the tops of cold frames, but you can also useclear plastic, fiberglass, or polyethylene plastic sheeting. Insnowy areas, first cover the fame with fine mesh chicken wireor hardware cloth. Place the bonsai on the gravel base andsurround and cover the pots lightly with straw. Close the lid forprotection from extreme cold, opening it slightly for ventilationwhen the temperature is above freezing.

Winter WateringDuring freezing weather, water your bonsai (if they need it)

in the morning. This allows excess water to drain out before thetemperature drops. Water-soaked soil expands as it freezes,which can cause containers to crack.

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Displaying Shohin-bonsai isn't the easiestthing in the world compared to displayingtraditional bonsai. Shohin-bonsai demandsmore trees available at the time of displaying,and more creativity must be put into thedisplay some times. The main theme ofdisplaying Shohin or Mame-bonsai is theseasonal approach. Good quality trees mustbe at hand, and using a traditional Shohinrack demands at least three good Shohin-bonsai to succeed. It is "allowed" to replacea tree with an accent planting or a figurinei.e., as long as the aesthetic approach is allright. Setting up a rack with Shohin-bonsaimay be full of compromises. How many of usyet have a load full of quality Shohin tochoose from? So compromises has to bemade until a good collection is available,fulfilling the needs at the time of year thetrees are at their best. If one is not importingalready styled trees it will take a while tobuild up such a collection, but until then it isstill possible to play with the set up of aShohin or Mame display. In the start smallerdisplays are the goal, and later racks withroom for more trees will be appropriate.

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8The exquisite beauty of a bonsai tree well trained in a

simple style, and growing vibrantly in a pot of suitablesize and shape, can be the focus of many happy hours

of contemplation. For some people, such simplicity is all that isnecessary. Others, however, may prefer the more complex

drama of a tree trained tocling to a rock, or thegrandeur of a bonsai groupplanting. Such scenes aremore complicated to create,but the basic rule of allbonsai still applies: thefinished planting shouldevoke a natural theme.

Rock PlantingsThe idea of planting

trees on or over rocks hascome from nature herself inthe picture of a gnarled pineclinging to the protection ofan outcropping of rock, or ofa small, twisted tree growingon a cliff face. In rockplantings, the tree can

either be planted in or on the rock itself, or it can be trainedover the rock, with the roots buried in the soil of thecontainer.Rocks used for such plantings should be fairly hard,since soft rocks tend to rot after prolonged exposure to theelements. They should not be too smooth, andshould be pitted with plenty of small crevicesand small pockets where the roots can grabhold. Rocks with a saddle-shaped depression ora large, deep pocket are ideal for plantingdirectly onto the rock. Just make sure that thedrainage is correct, as if the water doesn’t run

Special Bonsai Plantings

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Most bonsai are hardy outdoorplants that need a period of colddormancy in the winter to thrive, butthey should be protected from theharshest winter conditions.

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off and instead pools in the pocket, the roots could rot; while ifthe water runs off straight away, the tree would get nomoisture. Relatively small trees with small leaves, such asCotoneaster are ideal for planting on rock.

Group PlantingsWhether planting a small copse of three trees, or a more

ambitious miniature forest, the composition should first beplanned out on paper. Ashallow but wide containershould be used, and the treesselected should be of thesame variety, but of variousheights. They should alwaysbe planted in odd numbers, notonly because the Japanesedislike even numbers(especially 4), but because itwill be found in practice that abalanced composition is easierto create with odd numbers.The soil mixture required would be that which is normally usedfor the type of tree being grown.

To Begin:• Always start by planting the largest tree first. This focal

point is normally set to the right or left of center.• The second largest tree is then planted to compliment the

first... and so on with the remaining trees.• Be sure to check and see how the planting is looking, not

only from the front, but from the back and sides as you aretrying to maintain an even balance.

• Do not tie down the trees until the exact position of eachhas been determined.

• After planting, thin out any inward growing branches,except for those trees planted around the outer edge.

Saikei:Group and rock plantings can be taken a step further by

adding small underplantings of alpine plants and tiny shrubs.Rocks can be embedded into the soil and small streamssuggested by the use of white sand. Such a planting is

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Dwarf plants, however, do not always conveythe same impression as their full size counter-parts because their growth habits are quitedifferent.

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generally called saikei, and small figurines and bridges aresometimes added to the landscape.

Bonseki:Using a shallow tray of almost any composition, you can

create a meditative bonseki composition. This generally consistsof a group of rocks or stones placed in raked sand, which givesthe impressions of small islands in the sea. As there are noliving plants in bonseki, it doesn’t require any care and can bekept indefinitely. Children love bonseki!

Bonkei:Bonkei is another type of tray landscape which attempts to

replicate natural or imaginary scenes. Every type of materialavailable can be used, including artificial or real plants,figurines, false rocks, and paint. The finished effect, however,should again mimic nature and retain a natural elegance.

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American gardeners have taken bonsai concepts and appliedthem to houseplants. By combining traditional procedures forhandling houseplants with bonsai concepts of design, growershave created different bonsai styles.

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9Any substantial plant can be trained into a bonsai if it

can adapt to the shallow pots and restricted growththat bonsai require.

Most bonsai are hardy outdoorplants that need a period ofcold dormancy in the winter tothrive, but they should beprotected from the harshestwinter conditions. Some of themost popular species haveremained so for centuriesamong bonsai enthusiasts.They offer special featuressuch as flowers, attractivebark, small foliage or seasonalfruits and cones. They includethe following plants:

Azalea (Rhododendron) -These are easily trained intotree form and can be used formost styles. In late spring,they produce spectacular flowers. Several flower colors areavailable.

Beech (Fagus) - Deciduous beeches tend to be grown ininformal bonsai styles. They require very special and delicatetechnique in styling.

Fig (Ficus) - This tropical family includes some species thathave been trained to grow as indoor bonsai. Still, these plantsshould be placed outside when the weather allows.

Juniper (Juniperus) - Probably the easiest genus for abeginner, evergreen juniper is readily available and can betrained in most styles.

Maple (Acer) - Two main species of maple are used inbonsai: Japanese maple (Acer palmatum) and trident maple

Trees Suitable For Bonsai Culture

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Bonsai are shaped by pruning, wiring and pinching. Pruning and wiringcreate the tree’s structure by shaping its woody parts, whereas pinchingback the long ends of soft foliage helps side buds to develop, making abranch bushier or twiggier

(Acerbuergerianum).These deciduousplants are easy tocare for, and manydisplay stunning fallcolors.

Pine (Pinus) -Pines make beautifulbonsai, but are notideal for a first treebecause they aredifficult to train.

Pemphis acidula -Pemphis make one-of-a-kind bonsai, butare not ideal sincecollection of thematerial from the wild is very difficult and expensive.

Bonsai Plant GuideTrees and shrubs are suitable for traditional bonsai.

Specialty nurseries often have a wide selection of dwarf andsemi-dwarf varieties of many species. Dwarf plants, however,do not always convey the same impression as their full sizecounterparts because their growth habits are quite different.Some trees and shrubs that work well as bonsai are azalea,beech, boxwood, ginkgo, maple, oak, pine, wisteria, andzelkova.

AZALEA: Hiryu, Rhododendron obtusum; Satsuki azalea,Rhododendron indicum; Kurume, Rhododendron obtusum

BEECH: American, Fagus grandifolia; European, Fagussylvatica

BOXWOOD: Buxus speciesELM: Chinese, Ulmus parvifolia (many small-leaved cultivars)FIRETHORN: Pyracantha speciesGINKGO: Ginkgo bilobaHAWTHORN: English, Crataegus laevigata; Washington,

Crataegus phaenopyrum

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HEATHER: Scotch heather,Calluna vulgaris

HORNBEAM: American, Carpinuscaroliniana (for large bonsai);Korean, Carpinus coreana;Japanese, Carpinus japonica

IVY: English ivy, Hedera helixand cultivars

MAPLE: Japanese, Acerpalmatum (use palmate ratherthan dissectum type, preferably aseedling, not a grafted tree);Amur, Acer ginnala;

Hedge, Acer campestre;Trident, Acer buergeranum

OAK: Willow oak, Quercus phellosPINE: Austrian, Pinus nigra Bristlecone, Pinus aristata

Japanese red, Pinus densiflora Japanese white, Pinus parvifloraJapanese black, Pinus thunbergiana Mugo, Pinus mugoScots(Scotch), Pinus sylvestris Swiss stone, Pinus cembraWhite, Pinus strobus (dwarf varieties)

Pemphis acidula: SantigueWISTERIA: Japanese, Wisteria floribundaYEW: Taxus species and cultivarsZELKOVA: Japanese, Zelkova serrata

American gardeners have taken bonsai concepts and appliedthem to houseplants. By combining traditional procedures forhandling houseplants with bonsai concepts of design, growershave created different bonsai styles. The following woodyplants (native to the tropics and subtropics of the world) havebeen grown as indoor bonsai. These plants can be obtainedfrom either local or specializednurseries.

ACACIA: Acacia baileyanaARALIA: Balfour, Polyscias

balfouriana; Ming, Polyscias fruticosa;Geranium-leaf, Polyscias guilfoylei

CAMELLIA: Common, Camelliajaponica; Sasanqua, Camelliasasanqua

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CITRUS: Citrus species(calamondin, kumquat, lemon, lime,orange, and tangerine)

CHERRY: Surinam, Eugeniauniflora

CYPRESS: Monterey, Cupressusmacrocarpa

FIG: Mistletoe, Ficusdiversifolia

HERB: Elfin, Cupheahypssopifolia

HIBISCUS: Chinese hibiscus, Hibiscus rosa sinensis ‘Cooperi’HOLLY: Miniature, Malpighia coccigeraJACARANDA: Jacaranda acutifoliaJADE: Crassula speciesJASMINE: Jasminum parkeri; Orange, Murraea paniculata;

Confederate star, Trachelospermum jasminoidesLAUREL: Indian, Ficus retusaMYRTLE:Classic, Myrtus communisOAK: Cork, Quercus suber; Silk, Grevillea robustaORCHID TREE: Bauhinia variegataOLIVE: Common, Olea europaeaPEPPER TREE: California, Schinus molle

PLUM: Natal, Carissagrandiflora

POINCIANA: Royal,Delonix regia

POMEGRANATE: Dwarf,Punica granatum ‘Nana’

POPINAC: White,Leucaena glauca

POWDERPUFF TREE:Calliandra surinamensis

SERISSA (Snow Rose,Tree of a Thousand Stars):Serissa foetida (nicest ofall indoor bonsai)

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