Bonsai gardening is a horticultural art form that involves growing and training miniature trees. Gardening, in all its forms, dates back to ancient times. But where did this particular art form come from and why is it still so popular today?
If you’re thinking about dipping your toes into the art of bonsai or contemplating buying your first ‘tiny tree’, read on for more information and tips on how to start.
What is Bonsai?
The word ‘bonsai’ in Japanese means ‘tray planting’, an art form that dates back over a thousand years. It involves the use of special cultivation techniques, to grow trees in containers. These trees look just like their natural, full size counterparts but in miniature version.
It should be noted that in English terminology the term ‘bonsai’ is generally used as an umbrella term for all miniature trees grown in containers, and not referring only to those that are grown following the styles and aesthetics of the Japanese bonsai tradition.
There’s something truly fascinating about these tiny trees and there’s definitely a therapeutic side to the art form. With roots in Japanese Zen Buddhism, bonsai aesthetics reflect qualities found in nature, including balance, simplicity and harmony.
Tending to your bonsai is a great stress-reliever, encouraging us to slow down and quieten our minds. It develops our patience as well as providing a sense of accomplishment.
Where did Bonsai come from?
The Japanese Art of Bonsai originated from the ancient Chinese practice of “penjing”, the art of creating a miniature landscape in a container. Chinese artists used plants, rocks, and other natural materials to build their creations, which also featured dragons and serpents. The practice later became influenced by Buddhism, and tree seedlings were included in the designs. Pruning, clipping and caring for the tiny trees was adopted as a form of meditation. From the 6th century onwards, Japanese diplomats and Buddhist students brought back ideas and goods from mainland China, and these miniature landscapes with their links to Buddhism, quickly caught on. A close relationship developed between potted trees and Japan’s Zen Buddhism, which further shaped the development of the art form. Japanese artists began to adopt a more minimalist style of bonsai, removing the figurines and other decorations and using smaller pots with a plain and simple design.
At first, it was only the Japanese Buddhist monks and scholars who cultivated bonsai trees but by the end of the 18th century the art of bonsai had spread to the general public. Exhibitions of traditional, dwarf potted pines began to be held annually in Kyoto. Bonsai enthusiasts would bring their plants and submit them to the judges.
Bonsai aesthetics, techniques and tools became increasingly more sophisticated. By the 1940s, around 300 Bonsai dealers worked in Tokyo and thousands of specimens were shipped to Europe and America. The World Bonsai Friendship Federation was formed in the late 1980s and began to hold conventions in different cities around the globe.
Today there are millions of Bonsai hobbyists all over the world and the tools and materials needed to grow Bonsai are widely available.
Oldest Living Bonsai
Trees can grow for thousands of years. Bonsai trees, if nurtured and all the right conditions are met, can also live to become very old. Some of the oldest Bonsai trees in the world are over 800 years old, the result of many generations of patience and dedicated work. The Ficus retusa Linn, which is found at the Crespi Bonsai Museum in Italy, is believed to be the oldest existing bonsai tree in the world at an estimated 1,000 years old.
And the Most Expensive Bonsai?
The price of a bonsai depends on its age and aesthetic qualities. The most expensive bonsai tree, a centuries old pine, sold for 1.3 million dollars at the International Bonsai Convention in Takamatsu, Japan. Many more trees are considered priceless. The skills and dedication required to grow Bonsai trees also play a big part in their value. The tree’s growth is restricted by many years of pruning, wiring, training and shaping and they often need daily watering.
How Do You Grow A Tiny Tree?
A Bonsai tree starts with a cutting, a seedling or a small tree of a suitable species. Virtually any woody-stemmed, perennial tree or shrub can be used to create a bonsai tree, but certain species are more popular than others because of unique features, like small leaves or needles that lend themselves well visually to being grown in miniature.
From early on in its life, the prospective bonsai is shaped according to specific aesthetic standards, and when it nears its final desired size, the tree is planted in a display pot. From then on, its growth is restricted by the pot environment. Throughout the year the bonsai is shaped to limit growth and to balance out the leaf growth on it’s different branches. The various bonsai cultivation techniques include pruning, root reduction, potting, leaf removal and grafting.
Styles of Bonsai
The various styles for bonsai trees can be grouped based on different criteria, such as trunk orientation, trunk and root placement and whether or not there are multiple trunks.
Six of the most common bonsai styles are:
Formal Upright: The tree has a straight, upright, tapering trunk, with branches going from the longest and thickest at the bottom to the shortest and thinnest at the top. The tree has a triangular shape and looks balanced. It’s a tricky type of bonsai to achieve.
Informal Upright: This style is just as popular as the formal upright and almost every bonsai species works well with this style. It’s a good shape for beginners to have a go at creating. With the informal upright style, the trunk has the tendency to change direction as the tree grows but the tip (apex) of the tree remains directly above the tree’s entry to the soil. The triangular shape remains constant, with bigger branches at the bottom of the tree.
Slanting: In this style the trunk is straight, like that of a formal upright, but the trunk emerges from the soil at an angle and the tip (apex) of the tree will be located either left or right of the root base. Branches generally grow parallel to the ground.
Broom Style: A popular style and one which is used for trees which have extensive, fine branches, such as elms. The trunk of the tree grows up straight, branching out in all directions and the branches and leaves are shaped to resemble a ball-shaped cap. This can look very beautiful in the winter months and is often used on deciduous trees which are easy to prune and shape in this way.
Cascade Style: The cascade is a flowing style, modelled on trees that grow down the side of a mountain or over a river. In the full cascade style, the apex of the tree grows down and falls below the edge of a pot.
Root over Rock: One of the most popular styles of bonsai, where it looks like the tree is growing over a rock. The roots are exposed and are trained to grow over the rock before entering the soil below.
Indoor vs Outdoor Bonsai Trees?
Traditionally, bonsai trees are temperate climate trees grown outdoors in containers. Kept in an indoor environment, these trees will weaken and die. But a number of tropical and sub-tropical tree species will grow and survive indoors. With indoor bonsai, you get to enjoy a fully leafed tree all year round whereas outdoor bonsai species are generally deciduous, dropping their leaves in the winter months. Another difference is that tropical specimens tend to grow a lot quicker, speeding up their evolution into a bonsai tree.
Species of Bonsai Trees
There are many different species of trees used for bonsai gardening. Some are deciduous, some are broad-leaf evergreens, there are a number of conifers and pines and there are even flowering and fruiting bonsai trees.
Here are a few of the most popular:
Broad-leaf Evergreens
Ficus Bonsai: There are hundreds of varieties of Ficus but the most popular one for bonsai is Ficus Retusa. It has oval shaped, dark green, glossy leaves and is often shaped into an s-curved trunk. Most Ficus trees can produce aerial roots which are used to create aerial root pillars or root over rock bonsai creations. Ficus bonsai is an indoor tree which must be protected from frost. It can be kept outdoors in summer, in temperatures above 15C.
Other broad-leaf evergreens include:
Ligustrum (Privet): With its thick trunk, this is a very strong tree and suitable for beginners. It is an outdoor species but can be grown indoors, provided that it is placed outside in the winter.
Buxus (Box, Boxwood): Boxwoods are a great choice for Bonsai as they are very robust, can tolerate constant trimming and can bud from old wood. The European common boxwood (Buxus sempervirens) and the Chinese Boxwood (Buxus harlandii) are the most common ones used in Bonsai. The European boxwood needs to be kept outside in a sunny or semi-shaded spot and protected from frost in winter. The Chinese Boxwood can be kept indoors but prefers to be outside during the warm summer months.
Conifers and Pines
Juniper Bonsai: There are over 50 different species of Juniper, several of which are hugely popular for Bonsai-gardening. There are two groups of Juniper, one with scale-like foliage and one with needle-like foliage. The Chinese Juniper and the Japanese Shimpaku are popular bonsai species with scale-like foliage. Popular Junipers with needle-like foliage, include the Japanese Needle Juniper and the Green Mound Juniper Bonsai. Junipers need to be grown outside all year round in a sunny, bright spot. They are often wired quite heavily from early on and can be trained to grow into dramatically twisted shapes. Junipers are often used for deadwood techniques – creating shape and preserving deadwood on a living bonsai.
Popular Deciduous Trees
Japanese Maple (Acer Palmatum): Acers are much loved for the stunning colour of their leaves in autumn. The leaves start out fresh green or bronze in the spring, turning to a deeper green in the summer and then to a bright crimson in autumn. They also have a beautiful silhouette in the winter. Maples lend themselves well to bonsai cultivation. Their leaves reduce in size over time and they have fine branches that respond well to pruning. They can be grown in a variety of different styles including upright, slanting and cascade.
Chinese Elm (Ulmus Parvifolia): The most popular Elm for bonsai purposes, the Chinese Elm has very small leaves, rugged bark and fine branches. It’s a tough tree which can withstand being indoors. Chinese Elms are semi-deciduous, either keeping or partially losing their leaves depending on where they are kept over winter.
Flowering Species
Azalea Bonsai (Rhododendron) : Azaleas are popular for their beautiful flowers, which open between May and July and come in many different colours, shapes and sizes. There are around 1000 species of Rhododendron. Satsuki azalea (Rhododendron indicum) and Kurume azalea (Rhododendron kiusianum and Rhododendron kaempferi) are commonly used for Bonsai.
Bougainvillea Bonsai: A tropical species, the Bougainvillea is an evergreen tree with tiny trumpet-shaped flowers which are surrounded by bright papery ‘bracts’ which are often magenta or purple coloured. There are also varieties with red, pink, orange, yellow, white or double bracts. The flowers appear from summer to autumn if the plant gets enough heat and light.
Fruiting Trees
Crab Apple Bonsai (Malus): The Crab Apple is a popular flowering Bonsai tree, bearing small fruits in autumn and a pretty blossom in early spring. The Malus sylvestris and Malus cerasifera species are most commonly used for Bonsai purposes. They need to grow outside in full sun.
Dwarf Pomegranate (Punica Granatum): The Dwarf Pomegranate is another popular choice for growing Bonsai. Pomegranates have opposite leaves and grow oval shaped flowers, later on followed with yellow and red fruits. The trunk twists naturally, making it an attractive tree to grow.
So, Where Should Beginners Start?
Okay, so you’ve been pouring over the enchanting pictures of these tiny trees and you’ve just got to get one! Here’s how to get started.
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First You Need a Tree!
Bonsai trees are rarely grown from seed because it takes far too long. To get that aged appearance, a key characteristic of bonsai trees, within a reasonable time-frame, the source plant is usually at least partially grown when the bonsai creator begins work.
You can buy a ready-made bonsai (the most expensive option), but if you want to have a go at shaping and training one yourself, you can buy a ‘pre-bonsai, a tree that is ready to be pruned and wired.
Pre-bonsai cultivation packs are often sold as part of starter-kits which also contain the other tools and materials you need. You could also collect a suitable tree from nature or the slowest method would be to cultivate a tree yourself from seeds or cuttings.
If cultivating from scratch, it will take around 3-5 years before your tree is ready to style. So if you want to get started straight away, your best bet is to buy a pre-bonsai tree.
When choosing your tree, the most important thing you need to do is make sure that the tree species is going to be a good fit for your home.
If you’re planning to keep the tree indoors, then you’ll need to choose a tropical or subtropical tree. If you want to put it outside, then you need a tree that’s going to be the right fit for your particular climate.
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Gather Equipment and Materials
Next, you’ll need to gather the things needed to grow and look after your bonsai.
Growing Box / Pots
Bonsai trees are re-potted and root-pruned at regular intervals. Often pre-bonsai trees begin in “growing boxes” which allow them to grow and increase in vigour before being restricted in a smaller “training box” and eventually planted into their final position in a display pot.
Soil
Bonsai soil is usually a loose and fast draining mixture of different components. A base mixture of sand, gravel and fired clay pellets is often combined with an organic component of peat or bark. Fired clay pellets both provide both mechanical support for the roots and also help retain moisture. Varieties such as Akadama or “red ball” soil are popular.
Fertiliser
There are both organic and chemical fertilisers available with the general rule being to feed trees little and often during the growing season, and each species will have its own particular requirements.
Tools
It is advised that beginners collect some basic tools, including a pair of shears for cutting smaller branches, leaves and roots, and a concave cutter, used for removing larger branches from the trunk. For wiring a tree, you will also need wire in different sizes, a wire-cutter and some pliers for bending the wire.
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Learn some Techniques!
The styling of bonsai includes basic methods like pruning and wiring as well as some more advanced techniques. Once you have chosen a training style, such as formal upright, informal upright or slanting, you can start practicing some of these techniques. There are a wealth of books and online resources to help you learn the basics. (We have some links below this article for further reading).
Essential techniques include:
Leaf-Trimming
Selective removal of leaves or needles from branches to give the desired aesthetic.
Pruning
An essential bonsai technique, necessary to keep the tree small as well as to give it the desired shape. It can be done with bonsai shears or by pinching out new growth buds.
Wiring
Another important technique for shaping your bonsai. By wrapping copper or aluminium wire around the branches, it is possible to bend and shape the tree.
Looking After Your Tiny Tree
Take any plant from the wild, and grow it in a container, and you’ll need to learn about the care needed for your leafy friend to thrive. This is especially important with bonsai trees, because you are taking a plant that would naturally be hundreds of times bigger in the wild and restricting it’s growth dramatically. Tree species in the wild grow roots that are several metres long and encompass thousands of litres of soil.
A typical bonsai container only contains 2-10 litres of soil. Also, trees in the wild tend to grow up to 5 metres or more tall, whereas the average bonsai is rarely bigger than one metre, with most specimens being considerably smaller.
The unnatural conditions of the bonsai tree affect many aspects of its biology and therefore specialised care is needed to maintain the tree’s long-term health.
As with all plants, the specific care requirements will differ with each species. Some bonsai plants will need watering more than others and each species will have its own preferred temperatures and humidity levels.
To create beautiful and healthy miniature trees, requires a fair amount of time and patience. But if you are keen to learn the basics and can devote some time to nurturing your tree, don’t let the technicalities put you off.
The basic skills can be learned by beginners quite easily and you’ll become part of an established global community of bonsai enthusiasts, many of whom are keen to pass on their wisdom to the next generation.
References and Further Reading
Bonsai Empire, a website dedicated to all things bonsai: https://www.bonsaiempire.com/
The World Bonsai Friendship Federation: http://wbffbonsai.com/
Intermediate Bonsai: A Course Syllabus: http://www.bonsai-bsf.com/magazine/intermediate_bonsai.pdf