The practice of bonsai originated in China but has become an art form in Japan over the last thousand years or more. Bonsai is the practice of growing a potted tree in miniature form. Initially, it was a practice or hobby only for the wealthy. Today, many people practice bonsai and consider it a type of meditation or quiet contemplation.

A bonsai tree is not simply a small tree in a pot. It is a tree grown in miniature that is carefully shaped by the artist to be aesthetically pleasing and to represent a scene in nature. Care for a bonsai tree is never finished. Many artists continue shaping their trees for years or decades.

Any woody plant can be used to practice bonsai, but some trees and shrubs are more commonly used: ficus, juniper, and Japanese maple, to name a few. If you’ve already practiced on one of the best bonsai trees for beginners but want to try something different, then use these ideas of unique bonsai plants for inspiration.

1. Bougainvillea

Bougainvillea is typically grown in warm climates as a vine. It makes a striking display on walls and arbors with its bold, abundant bracts that look like bright, papery flowers. Bougainvillea is a woody vine, so you can train it to grow as a bonsai tree.

To shape a bougainvillea bonsai, you need to prune it to prioritize one strong vine that will act like a trunk. Only use wire on young stems; older wood is too brittle and will break easily. To prioritize flowering, limit pruning and pinching in summer.

Your bougainvillea bonsai will need full sun and warm temperatures to grow well.

2. Crabapple

Growing a bonsai fruit tree is a fantastic way to develop this fascinating hobby. Crabapple trees are naturally small and well-suited to being pruned and shaped. They're also desirable for their white or pink spring flowers that are sweetly fragrant. A crabapple bonsai is a joy to observe all year, with its spring flowers, summer greenery and fruit, fall color, and winter bareness.

The best time to prune and train a crabapple is in late fall after the leaves have dropped. You can clearly see where the buds are and avoid cutting off too many of them. During the growing season, you can trim new shoots back, but keep shaping to a minimum. Crabapples need full sun but don’t like very hot temperatures.

3. Blueberry

Don’t limit your fruit bonsai options to trees. Woody shrubs can also be successfully shaped using the arts of bonsai. With blueberry bushes, you can enjoy both the beauty of a bonsai tree and a small annual harvest of berries.

When shaping a blueberry bush for bonsai, select one strong stem to become the “trunk.” Shape smaller stems around the leading stem to shape your tree. Never remove all of the new growth.

If growing outside, be sure to choose a type of blueberry that is suited to your USDA hardiness zone and protect it from winter’s harshest temperatures and strong winds.

4. Crepe Myrtle

This classic and popular southern flowering tree makes a pretty and unique bonsai tree. The showy flowers are the most striking feature of crepe myrtle. It produces flowers throughout the summer in shades of pink, white, or violet. The bark is also appealing with a mottled texture.

Prune and shape your crepe myrtle at the end of summer to encourage more buds to form for the following year’s flowers. Take care when wiring crepe myrtles, as the wire can damage the attractive bark. Wrap tape around the wire before using it to shape branches.

Crepe myrtle can stay outdoors year-round in warmer climates and prefers full sun and humidity.

5. Oak

Evergreens are more popular bonsai trees, but large deciduous trees such as oak trees can also make unique and attractive specimens.

Hard pruning and shaping are best done in early spring before the buds open. Cut back new shoots throughout the growing season to a pair of leaves. Don’t remove all growth. Perform heavier trimming on the top of the tree.

White oak is a great option that likes plenty of sun and doesn’t like to be crowded. It can grow outdoors in its compatible hardiness zones, but because it is in a pot as a bonsai, it can use some protection in cold weather. Overwintering indoors is a good idea.

6. Pomegranate

For a really unique bonsai specimen, try working on a pomegranate tree. Pomegranate has unusual and attractive flowers, and of course, will produce fruit if grown under the right conditions.

Prune and wire your pomegranate in winter when the tree is dormant. During the growing season, you can trim back new growth but do it after flowering. Pomegranate trees shape easily when the shoots are young and flexible, but are harder to shape as they get older.

Place your tree in a sunny spot and bring it indoors for winter unless you live in a very warm climate.

7. Desert Rose

Desert rose makes a very striking bonsai tree with its thick, fleshy trunk and abundance of pink flowers.

Trim and shape desert rose any time of year but avoid trimming off too much of new growth, which is where flowers grow. Pruning carefully will stimulate more growth and more flowers. Don’t apply wire too tightly to desert rose, as the fleshy stems can develop wire marks where they grow around it.

Desert rose sap is poisonous, so it’s best to wear gloves when pruning. In warm climates, you can keep this tree outside year-round. Give it a sunny to partly sunny spot and plenty of warmth.

Bonsai is an ancient art that is rewarding but requires patience. Many plants can become bonsai trees, but these unique examples will produce something truly special.

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With their ancient form and elegant art, bonsais are fascinating trees. The art of sculpting trees originated in China, although the word itself is Japanese. Only the rich and influential indulged in the practice and the resulting tiny plants were often prized gifts.

The art later migrated to Japan where it became a cultural phenomenon, and still is today. Bonsai masters hone their craft with decades of practice and apprenticeships. The plants are pricey to purchase for a good reason: it takes countless hours to manicure and train these special trees.

If you have ever wanted to care for a bonsai tree, start with species that are easier to train and don’t have the high maintenance needs of traditional bonsai plants. Suit your tree choice to your USDA hardiness zone or home environment. Your first tree should have a natural form that will be easy to maintain as you learn about skills like wiring and pruning bonsai trees.

Be prepared to spend some quality time with your new tree, learning its needs, and observing its growth patterns. Bonsai is a slow, but rewarding pastime so be prepared to be patient. These varieties are a great place to start.

1. Ficus

Ficus is a great option for a first-time bonsai gardener. The plants are tolerant of slightly dry soil conditions and are generally low maintenance.

Pruning is focused on just clipping off the leaves. Due to the plant’s budding nature, you can prune it anywhere with no ill effects. New leaves will sprout from the cut. The branches are easy to bend, meaning they may be shaped with ease with wire.

Ficus bonsai trees perform best indoors in a bright, sunny location.

2. Dwarf Jade

Jade trees are already small and make excellent bonsai. Because jade is a succulent bonsai it can thrive in low-water situations, but it is not cold hardy and is best grown indoors in most locations. Keep it in a southern or western window.

Prune jade frequently to promote denser branching and a lower height. You can wire this tree but be cautious on newer stems, which are tender. Be careful that the wire doesn’t cut into the plant tissue.

Repot the dwarf jade every other year in spring but don’t water it for a week after to prevent root rot. Feed once per month and water sparingly.

3. Japanese Maple

Few plants have the elegant foliar splendor of a Japanese maple tree. New spring leaves are reddish and turn golden green in summer. In fall, an array of foliage tones in bronze, orange, gold, and red arrive.

These stunning bonsai trees can be grown either outdoors or in. They must be watered daily in the growing season and maybe twice per day in high heat. When temperatures top 85°F (29°C), the container should be moved to a slightly shady location to protect the foliage. Avoid fertilizers with high rates of nitrogen, which could cause larger leaves to form.

A Japanese maple makes the perfect “windswept” tree with its natural form. Prune the thickest branches in fall or summer and use a wound paste at the cut site since maples are prone to fungal infections.

4. Schefflera

This plant has almost no maintenance and is ideal for the home interior. Schefflera bonsai – or Hawaiian umbrella – prefers medium humidity and bright, indirect light.

The most important care instruction is to never let the root ball dry out. Keep the soil moist at all times. Apply liquid fertilizer once per month during the growing season.

Keep the tips of the twigs pruned off to promote new shoots and smaller leaves. The stems are too soft to practice wiring.

5. Chinese Elm

Chinese elms naturally look like they have been exposed to many seasons of coastal wind. The plants aren’t too expensive and they produce tiny leaves.

They are frost-hardy and may be grown either indoors or out. In areas with hard winters, move the plant indoors to a cool room. Place the container in full to partial sun.

This plant does require frequent pruning. Prune shoots in late autumn. Use liquid fertilizer once per month in the growing season. Wait until the top of the soil is dry to the touch and then water enough that the moisture leeks through the drainage holes.

6. Juniper

Junipers are easy to find and they make excellent bonsai because of how they grow. They produce clusters of leaves in small groups. These little groups can be pruned away to achieve the effect you want.

Pinch or cut away large leaf groups at the base of the stem. When the foliage clusters become too dense, trim them out with small scissors.

The plants are also ideal to train with wire. Wire the little plant heavily when it is young to begin the shape you desire. Common forms are informal upright, formal upright, and cascading.

Juniper bonsai should be grown outside in a full-sun location. Move the plant to a warmer, protected site during winter. Allow the soil to dry out between waterings. Use organic, time-release pellets to fertilize the plant.

7. Boxwood

Boxwood plants are very widespread and inexpensive. The two most popular varieties for bonsai are European and Chinese boxwood. They have naturally curving stems, fissured bark, and shallow root balls perfect for bonsai containers.

Boxwoods respond well to pruning and wiring. Trim out new shoots as needed to create the form and remove center-crowded leaves to promote air and light. Wire gently to avoid damaging the bark.

Boxwood may be grown outside or in. Move indoor plants outside for summer. Place the container in full to partial sun. Keep the plant well-watered in summer. Apply liquid fertilizer every week during the growing period.

Other Options

There are several other types of plants that would make excellent beginner bonsai. Bald cypress, bougainvillea, cotoneaster, crepe myrtle, Japanese ornamental cherry, pine, and desert rose would all make beautiful bonsai specimens.

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The idea of planting pine cones in pots is a cozy and cute one, which explains why “how to make a pine cone bonsai” is trending on social media. But let’s just say this directly: it is about as practical as tossing an unopened pack of seeds into a flower pot.

On the other hand, the seeds in the “bonsai tree pine cones” can certainly be planted and the seedlings nurtured into bonsai. You can think of this as one way to grow pine cone bonsai, although the cone itself doesn’t come into play.

Bonsai Pine Cones

There is something inherently appealing about pine cones. Tiny pine cones appear on the branches of conifers, then the pine cones grow and mature, either standing up on the branches like candles on a Christmas tree, or hanging down like decorations. Finally, they fall to the ground, dropping their seeds.

This final act is critical, since this is the way conifers propagate the species. They are seed-producers, and new trees grow from those seeds. The seeds are encapsuled in the cones. However, it is only when the cone and seeds dry out and go their separate ways that the seeds can spout and grow into seedlings.

Extracting Seeds from Pine Cones

In nature, pine seeds mature, dry, and, at some point, the seeds that grew inside them fall out. Squirrels can dig into the cones to extract the seeds first, and so can you. Collect pine cones in the autumn and leave them in a dry sunny spot to open. Shake them to remove the seeds.

Seeds usually germinate faster if you stratify them. Since it’s free and quick, there is no downside. Soak them in lukewarm water for 48 hours, then move them to a plastic bag with wet sand. Store the bag for 30 days at around 35 degrees F.

Planting the Pine Seeds

You may think of a bonsai as a miniature tree, kept small by meticulous trimming. But some say it means a container plant. That’s the way to look at it initially, in any event, since bonsai trimming work doesn’t start for months after a seedling appears.

Once you have extracted and stratified the pine seeds, prepare a container for planting. Using bonsai soil will save you a lot of time, but you can also mix up your own with lava, pumice, and akadama, topping it with a layer of clean sand.

Plant a few pine seeds at least an inch apart just below the surface of the soil. Place the container in a sunny location but don’t allow the soil to dry out or the seeds will die. If the soil is kept moist, the pine seeds should germinate fairly quickly, generally within a week to a month.

After the seedlings appear, keep the soil moist and allow the little seedlings to grow until it’s time to start shaping them into bonsai. If it’s your first bonsai experience, consider attending a class or working with a bonsai group to be sure you are pruning in the best possible way to support the health of the pine tree bonsai.

Not every tree will do well as bonsai species. These “trees in pots” are intended to look like miniature versions of mature trees, with compact, rounded canopies. For an effective bonsai, all parts of the dwarf tree must be in proportion to its reduced size, including leaves, branches, and fruits.

One tree that works perfectly for bonsai styling is the apple. If you are interested in learning about dwarf bonsai apple trees – or creating one - read on. We’ll give you the information you need to get started.

Apple Tree Bonsai

How small is a bonsai? There are a range of possible sizes for bonsai trees. These can be very short - under 5 inches (12.7 cm.) tall -- to some 30 inches (76 cm.) tall. The key is to select a type of tree with small leaves that will work with the smaller size tree, or leaves that become small with bonsai treatment.

Bonsai Apple Trees

Apple trees (Malus spp) work well as bonsai plants, especially wild apples and ornamental apple trees like Malus toringo, Malus halliana and Malus cerasifers. They grow well and produce lots of blossoms and small fruits.

You can start your apple blossom bonsai tree from seeds quite easily. Apple seeds germinate well after several months of stratification in damp sand in the refrigerator. However, the seedlings might not look like the parent plant. You can get an exact replica of the parent by rooting cuttings instead.

Select a bonsai container that works with the proposed shape of the new tree. Experts suggest glazed bonsai pots.

Growing Your Bonsai

Apple tree bonsai care is not unlike the care of apple trees in your home orchard. The plants require regular irrigation, fertilization during the growing season, and sometimes, protection during cold weather. Position the potted tree in as sunny a place as possible – bonsai apple trees need a lot of sun and can tolerate heat. But don’t let the ground dry out. It’s best to use a bonsai fertilizer.

In addition, bonsai container trees require regular repotting. This repotting is not to install the plant in increasingly larger containers, but to trim the roots and add new soil. It’s a good rule of thumb to do this in early spring. Trim out about one-third of the roots and replace the soil with well-draining bonsai soil.

Creating the Bonsai

When you are creating an apple bonsai, whether a crab apple bonsai tree or an ornamental apple tree bonsai tree, bonsai styling is essential. You will have to wire the branches and prune them in order to shape the tree.

Wiring should be undertaken in early summer. The growth in thickness slows, allowing the wire to stay on the tree for some time while the shaped shoots harden. Pruning will require a bonsai concave cutter and the type of pruning depends on the desired shape of the tree. Popular styles for apple bonsais include informal upright and slightly inclined, although cascades are also possible.

Bonsai trees are small, much smaller than the same tree would grow in the ground. This makes some gardeners think that bonsai do not need repotting. This is not true, and failure to repot a bonsai tree when it becomes pot-bound can easily result in its demise.

If you are wondering when and how to repot bonsai, read on. We’ll give you all the information you need to accomplish the potting chore quickly and safely.

When to Repot a Bonsai?

Bonsai, like other potted plants, need to be repotted when they become root bound. This means when the roots grow too large for the container and start to impact drainage. One way to figure this out is to keep a close eye on how quickly water drains through the pot. When drainage seems to be taking longer, consider repotting.

The ideal season for transplanting most deciduous bonsai is spring, after the tree breaks dormancy but before it leafs out. During the winter, the tree stores up energy in its roots, but in spring it begins to move back up into the branches. Dormant leaf and flower buds swell at this point, signaling the end of dormancy. Conifers, however, should be transplanted in winter, before dormancy ends.

How to Transplant a Bonsai Tree

The steps for transplanting a bonsai tree are very similar to the steps for transplanting any container plant. These include:

• selecting a new container, if needed
• getting appropriate bonsai soil
• removing the root ball of the plant to be moved from its current container
• trimming the roots
• replanting the bonsai in the new pot

Special Bonsai Container Considerations

Before transplanting a bonsai, you need an understanding of different levels of bonsai containers. All bonsai plants start out their bonsai lives in training pots, large-diameter containers with good drainage and a depth of about 10 inches (25 cm.). These training pots help young trees to transition from a deep container or garden bed to the shallow bonsai pot.

The young trees stay in training containers until their root system and foliage develop. They can then be moved to traditional bonsai pots. First, all of the bonsai foliage work must be completed. This includes the pruning, wiring and pinching work to shape the tree’s branches and canopy.

A tree in a bonsai container is root pruned, then returned to the same container. The only time a container needs changing is when the tree has just grown out of the starter pot.

Removing the Root Ball

Removing the root ball of a potted plant can be easy or it can be tricky. Don’t get discouraged if it’s hard, since the more difficult it is to remove the root ball, the more the bonsai needs repotting. Generally, the smaller the pot, the more frequently the plant requires repotting.

Removing the root ball from its pot might just be a matter of turning the pot upside-down and easing the root ball out. However, if the roots are tight, using gardening tools is necessary. The idea is to avoid breaking any roots as they are extracted.

Trim the Roots

Once the bonsai root ball is exposed, it is time to groom the roots. Comb and untangle them, trimming out those that are wiry or stiff or wider than a pencil, to encourage more feeder roots. You should remove about one inch of roots and attached soil from the sides and bottom of the root ball.

Spread the remaining roots out in the container. Add bonsai soil or bonsai soilless mix, then water the plant thoroughly. Place the newly potted plant in a dry location, protected from sun and wind. Water the soil or soilless mix if it feels dry.

Are you looking for a unique indoor plant that will light up your home in season? We’ve got just what you need: a bonsai persimmon crafted from a Princess Persimmon specimen. These persimmons produce tiny bright fruit which, together with their diamond-shaped leaves, can create a stunning miniature persimmon tree.

Creating a dwarf persimmon tree is also an interesting project and lots of fun. How do you keep a persimmon tree small? Read on for the juicy details.

Small Persimmon Tree

Although we usually recommend planting native trees, when it comes to a bonsai persimmon, we don’t recommend the American native, Diospyros virginiana. American persimmon trees can grow to well over 135 feet (45 m.) tall. If you start with a small persimmon tree, it will require less effort to create a bonsai persimmon.

One species to consider is a princess persimmon (Diospyros rhombifolia). Naturally small, it also bears small fruit in bright shades of orange red. It is popular for bonsai because of its size, attractive fruit, and ease of propagation.

Propagating a Persimmon

You will want to use a female tree for a miniature persimmon, since only females bear fruit and a small tree with fruit is much more attractive than a small tree without fruit. That makes growing the tree from seed problematic.

If you try to grow a princess persimmon from seed, there is no way to determine whether the seedling is a male or female plant for many years. Waiting all those years to determine it is a non-fruiting male is enough to make many gardeners renounce the project.

The key to creating a bonsai persimmon in a reasonable time frame is to propagate it by root cutting. A root cutting produces a clone of the parent tree, which means that a cutting from a female princess tree will produce another female princess persimmon.

As soon as a fruiting persimmon tree produces pencil-sized roots, remove one or more to create new plants for bonsai.

Understand Bonsai Techniques

If you’ve never done bonsai before, it’s a good idea to read some articles about the art, or even to take a class. Bonsai is pronounced bone sigh, with the first word meaning pot and the second meaning plant. Bonsai described both the plant being miniaturized and the technique used to keep it small.

Although the Japanese perfected the art of bonsai, this method of keeping trees small enough to show them off in containers in courtyards originated in China. Today the art of bonsai is a popular hobby in the United States.

Bonsai trees are miniatures, carefully pruned to create an appealing structure. How do you keep a persimmon tree small? The process involves both astute and meticulous trimming as well as wiring branches into places where they create a balanced branch structure. There are many classic forms of bonsai including upright, slanting, cascade, and clump.

To get started on a dwarf persimmon tree, determine the bonsai style that appeals to you, then begin the pruning process. Prune out any dead branches, then branches that don’t work with your plan. Wire branches to be adjusted carefully since they can be brittle. It pays to use both hands to wrap the wire.

Bonsai is a centuries-old gardening technique that originated in Asia. It combines patience with aesthetics to produce charming little plant specimens. Usually, woody species of plant are used in bonsai, but you can create your own succulent bonsai trees quite easily. This is because many succulents are naturally tiny and hardy and don't mind the trimming required to make a bonsai form. 

Smaller succulent plants often take on the form of bonsai, but you can also promote the shape. There are many succulents for bonsai, but the jade plant is probably one that is most frequently used. Traditional bonsai are planted in shallow dishes, which means they have little room for roots and will often need root pruning to keep the plant small. With succulents as bonsai, you generally won't need to root prune. This makes succulent bonsai care quite a bit easier than the classic bonsai. 

Tips on Making a Bonsai Looking Succulent

Freshly purchased young succulents often already look like bonsai, but you will have to maintain the shape and size. Traditional bonsai balances line, proportion, balance, and form. There are very specific rules in bonsai, but for the purposes of developing succulents as bonsai, you can focus more on the general form. There are also many styles of bonsai. Cascading plants, those that look windswept or slanted, fully upright specimens, and upright twisted are the main forms. When selecting your succulent, go with its natural form and don't try to force a shape. That means if you want a particular style, choose a plant that will naturally grow in that manner. 

Types of Succulents as Bonsai

If you want to grow succulent bonsai trees, you will need a plant that will get a bit larger and have distinct stems. Euphorbia and Crassula specimens will develop a nice trunk and thick branches, perfect for a "tree" appearance. An Elephant tree or Ponytail palm are also nice selections. If you want diminutive specimens, Sedum, Mammillaria, and Adenium species will fit the bill. Do a bit of research before you select your plant to ensure it won't need a deeper container and will have the growth habit you require. Use a well-draining, shallow dish, and soil that doesn't hold lots of moisture. A good soil is 1/3 cinder, 1/3 crushed aggregate, and 1/3 bark chips or coir. 

Succulent Bonsai Care

Training a bonsai-looking succulent is maintenance that will differ from just growing a regular plant. You may need to root prune after a year or two. Some plants can be wired to curve stems for the windswept look. Pruning leaves and branches are also necessary to preserve a particular form. Do not water your succulent after planting-- wait a week first. Then wait until the soil is dry for successive watering. Your succulent bonsai will need the same care the plant would need in normal situations: the same water, food, soil, and light. A nice, slow-growth food is a 5-5-5. Dilute by half and water once per month during the growing season. Suspend feeding in the dormant period and lower watering to prevent rot.

What is a Fukien tea tree? You don’t hear about this little tree unless you’re into bonsai. The Fukien tea tree (Carmona retusa or Ehretia microphylla) is a tropical evergreen shrub that is a popular choice as a bonsai. While Fukien tea tree pruning is a challenge, the tree also makes a fun houseplant.

For more information about Fukien tea tree bonsais, including Fukien tea tree care, read on. We’ll also tell you how to grow a Fukien tea tree as a houseplant.

What is a Fukien Tea Tree?

This small evergreen comes from the Fukien province in the Chinese tropics. It is partial to warm winters, which means that it is happy as a houseplant in non-tropical areas. However, Fukien tea tree care is easy to get wrong, so this tree won’t do for those who tend to forget watering or plant care.

One look at the tree may be enough to convince you to give it a try. It offers small, shiny forest green leaves with tiny white freckles on them. They are set off nicely with delicate, snowy flowers that can blossom most of the year and develop into yellow berries. The trunk of this little plant is a rich mahogany color.

How to Grow a Fukien Tea Tree

This little tree can only be grown outdoors in very warm areas. It prefers a temperature of between 50 and 75 degrees F. (10-24 C.) year-round, which is one reason it works well as a houseplant. On the other hand, the Fukien tea tree needs lots of sun and humidity.

Its soil should be kept consistently moist but never wet. Don’t ever allow the root ball to dry out completely.

Don’t place the Fukien tea tree in a window with direct midday sunlight. It will dry out too easily. Place it in a bright window instead. In regions with warm summers, the tree will do well outside as long as you protect it from scorching.

Fukien Tea Tree Bonsai

The Fukien tea tree is very popular for bonsai. It is small, to begin with, and readily develops an attractive and thick-knotted trunk. Other good attributes of bonsai are the fact that it is evergreen, regularly in flower, and has naturally small leaves.

However, it isn’t one of the easiest trees to sculpt into a bonsai. Fukien tea tree pruning is considered a delicate matter that should only be undertaken by someone with bonsai expertise and experience. It is well worth the trouble, though, as it can grow into a beautiful and graceful bonsai, which makes a perfect gift for those having that special bonsai pruning touch.

Dwarf schefflera (Schefflera arboricola) is a popular plant, also known as the Hawaiian umbrella tree and commonly used for schefflera bonsai. Although it is not considered a “true” bonsai tree, schefflera bonsai trees are the most popular types of indoor bonsai. Want to learn how to make a schefflera bonsai? Read on for information and tips on schefflera bonsai pruning.

Growing Schefflera as Bonsai

If you are looking for a durable houseplant that thrives in low-light conditions, schefflera is worth a look. It’s extremely popular and easy to grow as long as you understand its needs.

In addition, dwarf schefflera has lots of traits that make it an ideal bonsai tree. While this species doesn’t have the woody stems and compound leaf structure of other bonsais, its trunks, branching, and root structure all work well in this role. In addition, schefflera bonsai trees need less light, live longer, and are more vigorous than traditional bonsai choices.

How to Make a Schefflera Bonsai

Wiring is one of the techniques used to shape the limbs of a bonsai tree. If you are wondering how to make a schefflera bonsai, be especially careful with wiring. Drastically bending the stems can damage them.

Instead, wrap wire around the branch or stem of the schefflera you want to manipulate. Start by wrapping it around the thickest part of the stem or branch, then move to the thinner part. Once the wire is in place, bend it gently in the direction you wish it to move. Move it slightly farther for every day for a week, then allow it to remain in place for another month.

Pruning Schefflera Bonsai

The other parts of training a schefflera bonsai are pruning and defoliation. Prune off all leaves from your dwarf schefflera bonsai, leaving the stalk in place. The following year prune off only the larger leaves. This should be repeated every spring until the average leaf size is where you want it to be.

Schefflera Bonsai Care

Your dwarf schefflera bonsai trees must be kept in a humid environment. A greenhouse, where the climate can be controlled, or an aquarium works well. If these are not possible, wrap the trunk with plastic paper to keep the inside warm.

The entire tree should be misted every day, while the plant requires a long drink twice a week. Schefflera bonsai care also requires fertilizer. Use half-strength liquid plant food and apply every few weeks.

As aerial roots grow from the trunk and stems, decide the shape you want the schefflera bonsai to take. Trim out unwanted aerial roots to encourage the more attractive, thicker roots.

Caring for bonsai sago palms is quite simple, and these plants have an interesting history. Although the common name is sago palm, they are not palms at all. Cycas revoluta, or sago palm, is native to southern Japan and a member of the cycad family. These are tough plants that existed back when dinosaurs still roamed the Earth and have been around for 150 million years.

Let’s take a look at how to care for the remarkable sago palm bonsai.

How to Grow a Miniature Sago Palm

The stiff, palm-like leaves emerge from a swollen base, or caudex. These plants are very tough and can survive in a temperature range of 15-110 F. (-4 to 43 C.). Ideally, it is best if you can keep the minimum temperature above 50 F. (10 C.). 

In addition to tolerating a wide range of temperatures, it can also tolerate a large range of light conditions. The bonsai sago palm tree prefers to grow in full sun. At a minimum, it should receive at least 3 hours of sun a day to look its best. If your plant isn’t receiving any sun and is in darker conditions, the leaves will stretch and become leggy. This is obviously not desirable for a bonsai specimen where you want to keep the plant smaller. As new leaves are growing, be sure to turn the plant periodically to encourage even growth.

This plant is also very forgiving when it comes to watering and will tolerate a bit of neglect. When it comes to watering, treat this plant like a succulent or cactus and allow the soil to completely dry out in between thorough watering. Make sure that the soil is well-drained and that it never sitting in water for extended periods of time. 

As far as fertilization, less is more for this plant. Use an organic liquid fertilizer at half strength about 3 or 4 times per year. At a minimum, fertilize when new growth starts in spring and again in late summer to harden off the new growth. Don’t fertilize when the plant is not actively growing. 

Sago palms like to be root bound, so only repot into a container that is one size larger from where it was previously. Avoid fertilizing for a few months after repotting.

Keep in mind that these plants are extremely slow-growing. This makes sago a great choice for bonsai growing, as it won’t get too big in its container environment.

Another important point to note is that sago palms contain cycasin, which is a toxin to pets, so keep them out of reach of any dogs or cats.

Bonsai gardening is a rewarding hobby that provides years of enjoyment. Newcomers to the art of bonsai might have some trepidation about using an expensive specimen for their first attempt. That’s when looking around for local seeds or a seedling comes into play. Many native trees can become beautiful bonsai for little cost. Take the horse chestnut, for example. Can you grow a horse chestnut bonsai?

Can You Grow a Horse Chestnut Bonsai?

The simple answer is yes. Growing a horse chestnut as a bonsai is possible. To clarify, horse chestnut bonsai plants do require consistent attention, but then again, most bonsai do. Since these trees can grow quite tall, they take quite a bit of horse chestnut bonsai pruning and care. The upside to growing a horse chestnut as a bonsai is its easy availability in some regions.

The (white) horse chestnut is a hardy, deciduous tree commonly found in forests, parks, and along roadsides. In the fall, the tree drops conkers that are surrounded by a green, prickly husk. When the husks fall to the ground, they often burst open revealing the smooth, brown nuts within.

These conkers can be collected or, oftentimes, even seedlings that have grown for years can be collected and turned into horse chestnut bonsai plants.

How to Grow Horse Chestnut Bonsai Plants

Collect some undamaged chestnut conkers and plant them deep enough in a seed box to be completely covered by soil. Keep the soil moist and cover the box with plastic to retain moisture. Place the box in a sheltered area outside. Continue to keep the soil moist as needed. The seeds will need a period of cold to signal that it is time to germinate, so be patient and/or stratify the seeds prior to planting them.

After some time, two round leaves, cotyledons, will appear followed by the first true leaves. When these leaves are full sized, the little seedling can be potted. Gently remove the plant from the seed box and replant in a pot with regular soil. Water the newly potted seedling and place it outside. Protect the seedling from frost and heavy rain if need be.

Horse Chestnut Bonsai Pruning

After about a year, the seedlings will be about 4 to 6 inches (10-15 cm.) tall. In the successive year, when the plant sprouts, cut off most of the leaves with the exception of three pairs. Keep the dormant buds which grow smaller leaves. This is a signal to the plant to push out smaller leaves next time. Keep pruning leaves until midsummer, any leaves growing after this can be left until the following year.

When the plant outgrows its small transplant pot, it’s time to repot. First, cut back about two-thirds of the taproot and then repot the plant in a well-draining bonsai soil. In the next year, remove the first leaves to emerge but keep a piece of the stem attached to the plant. Pruning allows the branches to grow. After four years, the tree can be wired.

Bonsai Horse Chestnut Care

Horse chestnut trees should be kept in an area outside that has shade in the afternoon so the leaves won’t burn. At the beginning of mid-autumn, move the bonsai to a sheltered area that will protect it from cold wind and heavy frosts.

Keep the trees watered on a regular basis and fertilize with an organic fertilizer.

If you are interested in learning the art of bonsai, it is a good idea to make your first attempt with a specimen such as horse chestnut that is less costly. This way if the endeavor doesn’t work out, you aren’t out too much money. It is also a good idea to start more than one horse chestnut bonsai in case of unforeseen events.

If growing and caring for a bonsai tree seems too difficult, consider diving into the miniature tree world with a ginseng ficus. It’s unique looking, with aerial roots, and is considered to be very forgiving for beginners. Growing ginseng ficus as a bonsai tree is a great idea for a hobby to try or as a gift for a fellow gardener.

Ginseng Ficus as a Bonsai

Ginseng ficus (Ficus retusa) is one variety of this large group of fig trees. Native to southeast Asia, the ginseng ficus is also called banyan fig, Taiwan ficus, and laurel fig. It is most striking in appearance because it grows thick roots that stay exposed above the surface of the ground. As a bonsai, the effect is of a small tree standing on legs.

The tree grows oval-shaped, dark green leaves. The trunk of the ginseng ficus is thick and bulbous, reddish gray, and has tiger-like stripes. The leaves grow densely, giving you a thick canopy. The best part of growing ginseng ficus as a bonsai tree is that it requires little maintenance.

How to Grow a Ficus Ginseng Bonsai

Ginseng ficus bonsai care is simple and minimal, making this a perfect choice for anyone who is new to bonsai. First, find a good place for your tree. Ginseng ficus naturally grows in warm, moist climates. Place it somewhere that won’t get too cold and out of any drafts that could suck moisture from its leaves. Make sure it will get a lot of indirect light and avoid a spot with direct, bright light.

Your little ginseng ficus will grow well indoors with warmth and light, but it also appreciates trips outside. Set it outdoors in the summer months in a spot that is bright with indirect sunlight, unless you live in an arid climate, in which case the air will be too dry.

A ginseng ficus will tolerate some over or underwatering but aim to keep soil moderately moist throughout the summer and back off a little in the winter. To make the air more humid, set the tree on a tray filled with pebbles and water. Just make sure the roots aren’t sitting in water.

Ginseng ficus pruning isn’t difficult. The art of bonsai is to trim and shape the tree with your own aesthetic in mind. In terms of how much to trim, the general rule is to take off two to three leaves for every six new leaves that grow and develop. Always leave two or three leaves on a branch at least.

With just a little simple care, growing and maintaining a ginseng ficus as a bonsai tree is easy. It’s a creative project for a gardener or any plant lover that can last for years to come.

Bonsai may seem like just plants in pots, but they are so much more than that. The practice itself is more of an art that can take decades to perfect. While not the most interesting aspect of bonsai growing, soil for bonsai is an essential element. What is bonsai soil made up of? As with the art itself, bonsai soil requirements are exacting and very specific. The following article contains bonsai soil information on how to make your own bonsai soil.

Bonsai Soil Requirements

Soil for bonsai has to meet three different criteria: It must allow for good water retention, drainage, and aeration. The soil must be able to hold and retain sufficient moisture yet water must be able to drain immediately from the pot. The ingredients for bonsai soil must be large enough to allow for air pockets to provide oxygen to the roots and to microbacteria.

What is Bonsai Soil Made Up Of?

The common ingredients in bonsai soil are akadama, pumice, lava rock, organic potting compost, and fine gravel. Ideal bonsai soil should be pH neutral, neither acidic nor basic. A pH between 6.5 and 7.5 is ideal.

Bonsai Soil Information

Akadama is a hard-baked Japanese clay that is available online. After about two years, akadama begins to break down, which reduces aeration. This means that repotting is needed or that akadama should be used in a mix with well-draining soil components. Akadama is a bit costly, so it is sometimes substituted with fired/baked clays that are more readily available at garden centers. Even kitty litter is sometimes used in lieu of akadama.

Pumice is a soft volcanic product that absorbs both water and nutrients well. Lava rock helps retain water and adds structure to the bonsai soil.

Organic potting compost may be peat moss, perlite, and sand. It doesn’t aerate or drain well and retains water but as a part of the soil mix it works. One of the more common options for organic compost for use in bonsai soil is pine bark because it breaks down slower than other types of compost; rapid breakdown can impede drainage.

Fine gravel or grit help with drainage and aeration and is used as the bottom layer of a bonsai pot. Some people do not use this anymore and just use a mix of akadama, pumice, and lava rock.

How to Make Bonsai Soil

The exact mix of bonsai soil is dependent on what type of tree species is being used. That said, here are guidelines for two types of soil, one for deciduous trees and one for conifers.

• For deciduous bonsai trees use 50% akadama, 25% pumice, and 25% lava rock.
• For conifers use 33% akadama, 33% pumice, and 33% lava rock.

Depending upon your region’s conditions, you may need to amend the soil differently. That is, if you do not check on the trees a couple of times a day, add more akadame or organic potting compost to the mix to increase water retention. If the climate in your area is wet, add more lava rock or grit to improve drainage.

Sift the dust from the akadama to improve aeration and drainage of the soil. Add the pumice to the mix. Then add the lava rock. If the lava rock is dusty, sift it as well prior to adding it to the mix.

If water absorption is important, add organic soil into the mix. This isn’t always necessary, however. Usually, the above mix of akadama, pumice, and lava rock is sufficient.

Sometimes, getting soil for bonsai just right takes a little trial and error. Start with the basic recipe and keep a close eye on the tree. If drainage or aeration needs improvement, re-amend the soil.

Dracaenas are a large family of plants prized for their ability to thrive indoors. While many gardeners are happy to just to keep their dracaenas as houseplants, it’s possible to make things much more interesting by training them as bonsai trees. Keep reading to learn more about how to train a dracaena as a bonsai.

How to Make a Dracaena Bonsai Tree

Dracaena marginata, commonly known as a Madagascar dragon tree or red-edged dracaena, is the species that’s most frequently trained as a bonsai. In the wild they can grow to 12 feet (4 m.) in height, but if kept in a small pot indoors, they should stay small. If you want to train a dracaena as a bonsai, start by laying the potted plant on its side in the bright sun. Over the course of several days, its branches should start to grow up toward the sunlight at a 90-degree angle from their previous growth. Once this process has begun, turn the container right side up again and rotate the plant every few days to encourage the branches to grow in whichever direction you wish. Light wire can also be used to tie branches together and train them into a desired shape. The way you go about dracaena bonsai pruning depends upon the shape you want your plant to achieve. Trim tall branches to achieve a low-growing look, or trim away lower leaves for a taller, swaying appearance.

Dracaena Bonsai Care

Dracaena plants do remarkably well in low light. After you have trained your plant into its desired shape, move it out of direct light. Not only will the plant prefer this, but it will slow its growth and help keep it a manageable size. Water your plant once a week or so, and keep humidity high by placing its container in a shallow dish of water and pebbles.

Bougainvillea might make you think of a wall of green vine with orange, purple, or red papery flowers, a vine too enormous and vigorous, perhaps, for your small garden. Meet bonsai bougainvillea plants, bite-sized versions of this mighty vine that you can keep in your living room. Can you make a bonsai out of bougainvillea? You can. Read on for info on how to make a bougainvillea bonsai and tips on bonsai bougainvillea care.

Bonsai Bougainvillea Tips

Bougainvilleas are tropical plants with brilliant bracts that look like petals. Their branches resemble vines, and you can prune them into a bonsai. Can you make a bonsai out of bougainvillea? It is not only possible, but also easy if you follow these bonsai bougainvillea tips. Bougainvillea bonsai plants are not actually different plants than bougainvillea vines. If you want to know how to make a bougainvillea bonsai, start with selecting an appropriate container with good drainage. It need not be very deep. Purchase a small bougainvillea plant in springtime. Take the plant from its container and brush soil off the roots. Prune off about one-third of the roots. Prepare a growing medium with equal parts potting soil, perlite, peat moss, and pine bark. Put this medium in the bottom one-third of the container. Position the bougainvillea in the center, then add soil and tamp it down firmly. Soil should stop an inch (2.5 cm.) below the container rim.

Bonsai Bougainvillea Care

Bonsai bougainvillea care is just as important as correct planting. Your bougainvillea bonsai plants require direct sunlight all day long in order to thrive. Always keep the plants in a location where the temperature is above 40 degrees F. (4 C.). Irrigation is a part of continuing bonsai bougainvillea care. Only water the plant when the top of the soil is dry to the touch. You’ll want to feed your bonsai bougainvillea regularly. Use a 12-10-10 every two weeks during the growing season and a 2-10-10 fertilizer during winter. Prune your bougainvillea bonsai plants every month during the growing season. Take off a little bit at a time to shape the plant and promote a center trunk. Never prune the plant while it is dormant.

A bonsai tree isn’t a genetic dwarf tree. It’s a full-size tree that is maintained in miniature by pruning. The idea behind this ancient art is to keep the trees very small but retain their natural shapes. If you think bonsai are always tiny trees with fragrant flowers, you aren’t alone. However, this is a misconception. You can also choose from a wide variety of fruit trees as bonsai. Do bonsai trees produce fruit? Yes, they do. If you decide to try to use fruit trees as bonsai, remember that they’ll require more maintenance than full-size fruit trees. Read on for some bonsai tree growing tips and information on the best fruit trees for bonsai.

Fruit Trees as Bonsai

You can plant an apple tree right in your backyard, but not a bonsai apple tree. Bonsai trees are grown in containers with a good root space and sufficient nutrients to flourish. Picking a container for bonsai fruit trees requires a measuring tape. Measure the diameter of the trunk level with the soil. That’s how deep your container should be. Now measure the height of the tree. Your container should be at least one-third as wide as the tree is tall. Be sure the container is made of untreated wood and has sufficient drainage holes. Fill it halfway up with a mixture of half potting soil and half peat compost. Alternatively, mix sand, bark pieces, and garden clay and blend well. Before you plant your bonsai, slice off one-third of its root ball with a saw and prune out any damaged branches. Then tuck its remaining roots into the soil in its new container, adding more soil and a decorative layer of pebbles.

Bonsai Fruit Tree Care

Here are a few more bonsai tree growing tips. You’ll need to water your tree twice each day, morning and evening. Place the container in a window that gets direct sunlight. Don’t put it anywhere near heat-producing appliances. You’ll do well to buy a bonsai tool kit to help shape your tree. Remove protruding limbs with the clippers. In order to train the limbs in particular directions, wrap small pieces of copper wire around them. For fragile branches, place rubber or foam between wire and limb.

Best Fruit Trees for Bonsai

Which fruit trees make good bonsai trees? Consider crabapple fruit trees as bonsai, particularly the cultivars ‘Calloway’ and ‘Harvest Gold.’ They delight with snowy blossoms in springtime and leaves that turn gold in autumn. Both offer edible fruit, red and yellow respectively. If you’d rather grow a tiny cherry tree, pick ‘Bright n Tight’ cultivar, an evergreen cherry. It offers fragrant, showy spring flowers that transform into black cherries. If you are thinking of using citrus fruit trees as bonsai, consider Meyer lemon trees or calamondin orange trees. The former bears full-size lemons on bonsais, while the latter offers fragrant blossoms and fruit all year long.

Ponytail bonsai plants are an interesting addition to any home décor and can be grown indoors or out (during the warm season). This lovely bonsai is native to Mexico. The ponytail palm bonsai tree is a great low-maintenance option for the bonsai enthusiast or even for those that are new to bonsai plants. Bonsai ponytail palms are unique and have a trunk that resembles an elephant's foot and cascading foliage. For this reason, this hardy plant is sometimes called “Elephants Foot.” The trunk is extremely practical and will hold enough water for four weeks.

Ponytail Palm Bonsai Care

Ponytail palm bonsai care does not differ much from that of any ponytail palm tree. This bonsai plant likes lots of sun but not for an extended amount of time. Some afternoon shade is best, especially if grown outdoors. Many people kill ponytail bonsai plants by overwatering. Careful attention to keeping the soil moist but not overly saturated will help to prevent this from happening. It is generally necessary to repot the ponytail palm bonsai tree once every three years.

How to Prune Ponytail Palm Bonsai Plants

Trimming ponytail palms can be done any time of the year but is best during the growing season of spring through early fall. Use clean and sharp bonsai shears to trim leaves on top of the plant. This will force the foliage to grow downward and resemble a ponytail. Remove any damaged leaves that may be brown or wilted. Be sure that you are sitting at eye level with the plant and take a break often to check your work so that you do not trim too much away. If cuts become brown or tattered looking after trimming ponytail palms, you can apply some pruning paint. This will encourage healing of your ponytail bonsai palms.

The potato bonsai “tree” idea started out as a tongue-in-cheek gag that has turned into a fun and interesting project for both adults and children. Potato bonsai growing can show kids how tubers grow and can help teach children the basics of the responsibility and patience required to grow plants.

How to Make a Potato Bonsai

For your bonsai potato project, you will need:

• a chitted (sprouting) potato
• pea gravel
• potting soil
• a shallow container, such as a margarine dish
• scissors

First, you need to make a potato bonsai container. Use the shallow container and drill or cut small holes in the bottom for drainage. If you would like, you can paint the container as well. Next, take a look at your sprouted potato. Right now the sprouts should be a pale color and have not formed themselves into leaves yet. The pale sprouts will become either roots or leaves, depending on the environment they are put into. Decide which side of the potato will grow into the best potato bonsai tree. Lay the potato into the container with the potato bonsai tree side up. Fill the container with potting soil about 1/4 of the way up the potato. Then use the pea gravel to fill the container up to the halfway mark on the potato. Add water to your bonsai potato container and place it in a sunny window.

Beginning Your Potato Bonsai Gardening

The leaves on your potato bonsai tree will start to appear in one to three weeks. A potato bonsai growing in warmer conditions will sprout leaves faster than ones growing in cooler conditions. Also, some sprouts will grow up from beneath the gravel line. These sprouts should be removed. Only keep the sprouts that grow from the part of the potato that appears above the soil. Water your potato bonsai once a week if it is growing indoors and once a day if it is growing outdoors. Once your potato bonsai tree has several leaves on the sprout, you can start pruning your potato bonsai. Shape the individual stems as though they were actual bonsai trees. Be sure to remind children not to trim too much off the plant. Go slowly. More can be taken off, but you can't put it back on if too much is taken off. If by chance a child does take too much off, not to worry. Potato bonsai gardening is a forgiving art form. Place the potato bonsai back into a sunny spot and it will regrow. Keep your potato bonsai watered and trimmed and it will last quite some time. As long as the potato is kept healthy and is not overwatered or underwatered you should not see any rot or decay.

The ancient practice of bonsai lifts pruning to an art form. The pruning techniques for bonsai not only reduce the size of the plant but strive to mimic the natural forms of the trees that grew in the mountainous, harsh regions where bonsai originated. One of these popular forms is the cascade bonsai. Keep reading to learn about creating a cascade bonsai.

Cascading Bonsais

Creating a cascade bonsai is intended to reflect the shape of a tree that has had a difficult time, yet perseveres. It is best to imagine a shape that was formed due to the crushing weight of heavy winter snows, land slides, or mud slides. These natural catastrophes will twist the tree downward in nature and so it is with a bonsai in the cascade form. The main trunk of a bonsai in a cascade form will bend downward, past the lip of its container and past its root line. The branches on the main trunk will reach both out and up, as though it were striving for the sun. In Japanese, a cascade bonsai form is called a kengai bonsai.

Creating a Cascade Bonsai

When creating natural looking cascading bonsais, it may help to practice these tips for shaping a cascade bonsai form.

• Trim away about half of the branches on the tree. Think carefully on which branches you wish to remove. It is best to remove any small or undersize branches that are growing from the trunk itself.
• When starting a cascade bonsai, you will need to add form wires to the plant. Wrap 75 percent of the trunk, starting at the base, in a protective covering such as raffia.
• Anchor a relatively thick wire near the base of the trunk and carefully wrap it up the trunk. Be careful not to wrap it too tightly as this may damage the trunk as it grows.
• Once the wire is around the trunk, you can wrap the wire and trunk over with raffia to help keep the wire from moving.
• Now we need to bend the trunk of your cascade bonsai. Think carefully on how you want your bonsai to look. Remember, you are striving to mimic nature, not create a modern art piece. Imagine a tree heavily pushed down by snows over the edge of a cliff. The top of the tree will come down below the bottom of the tree when bent in the right shape. Once you have that shape in mind, grasp the base with one hand and bend the trunk to this shape with the other.
• Now you can wire the branches. Use a smaller gauge wire on the branches and, again, don't wrap the branches too tightly. Trim away any branches that face directly to the side of the container. The other branches should be bent out horizontally from the main trunk.

Continue to make minor adjustments to the branches of your cascade bonsai as the branches fill out. Eventually, you will be able to remove the wires and your tree will reflect that persevering force of nature even in the face of adversity.

Cascade Bonsai Plants

The following trees make excellent cascading bonsais:

• Chinese Juniper
• Green Mound Juniper
• Japanese Black Pine
• Japanese Garden Juniper
• Japanese White Pine
• Mountain Pine
• Needle Juniper
• Scotch Pine

While these are some of the more popular trees for creating a cascade bonsai, they aren't the only ones. Any pine or juniper does well for this style of bonsai. Other trees can be used for this style as well, as long as they do not grow vigorously upwards.

It isn't uncommon for one's first steps in bonsai to meet with less than ideal results. The usual scenario is as follows: You receive a bonsai as a gift for Christmas or for your birthday. You love it and want it to care for it well and keep it growing strong. However, despite your best efforts, it begins to yellow and/or the leaves begin to fall off, and pretty soon all you have is a dead plant in a pot. Here is a bit of information that may help you avoid this scenario, or in the least, help you to make a more successful second attempt.

What Species is Your Tree?

The first thing you need to know in order to discover its care requirements is to find out what species of tree or shrub you have in that pot. There are a few species that are commonly sold as gifts for first-timers. They include: Green Mound juniper - Green Mound juniper (Juniperus procumbens 'Nana'), also known as Procumbens juniper and Japanese juniper. A fair choice for beginners. Grow outdoors only. Chinese elm - Chinese elm (Ulmus parvifolia), also known as Chinese Zelkova or Zelkova. A very good choice for beginners. The name 'Zelkova' is a misnomer, as the 'Zelkova serrata' is a different species with different care requirements. Grow outdoors. Japanese maple - Japanese maple (Acer palmatum) is a good choice for beginners. Grow outdoors only. Serissa - Serissa (Serissa foetida) also known as Tree of a Thousand Stars and Snow Rose. A poor choice for beginners but commonly sold as a beginner's tree. Grow outdoors in summer and keep from cold in winter. Ficus - Ficus trees (Ficus benjamina, Ficus nerifolia, Ficus retusa, etc...), also known as Banyan and Willow Leaf fig. A good choice for beginners. Grow outdoors in warm months and keep from cold in winter.

Basic Caveats

There are some basic do's and don'ts for bonsai that can go a long way toward helping you to keep your new treasure alive:

Don't start by growing bonsai indoors

Yes, your new bonsai will look very nice there on the kitchen window sill or on the coffee table (a bad location), but bonsai are trees, and trees are outdoor plants. Unless your bonsai is a Serissa (a poor choice) or a Ficus, keep them outside as much as possible. There are a few more species for bonsai that will tolerate indoor cultivation, but none of them really thrive indoors and all will have more pest problems there. Most will simply die. Leave indoor bonsai cultivation alone until you have put in a few years of study and successful growing outdoors.

Don't over-water your bonsai

Over-watering is responsible for more bonsai deaths than any other factor. The soil should be allowed to dry out a bit between waterings. A basic rule is to let the soil get somewhat dry halfway into the depth of the pot before you water again. When you do water, water thoroughly -- two or three times to fully soak the soil.

Don't leave the glued rocks on the surface of the soil

Many of the bonsai plants found at places other than real bonsai nurseries are sold with the soil covered by a hard layer of glued pebbles. Remove this as soon as you can! This layer will prevent water from reaching your soil and will kill your tree. You can remove it by submerging the pot in water for 30 minutes or so and then using either your fingers or pliers to remove the now soft layer of pebbles. Bonsai sold with these glued together pebbles are often of very low quality and health and may die anyway because of the fact that most have few or no roots.

Do leave your bonsai out in the cold of winter*

Unless your tree is tropical, it needs a winter's sleep in the cold. Deciduous trees, like maples and elms, will drop their leaves and may look dead, but if kept properly, will sprout out with a beautiful new flush of leaves in the spring. Conifers, like juniper and pine, also need this cold rest. Don't feel that you have to bring them inside for the winter or you will likely lose them. Most merely require that you protect them from sub 20 degrees F. (-6 C.) temps and drying winds. Read up on the care requirements for your tree's species so that you know just how to handle winter with your bonsai. *Tropicals DO need to be protected from temps below 55 and 60 degrees F. (10-15 C.) and you may need to set up special quarters for them to keep them at the right temperature and humidity level indoors during the cold months.

Feed only in the growing season

Like all plants, bonsai need fertilizer to stay healthy. You should only fertilize bonsai, however, during the growing season and not during winter or late fall. The basic time for feeding is from late spring through early fall. There are many kinds of fertilizer and many different schedules to follow, but a basic regimen can be to use a balanced (10-10-10 or something similar) plant food (follow the dosage directions on the package) once a month during the warm seasons. Know that over-feeding will result in a dead bonsai.

Buy your next bonsai from a bonsai nursery

...and not from a mall kiosk or roadside vendor. Make a point to purchase bonsai only from someone who will be there next month and next year and who can offer you care advice, and from whom you can purchase other supplies. The quality and health of the trees from these places will usually be far better than those from "bonsai stands" or fly-by-night vendors.

Bonsai are nothing more than ordinary trees grown in special containers. These are trained to remain small, mimicking larger versions in nature. The word bonsai comes from the Chinese words 'pun sai,' meaning 'tree in a pot.' Keep reading to learn more about the various bonsai pruning methods and how to start a bonsai tree.

Bonsai Basics

Although it can be done (by experts), it is more difficult to cultivate bonsai trees indoors. Bonsai can be accomplished by growing seeds, cuttings, or young trees. Bonsai can also be made with shrubs and vines. They range in height, from a couple inches (5 cm.) to 3 feet (1 m.) and are trained in various ways by careful pruning of the branches and roots, occasional repotting, pinching of new growth, and by wiring both the branches and trunk into the desired shape. When styling bonsai trees, you should look carefully at the tree's natural characteristics for help in choosing suitable bonsai pruning methods. Also, depending on the style, an appropriate pot must be selected, keeping in mind that most bonsai are positioned off-center. Bonsai must to be pruned in order to keep them small. In addition, without root pruning, bonsai become pot-bound. Bonsai also need annual or bi-annual repotting. Just as with any plant, bonsai trees require moisture to survive. Therefore, bonsais should be checked on a daily basis to determine whether they require watering.

Bonsai Pruning Methods

Bonsai styles vary but often consist of formal upright, informal upright, slanting, broom form, windswept, cascade, semi-cascade, and twin trunk.

Formal Upright, Informal Upright, and Slanting Styles

With formal upright, informal upright, and slanting styles, the number three is significant. Branches are grouped in threes, a third of the way up the trunk and trained to grow to a third of the tree's total height.

• Formal upright - With formal upright, the tree should be evenly spaced when viewed on all sides. Normally a third of the trunk, which is completely straight and upright, should display an even taper and placement of the branches generally forms a pattern. Branches do not face the front until the top third of the tree, and are horizontal or slightly drooping. Juniper, spruce, and pine are suitable for this bonsai style.
• Informal upright - Informal upright shares the same basic bonsai pruning methods as formal upright, however, the trunk is slightly bent to the right or left and branch positioning is more informal. It is also the most common and can be used for most species, including Japanese maple, beech, and various conifers.
• Slanting - With the slanting bonsai style, the trunk usually curves or twists, angled to the right or left, and the branches are trained to balance this effect. Slanting is achieved by wiring the trunk into position or forced this way by placing it into the pot at an angle. An important feature of slanting is that its roots appear to anchor the tree to prevent falling. Conifers work well with this style.

Broom Form and Windswept

• Broom form - The broom form mimics deciduous tree growth in nature and can be formal (which resembles an upturned Japanese broom) or informal. The broom form is not suitable for coniferous.
• Windswept - Windswept bonsai is styled with all of its branches to one side of the trunk, as if windblown.

Cascade, Semi-Cascade, and Twin-Trunk Form

Unlike other bonsai styles, both cascade and semi-cascade are positioned in the center of the pot. As with slanting forms, the roots should appear to anchor the tree in place.

• Cascade bonsai - In the cascading bonsai style, the growing tip reaches below the base of the pot. The trunk retains a natural taper while the branches appear to be seeking light. To create this style, a tall, narrow bonsai pot is required as well as a tree that is well adapted to this type of training. The trunk should be wired to spill over the edge of the pot with emphasis on keeping the branches even, but horizontal.
• Semi-cascade - Semi-cascade is basically the same as cascade, however, the tree shoots over the pot's rim without reaching below its base. Many species are suitable for this, such as juniper and weeping cherry.
• Twin-trunk form - In the twin-trunk form, two upright trunks emerge on the same roots, dividing into two separate trunks. Both trunks should share similar shapes and characteristics, however, one trunk should be noticeably taller than the other, with branches on both trunks creating a triangular shape.

Now that you know some of the bonsai basics and popular bonsai pruning methods, you are well on your way in learning how to start a bonsai tree for your home.

Traditional bonsai are outdoor plants from certain climatic zones trained to be indoors. These are woody plants from the Mediterranean region, the subtropics, and the tropics. They are regarded as regular pot plants and do quite well in our homes. Let's take a look at the basic care of bonsais.

Information on Bonsai Care

The basic care of bonsais doesn't differ much from their larger relatives with regard to temperature, light requirements, humidity, and rest periods. However, they do require a little assistance to keep up their overall health. First, use a special potting mix, a watering can with a fine nozzle, and a fertilizer specific to bonsai trees. Remember that bonsai grow best in little soil that is slightly mounded. Make sure not to blow off the dry soil when you water. Remember too, that in a limited space, the nutrients are taken out of the soil quicker, so you have to fertilize bonsai trees more often. Always use weak doses and never put the fertilizer on dry soil. For more bonsai tree info, including how to perform bonsai pruning methods, check out the following article on bonsai basics.