Bonsai trees are small versions of fully grown trees. Growing bonsai employs several methods of pruning and shaping that keeps the plant undersized and graceful. Bonsai are planted in pots and used both inside and out. They are grown for one reason; their artful elegance.
The practice of creating bonsai trees started in China with specimens that resembled animals, birds and mythical creatures. The Japanese are most known for bonsai culture. They took the idea from the Chinese around AD 1195 and took it to new heights. Buddhist monks began to cultivate them through the practice of Zen. Soon wealthy families all had their own collections and a gardener who worked primarily on the bonsai trees. Bonsais were introduced to the world at the Paris World Expedition in 1900 and are found all over the world today.
Plants that are used for bonsai are perennials that normally have woody stems and include small trees and shrubs. The criteria for the plant is that they have short needles or smaller leaves. Many times specimens can be found at the local garden center. The branches have to grow low on the trunk of the plant, grow slowly and textured wood brings more interest to the specimen.
Shrubs and trees that are good for making bonsai are junipers, pines that stay small, hemlock and a few types of cedar. An evergreen that grows slow and therefore good for making bonsai is the Japanese White Pine. A deciduous tree that works well is the Trident Maple. The type of shrub most used is the Chinese Quince and that is because it is very robust and lives a long life. Rosemary, hydrangea and lavender can be used for some smaller bonsai.
Several techniques can be used to make a bonsai tree. Sometimes branches are removed entirely or clipped back and leaves are removed. In many cases stems that appear on the top of a branch are left to grow while the ones on the bottom are clipped off. Pruning off the entire upper part of a plant may be necessary to make the specimen smaller.
Branches are shaped and formed by wrapping them with wire. Aluminum wire can be used but copper blends in with the color of the tree and is not so noticeable. A deciduous bonsai can have the wire taken off in about six to nine months and evergreen specimens have to wait almost two years.
Care of a bonsai is intense. Because it is grown in a pot it must be monitored closely. It must be watered frequently but too much water can cause it to rot. Bonsais must be repotted when they become root bound. A water-soluble fertilizer must be used to give it the nutrients it would normally get from the earth.
Regular garden tools are not adequate for bonsai. They are usually to large and hard to handle with such a delicate specimen. Needed are leaf trimmers, wire cutters, cutting shears and a small rack and brush.
The choice of containers is extremely significant. Use glazed or unglazed ceramic pots just as the ancients did. The container must have holes for water to drain in the bottom that are blocked by screen to keep planting medium in.
Make bonsai from shrubs or purchase one that is already started. True bonsai are designed to last for centuries and be passed from one generation to another. They are very difficult to cultivate and take a great deal of time, but are worth all the trouble just because they are so beautiful.
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