I have been fascinated with Bonsai plants for years, probably because of my love for nature and especially trees.
The word bonsai literally means pot and plant, but any plant
in a pot is definitely not a bonsai.
The Chinese first started bonsai
almost 2000 years ago but the Japanese turned it into the art form that it is
today.
The basic idea of bonsai is to
create the illusion of a full size tree but on a miniature scale. You do this
in many ways and this is where the artistic part comes in.
The process begins by selecting
the appropriate plant. Almost any plant can be turned into a bonsai but some
plants just lend themselves better to the process if they have a good
structure.
Selectively removing branches to
reveal the trunk of the tree is the beginning. When you see a full size tree
growing naturally, the trunk is widest at the bottom and then gradually becomes
narrower until you reach the top. The branches also are thickest at the bottom
and become thinner. That is the trick to creating a realistic bonsai tree.
You can turn almost any plant
into a bonsai but the common misconception is that you keep them all indoors.
The tree on the left is a Jaboticaba from Brazil so definitely a tropical
plant. It lives in my kitchen most of the year.
Other bonsai are still real
outdoor trees that need the winter to complete their yearly growing cycle.
Ideally you keep them in an unheated garage during the winter but if you are
like me and don’t have a garage, there are many other ways to keep them cold
yet protected. The tree grouping on the right is a Juniper and small versions
are commonly available in many different types of stores but people think they
are a house plant and then wonder why they die. I wish this grouping of
Junipers was mine but this photo was from a bonsai show I attended last year.
I am no expert as it takes years
to learn about this art. It also teaches you patients as many trees take years
to achieve the desired shape and style. It is best to start with inexpensive
plants as there are bound to be some casualties. A schiffalara is easy to grow
and is a fairly easy to find house plant.
I will be posting some of my
outdoor trees when they come out of hibernation.
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