A Living Piece Of Artwork – The Bonsai Tree

Bonsai trees are miniatures made to look like fully mature trees. Various techniques are used to shape the tree and keep them small. They are usually planted in containers and are included in both indoor and outdoor displays. These delicate trees are only grown for their beauty.

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.

Bonsais are formed from shrubs or trees that have wood-like stems and are a perennial. Those plants that have small leaves or needles and grow small are perfect specimens and most can be found at the local garden center. Find shrubs that have branches growing close to the bottom of the truck near the soil line. Gnarled or textured wood is most preferred.

Perfect specimens include most types of juniper, small statured pines, hemlock and some cedars. Japanese White Pine grows slowly making it a great choice. Trident Maple is a deciduous tree that grows small and can be formed easily. Chinese Quince has been used for centuries and lives the longest and is most durable. Many other shrubs can be used such as rosemary, lavender, and hydrangea.

Many techniques are used to produce a bonsai. Removal of leaves or needles is necessary to make the specimen look like a tree. A common practice is to remove all leaves and stems below all branches and keep the ones that grow above. Pruning of branches is also necessary. The top of the plant may be removed to make it smaller and some branches within the tree structure are removed to make it pleasing to the eye.

Wire is wrapped around branches to shape them into artistic forms. Aluminum wire is used but copper is the best because the color blends in with the bark of the branches. Deciduous specimens can have the wire removed in about six to nine months while evergreens take several 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.

Special tools are needed to trim the bonsai. Regular sized tools are too bulky and large so bonsai tools are small and very sharp. Leaf trimmers, a small rake and brush, plant shears and wire cutters are all needed.

Containers are very important because this will encase the roots of the tree. Ceramic pots are traditional and can be glazed or unglazed. All containers must have large holes that are covered with screen before the soil is placed in so it cannot escape.

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.