I remember the first bonsai plant I had in college. It was a birthday gift from a friend. Unfortunately I didn’t know too much about bonsai and the plant did not survive.

Fast forward to today, and I have many bonsai trees and plants. I enjoy sharing information and resources here. Let’s talk a little about bonsai. Whenever you decide to choose your first bonsai, you’ll find there are many, many varieties from which to choose. In fact, with patience and care you can train almost any plant or tree with a trunk and branches to become a bonsai.

For many of us, the tropical bonsai is our first choice. But be careful, because the plants are tropical in nature, they are somewhat temperamental and very picky about their environment. But if you can balance that with the stunning flowers of the azalea, bougainvillea, and fuchsia, they are well worth the effort.

Other bonsai are less temperamental in nature. These are plants like the elm, birch, or one of the evergreen varieties. These plants like cooler temperatures and don’t require as much sunlight.

Before you fall in love with the look of a bonsai plant, think about where you will place it. A tropical bonsai plant will love the direct sunlight of being on a window sill, but it won’t enjoy the cold temperatures of New England winter days.

The evergreen bonsai plants, depending on the variety, can winter inside and go outside once the temperature is above freezing. Evergreens can actually ‘sunburn’ so you need to be careful where they are placed, both inside and out. Place evergreen bonsai in a location where they can receive indirect or shaded sunlight. This will minimize the chances of the evergreen bonsai dying in the heat or from being sunburned.

Take some time to study how to prune your plant. Pruning is essential to keep the bonsai plant’s appearance as a miniature version of a fully grown tree. Some bonsai plant growers suggest starting with the tropical azalea bonsai as it can be quite forgiving when pruned.

The important thing to remember with bonsai plants is to enjoy them. These miniature trees and plants are definitely a hobby you can enjoy today and for many years to come. I look forward to hearing and seeing your first bonsai tree pictures. Please let me know what types of bonsai you enjoy growing.

I am going to take a vacation until next year.  I wish all of you a safe and enjoyable holiday.  See you next year.

Here are my final Holiday Gift Suggestions for your Bonsai Lover.

Juniper Bonsai Tree-Small (Juniper Procumbens “nana”) This dwarf Juniper from Japan is the most popular evergreen in the U.S. When we think of a traditional bonsai and what it should look like, we think of a “Juniper Procumbens Nana.” This impressive trouble-free evergreen is an excellent tree for the beginner.

Blue Moss Cypress Bonsai Tree-Medium Chamecyparis “glauca minima”) Very attractive feathery blue foliage. Develops a nice trunk and forms natural broom style. May be shaped into pom-poms or tradition style if desired. Does well in a cool window during the winter. Imported from Japan. Easy care.

Chinese Elm Bonsai Tree-Extra Large (Ulmus Parvifolia) Has small evergreen leaves. Hardy with excellent branching characteristics. Has a twisted trunk and some exposed roots which give the appearance of great age. Deciduous – keep outdoors.

Bonsai Tools – Entire Set Set Includes 6 Tools Set Includes 6 ToolsA. – Satsuki Shears #1068.Made in China. Long narrow body which is great for trimming buds and reaching deep with minimum disturbance to the surrounding foliage. It’s finger rings are also well suited for smaller hands. 3/4″ blades, 7″ overall. $14.95 each. Buy separately. B. – Concave Branch Cutter #1070. (Beginner) This razor sharp tool is designed for cutting branches flush to the trunk. The resulting wound can then heal over quickly with very little scarring. Will keep a sharp edge indefinitely when properly used and cared for. The Concave Cutter is the single most important tool for bonsai use and for which there is no substitute. The 8″ version is considered the basic size. 8″ overall. Similar in appearance to above. Made in China. $23.95 each. Buy separately. C. – Bonsai Wire Cutters #1071. Made in China. These wire cutters are designed specifically for removing bonsai wire. Although enthusiasts new to bonsai sometimes substitute standard wire cutters, these are designed with a rounded head to prevent damage to the trunk and branches when removing wires. The jaws of the cutters cut the wire symmetrically and cleanly. Highly recommended for bonsai enthusiast. 7-3/4″ overall. $19.95 each. Buy separately. D. – Shears #1073. (Beginner) Made in China. Similar in appearance to above $19.95 each. Buy separately. E. – Spherical Knob Cutter #1445. Made in China. Designed to remove trunk knobs and roots. The head is shaped like a ball, hence the name “spherical.” It produces a hollow, circular cut that heals quickly with a minimum of scarring. 7″ long. $16.95. Buy separately. F. – Single Point Root Rake #1075 Used to separate small and medium sized capillary roots during transplanting and repotting. Has a single steel prong. Simple, yet a necessary tool for bonsai enthusiasts. Made in Japan. 8″ overall. $16.95 each. Buy separately.

I could give you all sorts of ideas for Bonsai Lovers Gifts.  But I will limit myself both today and Friday.  So here are some books you can consider for holiday gifts.

Here are some Bonsai terms you will need to know.  This list is continued from earlier posts.

61. Potassium – the third essential element of plant nutrition; identified by the chemical symbol K; it encourages strong new growth, development of flower buds and fruit formation.
62. Pot-bound – the adverse state of a container grown plant where the root growth has filled the container to the extent of eliminating all vital air spaces.
63. Prostrate – the characteristic growth habit of a plant that naturally tends to grow along the ground instead of upright.
64. Pruning – the process of controlling the shape and growth rate of a tree by cutting back the shoots, stems and branches.
65. Raceme – a type of elongated flower that is composed of individual stalks all growing from a central stem; ex. Flower type found on wisteria trees.
66. Ramification – the dense branching structure of a bonsai that only develops after years of repeated pruning of the branches.
67. Repotting – the practice of replanting a bonsai tree at regular intervals to perform health maintaining tasks such as: root washing, inspecting, pruning, soil refreshing, and potting in a different or larger pot; all imperative to the health of a bonsai.
68. Rootball – the large mass of roots and soil visible when a tree is taken out of its pot or pulled from the ground.
69. Root pruning – the practice of cutting back the roots of bonsai in order to make room in the container for fresh soil and to encourage new root growth.
70. Rootstock – is the root system and main stem to be used as the base of a new tree when propagating through grafting.
71. Scion – is a small section of a tree, which contains all of the desirable characteristics of the parent tree that will be propagated into a new tree through grafting on top of the rootstock.
72. Shakan – a traditional Japanese bonsai style; also called slanting. Where the trees’ trunk, appears similar to the formal upright style, but the trunk is slanting to one side.
73. Shari – an area where the bark and cambium have been removed from the trunk to suggest the struggle against fierce weather such as: wind, lightning, snow and ice.
74. Species – the unit of classification for a plant with identifiable characteristics.
75. Suiseki – stones that appear to look like large boulders or mountains and represent the spirit or essence of each; sometime used in a formal bonsai display.
76. Taproot – the large root of a tree that grows vertically downward, anchoring it into the ground; it is usually referred to in bonsai, because of its need to be pruned shorter or removed for container cultivation.
77. Tokonoma – a Japanese tradition of creating a specific area in the home where bonsai, accessory plants, Suiseki, and scrolls are displayed together in harmony.
78. Wound sealant – a number of compounds formulated to seal cuts made on branches or the trunk of bonsai to prevent the loss of moisture and promote heeling.
79. Yamadori – trees collected from the wild, which have been shaped by nature alone and have been collected to be developed into bonsai.
80. Yose-ue – a traditional Japanese bonsai style; also called a group or forest. Where the trees are arranged in a container to resemble a group or forest of trees.

I found these definitions at Bonsai Boy of NY
Just Max

These are some Bonsai terms you need to know.  This list is continued from the last post.

41. Ishitsuki – a traditional Japanese bonsai style; also called root over rock. Where the tree has its roots arranged so they have grown over and in the crevices of a rock.
42. Jin – is a branch, which has been stripped of its bark and cambium to represent a dead branch; illustrating great age or harsh conditions.
43. Juvenile foliage – the young leaves of a tree that produces two distinct shapes of leaves; the second type being mature foliage.
44. Kabudachi – a traditional Japanese bonsai style; also called clump. Where the trees’ trunks all grow from the same point on the root mass and are more crowded in appearance than a regular group planting.
45. Kengai – a traditional Japanese bonsai style; also called cascade. Where the branches and trunk of the tree are swept to one side and hang below the container; illustrating a tree on the edge of a mountain cliff subjected to fierce winds.
46. Leader – the main shoot at the top of a tree, usually indicating the uppermost continuation of the trunk.
47. Lime Sulpher – a chemical used to whiten or bleach a section of stripped branch or trunk in order to preserve a jin or shari.
48. Loam – a soil mixture comprised of clay, sand and organic matter.
49. Mame – a term used in size classification of bonsai trees; this being a small bonsai.
50. Moyogi – a traditional Japanese bonsai style; also called informal upright. Where the trunk curves through its taper up to the apex.
51. Nebari – the exposed surface roots of a bonsai.
52. Needle – a type of leaf that is narrow and usually of a stiff texture, like those found on a black pine tree.
53. New wood – a stem or twig on a bonsai that originated during the current season’s growth.
54. Nitrogen – an essential element of plant nutrition; identified by the chemical symbol N; aids in growth of stems and leaves.
55. Node – the point on a trunk or branch where the leaf buds emerge.
56. Old wood – a stem or twig on a bonsai that originated during the previous season’s growth or at an earlier time.
57. Peat – partly decomposed organic matter; when it is used as an ingredient of potting soil it assists in moisture retention.
58. Perlite – a form of volcanic rock that is heat treated to develop a lightweight, coarse granule that when used as a component of potting soil has advantageous ventilation and water retention properties.
59. Phosphorous – another essential element of plant nutrition; identified by the chemical symbol P; aids in development of roots, ripening of fruits and seeds.
60. Pinching – is a technique used in bonsai cultivation of controlling and shaping the growth of foliage by pulling off soft new shoots with the finger and thumb in a pinching motion.

I found this list at Bonsai Boy of NY
Just Max

Here are some Bonsai terms you will need to know.  This list is continued from the last post.

21. Dieback – the death of the tips of branches, or whole branches, due to extreme weather or possibly one of several diseases.
22. Divided leaf – a leaf formed of separate sections that emerge from a common base.
23. Division – a method of propagating shrubs by carefully dividing the root ball and replanting the separated sections.
24. Dormant – the period of the year when little or no growth occurs; usually late autumn and throughout the winter months.
25. Dwarf – a variety or cultivar that is smaller than the species tree, but retains all of the characteristics of a full size species tree.
26. Evergreen – a tree or shrub that retains its leaves throughout the year.
27. Fertilizer – is “food” for trees, shrubs and plants; usually comprised of NPK: Nitrogen for the foliage, Phosphorous for the roots, and Potassium for the flowers.
28. Foliage pad – a mass of foliage on a branch; sometimes referred to as a cloud.
29. Fruit – the part of a plant that carries the seeds; usually berries or fleshy or pod like.
30. Fukinagashi – a traditional Japanese bonsai style; also called windswept. This is a tree that has its trunk and branches swept back in one direction; illustrating a tree exposed to very forceful winds.
31. Genus – a unit of classification for a group of closely related plants.
32. Germination – the moment a seed starts into growth, developing roots and shoots.
33. Girth – the circumference of the trunk of a tree, measured at just above the root base.
34. Grafting – is a commonly used method for propagating trees, when propagation by seeds or cuttings is impractical or impossible.
35. Han-Kengai – a traditional Japanese bonsai style; also called semi-cascade. Where the branches and trunk of a tree are swept down to one side, but not below the top lip of the container; illustrating a tree subject to violent winds and weather.
36. Hardy – a term used to describe trees capable a withstanding winter frost.
37. Hokidachi – a traditional Japanese bonsai style; also called broom. Where the trunk is straight with symmetrical branches and has its foliage arranged in a semi-circular dome or broom shape.
38. Humidity – the amount or degree of moisture in the air.
39. Internodal distance – the length of stem between two nodes or leaf joints.
40. Ikadabuki – a traditional Japanese bonsai style; also called raft. Where the tree is laid on its side and its branches are trained vertically and arranged in a group formation.

I found these terms at Bonsai Boy of NY

Just Max

Here are some Bonsai Terms you will need to know.

1. Accent Plant – a small plant that is put on view in conjunction with a bonsai; usually when a bonsai is being formally displayed at a show or exhibition; also called a companion plant.
2. Air Layer – a method for propagating trees through the removal of a large branch or section of trunk from an existing tree, or bonsai, to create a new tree.
3. Akadama – a traditional Japanese bonsai soil that is comprised of the red volcanic matter of Japan; used for thousands of years by bonsai artists on most types of deciduous bonsai trees.
4. Apex – the very top or highest point of a bonsai tree.
5. Back budding – a process of encouraging new growth on a branch where growth is currently non-existent.
6. Broadleaved – trees, mainly deciduous, with broad, flat leaves; non-conifer trees.
7. Bunjin – a traditional Japanese bonsai style; also called literati. This is a tree that has a tall, slender trunk with foliage growing only near the top; illustrating maturity and the casting off of material things.
8. Buttress – the area of a tree trunk where the roots meet the soil surface; usually styled to convey strength.
9. Callus – the scar tissue that forms over a wound where a branch has been pruned off of a tree; it is part of the tree’s healing process.
10. Cambium – the thin layer of green colored cell tissue growing between the bark and the wood of a living tree.
11. Canopy – all of the upper-most branches that form the top of a tree.
12. Chokkan – a traditional Japanese bonsai style; also called a formal upright. This is a tree that has a very straight trunk with symmetrical branching; illustrating strength and order.
13. Collected tree – finding and taking a tree from its natural habitat; a tree that has been shaped by the forces of nature alone.
14. Conifer – a tree that bears cones; mainly evergreen trees such as: pines, cedars, spruces and junipers.
15. Cross – a hybrid resulting from cross-fertilization between species or varieties.
16. Crown – the upper section of a bonsai where the branches spread out from the trunk.
17. Cultivars – cultivars are plants that have features desirable to the person “cultivating” them. These desirable characteristics have been deliberately selected and can be reliably reproduced in plants under controlled cultivation.
18. Cut-leaved – a bonsai that has leaves which are shaped in very distinct segments.
19. Deciduous – a tree that has a seasonal growth cycle where new foliage is produced in the spring, then grows throughout the summer, turns colors in autumn, and drops in the winter, leaving buds on the branches for next spring’s new foliage.
20. Defoliation – the practice of removing all leaves to encourage new shoots and potentially smaller leaves.

I found these and more at Bonsai Boy of NY

Just Max

If you want to grow bonsai tree then you need to choose a bonsai pot carefully.  After all your Bonsai Tree will be living in the pot for a long time.  There are many different pots to choose from today.

There are factors that you need to consider when buying a bonsai pot.  The pot you select should have sufficient drainage holes plus small holes you can insert wire to secure the tree when you are repotting.

Another factor to consider is the bonsai pot color.  You can choose colors that complement the tree.  It is important to match the color of the pot and the flower of the tree if it flowers.

Bonsai trees have different designs (styles) and convey different messages. The pots should deliver and enhance the messages.   Because there are so many different shapes, you can find a shape the compliments the style of your tree.

The generic rule to choose bonsai pot is that the width of the pot should be at least the half of the span of the trees and the depth should be half of the height of the trees. This guideline will help you choose a suitable bonsai pot.

Just Max

The Brooklyn Botanic Garden just  released its newest Region Guide -  Growing Bonsai Indoors.  This is a comprehensive introduction to tropical, subtropical bonsai growing indoors year-round.

Growing Bonsai Indoors featuring the basics of indoor bonsai care, portraits of 24 great trees for growing indoors and essential pruning techniques plus more. The handy guide is tailored to the needs of first-time bonsai owners and explains step-by-step how to make bonsai flourish inside the average home. Readers will also find a thorough overview of the most common bonsai styles along with advice on styling from renowned experts.

This book would make a great gift and you could also add a starter Bonsai kit.

Starter Kit Make Your Own Bonsai Tree Make your own Bonsai Tree. Everything you need to create your own bonsai tree. Kit includes the following: Glazed ceramic imported container Juniper Procumbens Nana (3 years old) Annealed copper training wire Bonsai tree soil (conifer mix) Fiberglass drainage hole covers Multi-colored textured rock Separate typewritten instructions for potting, training and maintenance Ceramic miniature figurine humidity/drip tray Plastic plant marker

Just Max