Japanese black pines (pinus thunbergii) are among the most sought after of all pine species for development into bonsai. This two-needle variety of pine is an extremely vigorous grower which actually seems to thrive on container cultivation. Beyond the many and varied...

Light Requirements Pines in general and Japanese Black Pine in particular are sun loving trees. They should be given full exposure to as much sun as possible each day. Black Pines not only tolerate lots of sun, they actually thrive on it. This has the advantage of...

A Question Of Relativity Figurines used in conjunction with bonsai plantings. Are they a valid and effective enhancement to the creation or are they a pollution of the artistic precepts upon which bonsai is based? One thing is certain. In the west at least, the...

How To Prepare A Bonsai For Exhibition One of the best parts about becoming involved in bonsai is having the opportunity to show our trees to others. Indeed, growing bonsai might not be nearly as fulfilling if we did not have the opportunity to see how others react...

Bonsai Display A Western Viewpoint   The proper techniques for arranging bonsai for public viewing is almost an art unto itself. Indeed, If the artist’s objectives are to adhere to the formal rules governing traditional Japanese display techniques (known as...

All living things require a rest period. For humans its eight hours of sleep per day. For trees, including bonsai, its wintertime. This resting period is called “dormancy” and refers to that time frame in which the tree’s growth either slows down greatly or comes to a...

The world of bonsai is not immune to insect attack. The same critters that will eat your tomatoes and your zucchini will also eat your bonsai. Insects, like death and taxes, are a fact of life and at some point you are going to have to deal with them. Depending upon...

Bonsai Watering Technique The single most difficult thing to learn in bonsai is proper watering technique. Most beginners are usually so afraid of letting their tree dry out that they wind up drowning it. If you have read the preceding chapter on soil composition, you...

Proper Fertilization Techniques For Bonsai A proper program of fertilization is important for the cultivation of all types of plants, but is of particular importance when growing bonsai. There are two reasons for this. First, bonsai are grown in containers. This means...

Wire & Its Use In Bonsai Wire is placed on the trunk and branches of bonsai for one purpose... to assist in making branches and trunks bend to the desired location. Like a hammer or a screwdriver, wire is a tool designed to accomplish a specific task in the most...

Artistic Considerations Selecting an appropriate container for bonsai involves the same thought and careful consideration as the selection of the frame for a painting. In both cases the decisions made can enhance or detract from the final impact the work will have on...

The preparation of a workable potting mixture in which to grow bonsai is certainly not the most exciting or interesting aspect of the art, but it is just as certainly one of the most critical. Because the growing space in a bonsai container is limited, it is important...

Home Grown Or Imported? It is not necessary to own a spiffy assortment of Japanese tools in order to create bonsai.... but it certainly does make the work easier and even a bit more fun. Most bonsai tools are imported from Asia... usually Japan. Despite their exotic...

Almost any plant material that grows anywhere in the world can be trained as bonsai. Practically speaking, however, some varieties work a lot better than others. You will find a partial listing of plant materials suitable for bonsai elsewhere in this publication....

Applying Rules Where None Exist Fundamental Bonsai Design It is almost impossible to formulate a list of rules for the construction of a bonsai. In art, rules are meant to be broken and sometimes bonsai which break all the rules are the most dramatic. Perhaps the word...

What separates good bonsai from bad bonsai and what are the elements which every bonsai artist tries to replicate in their artistic creation? Understanding the goals of bonsai can help. The objective is not to produce miniature copies of ancient forest giants, but to...

Why is my bonsai dying? The expression "A little knowledge is a dangerous thing," applies here. It's not difficult to grow a bonsai, but it requires that you understand some of the fundamentals. It's like buying a tank full of tropical fish. You need to understand how...

Beginner Basics: Creating A Bonsai For The First Time This step-by-step pictorial is designed to guide beginners through the mechanical process of cutting, shaping and transplanting fairly simple bonsai material for the first time. It makes the assumption that the...

Below is a general guide to size classifications and some of the names given to them. Usually size is taken as a vertical measurement of the tree, excluding the pot. Shito Bonsai Finger Tip 2" or 3" may be carried on fingertip Mame Bonsai Baby or Little Bean 3" to 6"...

The raft and sinuous styles are characterized by a single trunk that is growing along the ground, with three or more trunks rising from it. In raft style, the trunk along the ground is perfectly straight and illustrates a tree in nature that has been blown over by the...

  Definition: A bonsai planting consisting of more than one trunk can technically be considered a "group" planting. Twin and triple trunk plantings are generally not thought of as forests, but the principles inherent in their construction are repeated and...

Definition - Semi Cascade: This style is often seen in nature hen trees are growing on or near vertical rock faces or by the side of rivers and lakes where light reflects off the water to the underside of the branches, encouraging the lower branches to extend over the...

The validity of creating a single bonsai from two separate sources of plant material (one of which has been long dead) has often been a matter of considerable debate within the western bonsai community. Such creations are referred to by the Japanese as “tanuki” bonsai...

Literati bonsai is an “approach” or “interpretation” within bonsai and not a specific style in and of itself. It is somewhat difficult to describe. However, we shall try. Consider the following comments by bonsai artist Harry Tomlinson: Also called bunjin, this style...

Bonsai Materials Finding The Right Bonsai Materials By Randy Clark, Charlotte, NC Almost any plant material that grows anywhere in the world can be trained as bonsai. Practically speaking, however, some varieties work a lot better than others. You will find a partial...