Wiring is the practice of wrapping aluminum or copper wire around the bonsai trunk or branches to shape the tree. Training bonsai is never easy, but it can be made easier by proper preparation and execution. Here are some basic guidelines.
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Though no bonsai is easy to train or care for, pine is among the easier species. More tolerant to drying, they adapt well to a pot and often require only regular trimming and biannual repotting.
In the wild, pine commonly grow to 50 feet or more with trunks that are a foot in diameter and larger. Yet they make excellent bonsai trees and look stellar in miniature form. Because of their naturally straight trunks and symmetrical branch arrangements they are well suited to the formal upright (chokkan) style.
In the chokkan style, the trunk is straight and rises vertically from the base, in contrast to the cascade (kengai) that is both curved and grows horizontally across the surface. The chokkan thus makes a good starter species for budding bonsai artists.
Bonsai trees are not a dwarf variety, but a full-sized species that has been carefully trained to emulate conditions in the wild on a very small scale. White pine bonsai, therefore, will have the same characteristics as the full grown variety.
White pine have blue-green needles that form in bunches of five, growing from a small bud. Branches grow in a circular pattern, looking down at the tree from above, with several levels around the tree at intervals up the trunk.
A healthy tree looks healthy, especially in the spring when new growth appears. Needles will be a brighter green and start lengthening. Full-sized pines can add two feet or more to their height during the season. You’ll want to remove or reduce some of the new shoots during this period every year or two.
Repotting can be carried out during spring but can wait as late as early autumn, after the summer heat has cooled.
During repotting ensure there is good drainage when you’re done. Pines tolerate dryer soil much better than over-watering. A mixture of 50% soil, 10% peat and 40% coarse sand works well for many, but there are many variations on the material and relative amounts.
Repotting is a good time for root trimming, but be conservative. Pines need a deep pot in order to grow a deep root system for stability. No more than 1/3 of the root should be cut off during the procedure.
Branch pruning is best carried out during late autumn.
It’s common for some of the needles to become brown and fall off in the summer. This needn’t be cause for concern unless the tree is diseased.
Check for large hemispheres of very dark growth on the branch that can indicate the presence of a tumor. If there are none, and only a small percentage of the needles are brown, the condition may well be normal.
Aphids and mealy bugs are common pests, but easily controlled by a commercial or home-grown mixture. Often a slight misting with a dilute liquid dishwashing detergent will take care of the problem temporarily. The needles should be misted with plain water the day after.
Pines can be watered daily provided there is very good drainage, but every other day is fine. Feeding should be done every two to four weeks from early to late spring and again at the end of summer to early autumn. This coincides with the pine’s active growing seasons.
Most bonsai trees are a coniferous or deciduous species, with the occasional fruit tree forming part of the collection. But there are more exotic choices that allow the bonsai artist to expand his or her skills.
Wisteria makes one excellent alternative to the run-of-the-mill bonsai. A native of China, Korea and Japan, they can reach 30 feet in the wild. Forming them into a bonsai is an interesting challenge, since they don’t conform to any of the usual styles.
The flowers, assuming a variety of colors - blue, purple, pink, white - are both beautiful and aromatic. They blossom in the spring when they need lots of water, so long as there is adequate drainage. Wisteria do well in full sun to partial shade. Provide ample fertilizer in spring just before they flower, then again in late summer while the leaves are still present.
Orange Jasmine is another option that will provide both beauty to the eye and delight to the nose. Their fragrant, white blossoms are accompanied by bright red fruit.
Orange Jasmine should be fed every three to four weeks beginning in early spring and continuing through mid-autumn. Light watering is adequate for most of the year, with slightly more in the hotter season.
Since they do better in filtered sun and moderate shade, they are one of the few bonsai that can, and probably should, be raised indoors.
Mimosa, or silk trees as they are sometimes called owing to their long silky filaments, are as fragrant as either of the two choices above. Their lacy foliage and puffy flowers are also just as lovely.
Flowers bloom in late April to early July, during which time they should be given moderate water. Avoid watering the flowers since, like many flowering plants, they wilt rapidly and deteriorate when wet.
The Mimosa will be one of the larger bonsai in your collection. They grow rapidly, have large leaves and are very difficult to sustain at a very small size. So give them lots of room on the display bench.
The Desert Rose is another non-traditional bonsai that can turn an ordinary collection into one full of color and excitement. This native of East Africa can grow up to 10 feet in the wild and produce large, pink, trumpet-bowl flowers.
Very bushy, it makes an excellent design complement to the many trees in a standard bonsai set. They need lots of fresh air and ample sunshine, so keep them outside most of the year.
They’re sensitive to cold, though, so in cold climates they should be brought indoors. They don’t thrive below 50F (10C), though will lie dormant and healthy from 50-60F (10C-15C). During this period they will need very little water.
Expand your design horizons by trying your hand at a few of these fragrant and beautiful flowering plants. Spaced among some of the standard evergreens - pines, firs and others - they provide a nice contrast. You’ll also have an ever-changing display, as they blossom in spring and lose their leaves in the fall.
Beyond the basic styles of bonsai tree art, there are many wonderful variations. The individual aesthetic that each artist brings to the work allows for an infinite variety of forms.
Group or Forest (Yose)
The group display, often called the forest, is just what the name suggests - multiple bonsai trees residing in a single container. Any species will do, but this style often contains all of one kind. Multiple species within a single pot would make soil design and watering management, not to mention climate and sunlight control, extremely difficult.
In the yose style, there are several sub-styles denoted by the number of trunks in the tray. Sambon-Yose (3 trunks), Gohon-Yose (5), Nanahon-Yose (7) and Kyuhon-Yose (9) are the most common and increasingly difficult as the number rises.
In some cases they spring from a single root underground, in which case the trunks are more like above-ground branches. This is termed kabudachi style. The difference from a standard group in this case is that at the base there will be a central cluster in the middle of the pot.
Korabuki (Raft) Style
In nature, trees are not simply blown by wind and rain, but often completely knocked down. Rains softens the ground, roots grow close to the surface, and the earth has small underground holes. All conspire with the wind to undermine the ability of the tree to remain upright.
But trees are amazingly resilient and can adapt to survive under the most arduous conditions. Even when growing horizontally, provided there is adequate contact with the earth by the roots, life can continue.
As with most bonsai styles, the bonsai artist attempts to emulate nature, even in this extreme case. Many of the results are as spectacular as the full-sized examples produced by nature alone.
Sub-styles include the ikadabuki (straight line), in which the trunk is entirely out of the soil. Typically it will rest on the surface, but some can actually grow somewhat like a kengai and are slightly above the ground.
In another sub-style the trunk rests at an angle, partially underground. In this case the bark under the earth will tend to decay from moisture and small soil organisms.
In many cases the trunk will be allowed to sprout multiple branches that look very much like individual trunks. These appear similar to a group or forest style, but all grow from a single tree.
The netsunagari (sinuous) style is one of the more exotic sub-types. Here the roots meander through the soil like many underground rivers and the trunks are highly gnarled and twisted.
The forms of bonsai tree are as varied as the artists who create them. Where the line is drawn between one style and another is often a very individual choice. After all, nature provides many examples of borderline cases. Dividing red from orange along the color spectrum is difficult. And, at what height does tall become average and fade into short?
Like many things in Japanese culture, the blending of apparent opposites, or balance among competing influences, is never more present than in the design and execution of a bonsai tree. It is the most traditional of arts combined with the ultimate in individual expression.
Beyond the basic styles of chokkan (formal upright), shakan (informal upright), kengai (cascade) and so forth there are several that don’t fit neatly into those categories. The divisions are arbitrary to an extent, but like any specialty they evolve over time to help bonsai artists guide and discuss their work.
Some of the more common advanced styles are the Fukinagashi (Windswept), the Bankan (Twisted) and the Bunjin (Literati).
Fukinagashi (Windswept)
Like most bonsai trees, the windswept style attempts to emulate nature’s effects in miniature.
Its trunk is slanted, as if grown in an environment where the wind tends to blow more strongly in one direction than another. The branches, too, will acquire a preferred direction as a result of growth that is constantly bent.
Areas near cliffs or hills, for example, do this frequently. Coastal regions often experience the conditions that produce fukinagashi. Meandering rivers, although not the result of winds, are formed by similar basic physical forces.
Unfortunately, emulating forceful winds is beyond the technical means of most bonsai artists. But the style is formed by use of similar forces, even when the artist isn’t aware of why they are basically the same.
Stressing a living plant in a preferred direction causes them to cooperate and tend to grow in that way. Those stresses (physical stresses, not the sort of chemical stress induced by unhealthy conditions) can be achieved by well-practiced means, developed over centuries.
Just as a kengai (cascade) can be formed in part by harnessing the trunk with a cord tied to a stake, so too can the fukinagashi or windswept. Wire can be used as a supplement, but this is more often used for branches than the basic trunk shape.
Often the foliage is sparse, since in natural conditions much of it would have been blown away by the strong winds that produce the bent effect.
Bankan (Twisted)
The bankan style is thought to have originated in China with the beginnings of penjing, the Chinese art that led to bonsai in Japan.
As the name suggests the trunks are twisted and gnarled, sometimes to the extent of forming animal shapes. The dragon is a popular model for the bankan.
Sub-styles range from the Nejikan, in which the trunk makes only a partial turn to the Takzukuri, or Octopus. In the latter, the trunk is considerably twisted and the branches follow suit, making a kind of vortex shape that emulates the winds that shaped the full-sized species in nature.
Bunjin (Literati)
One of the most popular bonsai styles is the bunjin or literati. The simple style, with a thin, slanted trunk and few branches is deceptively difficult. It was inspired by Chinese paintings that depicted trees growing in harsh climates. The results are often spare but dramatic.
As the trunk frequently twists around, branches are displayed at sharp angles upward and the tree presents a different view from every side. Japanese Red Pines are a popular species for this style, but there are many others. Branches often twist as they rise.
These advanced styles are not usually attempted by the novice, but sooner or later every bonsai artist will want to try them. They require great skill and patience, but the effort is more than amply rewarded by the beautiful results.
The Japanese have a word, ‘wa’, that roughly translates to ‘harmony’. It refers to relations between individuals, and man and nature. But it can also refer to the elements comprising a work of art. The art of bonsai uses this concept when coordinating the choice of species and style with the container in which the bonsai tree resides.
Color, material and above all shape and size are considered when matching the right pot to a given tree. Given the variety of tastes in the world, there are no agreed upon rigid rules, but tradition and a sense of symmetry heavily influence the choice. Each is selected to complement the other, giving balance to the overall design.
But there are practical factors to consider, as well, first and foremost.
The size of the pot must physically balance the weight of the moist soil and the tree. Bonsai are typically displayed on a stand or bench or shelf and, being small, are easily tipped over if the pot is too small and light, or the tree is out of balance.
Style affects not only the aesthetic of the bonsai, but this practical factor as well. A kengai (cascade) or han-kengai (semi-cascade) has a trunk and/or branches that travel out from the ‘box’ of the pot. In the case of the kengai, it dips below the plane of the base of the tree, emulating a tree near a cliff under heavy snowfall.
As a result of this style, a too small pot - which holds less soil and provides a smaller base - will put the tree and pot at risk of falling off the display. Bonsai are fragile and years of effort can be lost by a simple accident.
Also, the pot must hold enough soil to accommodate the roots with ample space for growth of two years or so. Normally, a bonsai tree will be re-potted after that time, in order to refresh the soil, trim the roots and possibly increase the size of the tree.
A pot must have a hole in the bottom with a mesh screen in order to allow for proper drainage. The screen can become clogged if the mesh is too small, and allow soil leakage out the bottom if too large.
The tray underneath or attached as an integral part of the pot must be large enough to allow for overflow. Under-watering a bonsai tree can easily kill it, just as over-watering can. And, the easiest way to over-water one is to allow inadequate drainage, worsened by having the bottom continually in water from a tray that’s too shallow or narrow.
The specific sized pot that’s correct for the tree will be affected, too, by species. Flowering and fruiting trees require more water and tolerate wetter conditions. Conifers, such as white pine, do better with a drying period between watering.
Experience and a personal aesthetic will determine the specific pot that’s best to choose. But fortunately for the enthusiast, there are many good examples around to serve as a guideline or stimulus to the imagination. Some bonsai trees live as long as 200 years, and photos of them are readily available.
Most beginning bonsai artists will purchase a tree at some stage of development and gradually learn to care for it. The novice will graduate later to pruning, wiring and other more advanced practices. At some point in his or her education, the temptation to take on the challenge of growing a bonsai from seed will seem irresistible.
Here are some tips on how to grow your first bonsai from scratch.
Trees grow from seeds. True, many begin as seedlings, prunings or offshoots of mature trees. But the whole enterprise begins with seeds. In order for those seeds to become trees they pass through a stage called germination.
Sitting in the cold, wet soil of winter spring slowly softens the seed’s shell or coat and stimulates early growth. Soil bacteria help the process along. Nature provides the clues the bonsai artist should follow in order to give the young plant a proper beginning.
Planting in the fall allows the seeds to experience this process, slowly and naturally. An artificial, and perfectly valid, method of seed preparation is known as ‘cold stratification’. It consists, in essence, of preparing seeds artificially by placing them in a container in the refrigerator to simulate natural conditions.
Whether preparing the seeds artificially or allowing nature to do it for you, this breaks the seed’s dormancy and leads to germination. It often happens that this will take a year or longer, with seeds beginning to germinate in the spring a year and a half after the fall sowing.
The length of time will vary by species, climate and even individual seed. Plants, like any other species, is composed of individuals with their own timetable.
You can give your seeds some help by proper fertilization, but exercise moderation. Once per month in early spring to mid-summer with 10-10-10 NKP (nitrogen (N), phosphates (P) and potassium (K)) is plenty. Fertilization should begin when the soil begins to warm. If you maintain the pot indoors, this can be controlled artificially with a heat lamp, but this is more effort.
It’s important that the soil be kept moist, but not too wet. Moisture is important, but excessively wet soil will kill a developing plant as quickly as soil too dry.
Naturally, finding the right balance will take some experimentation. Those experiments can be sharpened by the use of a moisture gauge, a thermometer-like device that measures water content in the soil. In fact, it’s helpful to have a thermometer, too!
Sow them in a container of good soil, then monitor from time to time as the year progresses. Seeds should be planted about 1/2 inch to 1/4 inch under the surface in soil with good drainage.
Once you have a little tree poking a tiny trunk above the surface you are on your way. But keep in mind that developing a bonsai from seeds takes several years. Be prepared for a long term project!
While conifers and some deciduous trees make up the majority of bonsai, there are several fruit tree species that make delightful samples. These species are not dwarf varieties but, like other bonsai trees, carefully crafted miniatures of the standard tree.
Apple, lemon, peach, cherry and several other fruit tree species make excellent bonsai. As with the full-sized tree, it’s important to select the species suited to the climate in which the tree will grow.
Citrus trees don’t thrive in Northern Idaho, but apple trees do extremely well. The cold winters and hot summers produce abundant, well-formed fruit when autumn arrives. Cherry trees will do well in parts of the Mid-West and the South where there’s lots of moisture in spring and fall and long, cold winters. Lemon and peach flourish in dry, sunny California.
Chinese Sweet Plum make excellent bonsai. With pink and white flowers and purple fruit they brighten up any collection. Though most bonsai are outdoor plants, these will do well indoors provided they have adequate sunshine. Give them full morning sun, with shade in the afternoon and evening.
Quince is among the more exotic choices for a bonsai, but with proper care they can make a wonderful sample. They produce tiny flowers with yellow fruit. Similar to pears, they can tolerate full sun, but should have at least partial shade in hot summer periods.
Even grape vines can be made into a miniature bonsai-like plant, though they don’t grow in the same form as trees. They enjoy very hot weather, thrive in dry, sandy soil and produce fruit clusters and leaves just like the full-sized style. Beware, though, grape vines and the fruit can grow quickly and you must take care not to have them overwhelm the pot.
While you’re thinking of vines, consider a black olive tree. In the wild these evergreens can grow to 50 feet with a full oval crown. But they can be easily encouraged to spread out, making for a beautiful display. Their bluish leaves can lend a dark color contrast to some of the brighter fruit trees in your collection.
Figs are one of the more popular choices for a bonsai fruit tree. The tree, often known as ficus, can grow to enormous proportions - 60 feet high and 60 feet wide in some instances. This makes shaping them into bonsai a wonderful challenge. Keeping the canopy under control requires much dedication.
Of course, the humble cherry tree continues to make one of the best choices for a bonsai. Their lovely and abundant pink flowers and red fruit are a delight to the eye and nose. They do well in full sun much of the year, but will need a partially shaded area during the hot weeks of summer.
Cherry trees will take as much water as they’re given, though less is required in winter. As with any bonsai, good drainage is important to prevent root rot. Avoid watering the flowers.
Many fruit trees are sold very young, some no more than a root and small trunk. Like any bonsai, you’ll want to get them into water immediately, then plant the next day. Prune, soak, then place in the container with the usual bonsai soil mixture.
