The Art of Growing Bonsai Trees

Bonsai tree cultivation has been a Japanese tradition stretching back hundreds of years.  Bonsai literally translates to "tray planting," and involves actively cultivating trees into an artistic dwarfed version of themselves.  Bonsai trees are not special hybrids or dwarf species of common trees; they’re genetically the same as their much taller brothers and sisters.  It’s the careful cultivation and shaping techniques that keeps these trees small.  However, the trees are not sick or damaged.  In fact, with the correct care, the dwarfed version of a tree can live longer than the same tree if it was allowed to grow in the wild.

Grown from seeds or cuttings, Bonsai trees usually range in height from two inches to three feet.  They are kept miniture through pruning both branches and roots.  Additionally, new growth is frequently removed when the bonsai plants are periodically repotted. 

Cultivating bonsai trees is actually as much about art as it is about horticulture.  Not only are bonsai trees kept small, they are also formed into pleasing shapes.  They often follow a number of different patterns of growth, from simple triangles to waterfall shapes cascading down over their pots.  The various shapes are usually a result of both the pruning of the tree and by the use of wrapping the branches and trunk with wire, shaping the tree into its desired form.  Chosen to compliment the shape and color of the tree itself, the pots are also part of the art of bonsai.  Mosses and rocks are frequently added to the base for aesthetic appeal. 

Cultivating a bonsai tree is more complicated than the growing of most houseplants.  Since the bonsai, by definition, has has a smaller root system than most plants, it needs water and fertilizer more frequently than the majority of garden-variety houseplants.  Occasional pruning is also essential, since without pruning the bonsai tree would grow into just a normal size tree.  Also, if wire is used to help mold and form the tree, it is important to take care that the wire doesn’t dig into the bark of the tree, scarring the branches permanently.  Depending on the type of bonsai tree and your climate, you may be able to keep some bonsai trees outside year round, while others will need to be kept inside for at least part of the year.  Moisture is also important, not only in the soil but in the branches and leaves of the bonsai.  They need to be misted occasionally for the bonsai to develop healthily.