Bonsai in Japanese, pun-jai in Chinese and bun-jae in Korean all mean the same, planted in a container. There are many popular plants that are used for bonsai including Cypress, Camellia, Ash, Beech, Flowering quince, Ivy, Hawthorn, Dogwood, Holly, Ginkgo, Juniper, Flowering plum, Pine, Oak, Pyracantha, Willow, Elm, Wisteria, spruce and Azalea. Bonsai is an art of cultivating the aesthetically appealing miniature trees. There is a specialized technique involved in growing, training and pruning the Bonsai plants.

Growing Bonsai Plant

For growing bonsai plant, it is important to understand the Confucianism philosophy. When we observe the trees in the mountains or natural landscapes, they are damaged by the wind, lightning, and other natural calamities. Bonsai tries to capture this natural beauty of trees.

When growing bonsai plant, to give it the old tree appearance, put the plant in a large container and trim off all the branches from the base. This gives the required old look.

To give the broken look to the leaves, snap the branches by hand, as it gives the natural look. If using a knife, make just a small cut and then try to break it with the hand, else it will look very artificial. Peeling off the bark from tree also gives an old tree look. For giving the unusual appearance, use side grafting, cleft and budding.

When growing bonsai plant, it is important to prune branches to encourage new root growth. Cut 1/3rd of the total root mass from bottom and the side. It is required only if the plant is being grown in the small pot. While pruning branches of bonsai, never use the shears.

For growing bonsai plant, use 50% sand, 25% peat moss and 25% loam soil. Wires can be used to give any kind of shape to the bonsai plant, and it takes 6 months to one year to get the desired form. If the roots of the plant are getting too large or old, it needs repotting. The watering of bonsai tree plant needs to be done as per the size and holding capacity of the container.

The best way to get the beautiful miniaturization is to frequently change the pots, and trimming the roots while doing so. Bonsai plants cannot be left to nature, they need constant attention. Every twig and branch needs shaping and eliminations, till the desired look is achieved.

Growing bonsai plants is an art, and if done in a correct manner, these plants can live for hundreds of years. But, they need meticulous care, lots of patience and adequate knowledge. It can be a great hobby, and people can earn really well if they start doing it professionally.