The art of creating bonsai trees is making a shrub or small tree into a beautiful piece of living art. There are many different methods of keeping the specimen small and most are planted in ceramic pots. Some specimens are ornamented with small dioramas under the leaves and are displayed inside and outdoors. They are not grown for shade or fruit but, only for the art form they are.
The practice of creating bonsai trees started in China with specimens that resembled animals, birds and mythical creatures. The Japanese are most known for bonsai culture. They took the idea from the Chinese around AD 1195 and took it to new heights. Buddhist monks began to cultivate them through the practice of Zen. Soon wealthy families all had their own collections and a gardener who worked primarily on the bonsai trees. Bonsais were introduced to the world at the Paris World Expedition in 1900 and are found all over the world today.
Woody perennial trees or shrubs are used to make the small trees. Any plant that does not grow large or has diminutive needles or tiny leaves found at nurseries are good candidates. The best types are those that have branches growing from the trunk near the bottom by the soil. Any plant that has wood with a texture is perfect for a specimen.
One of the best types of plant to use is the juniper. Others include small pine trees, cedar and hemlock. A tree that grows slowly and is very easy to form is the Japanese White Pine. A deciduous type of tree suitable for bonsai is the Trident Maple. The oldest type of plant used is the Chinese Quince. This tree lives forever and is pliable yet strong. Other shrub-like plants like hydrangea, lavender and rosemary can also make great specimens.
Many techniques are used to produce a bonsai. Removal of leaves or needles is necessary to make the specimen look like a tree. A common practice is to remove all leaves and stems below all branches and keep the ones that grow above. Pruning of branches is also necessary. The top of the plant may be removed to make it smaller and some branches within the tree structure are removed to make it pleasing to the eye.
Branches are shaped and formed by wrapping them with wire. Aluminum wire can be used but copper blends in with the color of the tree and is not so noticeable. A deciduous bonsai can have the wire taken off in about six to nine months and evergreen specimens have to wait almost two years.
Care of a bonsai is intense. Because it is grown in a pot it must be monitored closely. It must be watered frequently but too much water can cause it to rot. Bonsais must be repotted when they become root bound. A water-soluble fertilizer must be used to give it the nutrients it would normally get from the earth.
Special tools are needed to trim the bonsai. Regular sized tools are too bulky and large so bonsai tools are small and very sharp. Leaf trimmers, a small rake and brush, plant shears and wire cutters are all needed.
The choice of containers is extremely significant. Use glazed or unglazed ceramic pots just as the ancients did. The container must have holes for water to drain in the bottom that are blocked by screen to keep planting medium in.
Fully grown bonsai can be purchased but they are very expensive. It is possible to purchase a regular plant and make one from scratch to be fully grown in a five year period. The old method of bonsai produces specimens that can be passed from generation to generation. They take a great deal of time and trouble but you get an art form that is desirable and unique.
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