Growing Bonsai Trees

The art of cultivating bonsai trees is a Japanese tradition for hundreds and hundreds of years.  Literally translating to "tray planting," growing a bonsai tree involves actively working to shape a tree into a dwarfed, artistic version of itself.  A bonsai tree is not a special dwarf or hybrid species of a common tree; they’re genetically identical to their much larger relatives.  It’s the careful cultivation and shaping techniques that keeps these trees miniture is size.  However, the trees are not sick or damaged.  In fact, with the proper care, the bonsai version of a tree can exceed the life expectancy of the same tree if it were grown in the wild.

Bonsai trees can either be grown from seeds or from cuttings of trees, and they usually range in height from two inches to three feet.  Through pruning both branches and roots bonsai trees are kept miniture in size.  They’re also repotted periodically, and new growth is often pinched off. 

There is a much about art as there is about horticulture in the cultivating of bonsai trees.  Bonsai trees are not only kept small, they are also shaped into pleasing forms.  They frequently follow a number of different patterns of growth, from simple triangles to waterfall shapes cascading down over their pots.  The shapes are normally a product of both the pruning of the tree and by the wrapping the branches and trunk with wire, pushing the tree into its desired shape.  The pots themselves are part of the art as well, chosen to compliment the shape and color of the tree itself.  Mosses and rocks are often added to the base for aesthetic appeal. 

Cultivating a bonsai tree is more complicated than maintaining most houseplants.  Since the bonsai, by definition, has has a smaller root system than most plants, it needs fertilizer and water more frequently than the majority of garden-variety houseplants.  Pruining is also essential occasionally, since the bonsai tree would grow into just a normal big tree without pruning.  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 leaves and branches of the bonsai.  They need to be misted occasionally for the bonsai to develop healthily.