Like with just about anything in miniature , there ’s something about bonsai trees that ’s just so cute . Although it might seem like you could never do such intricate gardening yourself , the art of bonsai does not need to be terrifying . If you pick out carefully out of the many trees for bonsai and follow the charge instructions , you ’ll soon have a petite tree of your own .
Just like their normal - sized twin , bonsai plants issue forth in a variety of shapes , styles , and colours . Whether you ’re looking for a strike silhouette or tropical panache , record on to chance on the pure bonsai coinage for you .
Ideal Tree Species for Bonsai
If you ’re new to bonsai , you may not know where to start . Bonsais are different than your distinctive houseplant that need little light . They normally need some surplus care to do well .
Before thinking about planting or pruning , prepare a suitable dirt miscellanea and square off your plant ’s sluttish necessary .
The Best Soil for Bonsai Trees
Bonsai plants do ill in ordinary garden soil that you typically use for little low light indoor plant . Their idealistic soil is well - aerated and drain well yet retains some water .
potential components admit akadama , a hard - bake Japanese corpse , pumice , a soft volcanic product , and lava rock . You may also add organic potting compost or ok gravel or grit .
How to Grow Trees for Bonsai
Grow your own bonsai , industrial plant seeds or cutting , or buy a bonsai neophyte kit or partially trained or full - fledge bonsai . In small bonsai great deal , the grunge tend to dry out and be nutrient - poor .
Check your bonsai ’s water spirit level often , but do n’t overwater it , and feed it a little fertilizer . Prune established tree to keep them lowly and your desired form .
snaffle your bonsai tools if you have two branches at the same altitude , misrepresented limb , or thick branches high up . Use wire to bend branches . Bonsai plants require regular repotting , often every other twelvemonth .
Ficus Bonsai (Ficus retusa)
The genus Ficus is one of the most beginner - friendly indoor bonsai trees . Its curved trunk bear dark - green leave-taking . Grow this bonsai from seed in the spring , air layering in April or May , or midsummer cuttings .
It survives outside in the summertime in full sun in temperatures above 59 ℉ . Put it in canonic dirt , watering well whenever it ’s ironical and haze over daily .
Distribute liquified plant food or organic pellets every week or two during the summertime , and every two to four weeks in the winter . Prune after offset boast six to eight leaves .
Chinese Elm Bonsai (Ulmus parvifolia)
circularize this elm tree with pocket-size , double - toothed leave using thinning . Its hoar tolerance varies ; in milder climates , leave the tree alfresco in the wintertime . In any case , grow it in full or partial sunlight and well - drained soil .
water supply this bonsai liberally once the filth is dry , check that it does n’t get soggy . fertilise it solid organic fertilizer and balanced liquid chemical substance fertiliser during the grow season . Prune dumb branches frequently and branch with three or four nodes in belated fall .
Dwarf Japanese Garden Juniper Bonsai (Juniperus procumbens ‘Nana’) – A Low-Growing Bonsai Tree
This evergreen has blue - green needles , berry - like cones , and silvery - ashen deadwood . Plant seeds or cuttings in standard , well - drain grunge .
Place this outside bonsai in a cheery location with protective covering from extreme cold . Only water when the soil has dried , but mist regularly .
During the raise season , give organic fertiliser pellet or balls monthly or liquid plant food weekly , and high - N fertilizer in the spring . Remove some needles at the base to let light enter . style Retama raetam bonsai branches is common .
Pomegranate Bonsai (Punica granatum)
This deciduous tree or shrub create trumpet - shaped red heyday and large , round , many - seed yield . Propagate the pomegranate bonsai with come , gentle wind layering , or cuttings .
It thrive in a fond , sunny spot with good air circulation and protection from the live afternoon Dominicus . Thesefruit Tree to grow in potsprefer fasting - draining , slightly acidulent or electroneutral soil . Give your bonsai non - chalky H2O when the soil is dry .
Apply low - nitrogen solid organic fertilizer monthly or liquid fertilizer weekly while it ’s growing , except during florescence . Prune during the winter , also trimming newfangled shoots once they ’re four to six inch long .
Fukien Tea Bonsai (Ehretia buxifolia)
This tree ’s dismal - green leafage have blanched DoT on top and hairs underneath . It may create small white flowers or reddish berries . broadcast it with seed or cuttings in the summer in well - drain dirt .
This bonsai needs lots of direct sun but should only endure outdoors if nights are affectionate . In the winter , consider installing a plant light and send the flock in a wet crushed rock tray to increase humidity .
Keep the soil moist but not soaked . fertilise year - rhythm , but less often in wintertime , using substantial organic fertilizer or liquid fertilizer for damp dirt . Trim the bonsai on a regular basis .
Money Tree Bonsai (Pachira aquatica) – A Tropical Bonsai Tree
This evergreen plant has leaves with many leaflets and , potentially , flowers with red - atilt stamen and woody fruit with eatable semen . Although its trunk is often lace , the lace filament may crush each other .
Propagate this tree with seeds or hardwood press cutting in well - draining , humus - rich stain , place on a wet gravel tray in a brilliant location . or else , lead your bonsai outdoors if temperature stay above 54 ℉ .
body of water well once the soil has dry , but mist the leave often . Apply liquid fertiliser every week from leaping to mid - fall . Prune the bonsai smartly in former wintertime .
Satsuki Azalea Bonsai (Rhododendron indicum)
azalea boast striking flowers in May and June . In leaping or summer , circularise slip in slimly acidic azalea soil . Put your bonsai in a sunny bit that ’s protected from the hot sun , rain , and severe rime .
This evergreen must not dry out out but does not appreciate unceasing wetness . Filter tap water supply , or mix it with rainwater .
dole out whole organic fertiliser , and liquid azalea or rhododendron fertilizer weekly , during the growing full point . During flowering , stop or shorten fertilizing . After anthesis , remove droop blossom and trim the strong lower branches vigorously .
Brazilian Rain Tree Bonsai (Pithecellobium tortum)
This plant life has leaves that close when it ’s sour and puffy whitened or pink flowers . broadcast it with seeds , cuttings , or air layer in tight - draining soil .
This bonsai does not tolerate frost , preferring full sun but need protection from extreme summertime rut . Keep it out of doors if temperatures remain above 45 ℉ . If indoors , spray its leaves or place the locoweed in a tray of wet gravel .
The Brazilian rain tree diagram favors damp soil , so do not countenance the root clod dry out . Add fluent fertilizer weekly while it produce and monthly in the wintertime . tailored shoots on a regular basis .
Dwarf Jade Bonsai (Portulacaria afra) – A Drought-Tolerant Bonsai Tree
Thisdwarf treebears small , oval succulent leaf and , likely , white fall flowers . Propagate it via summer cut in well - drain dirt .
Put this jade indoors or outdoors in a promising stain with temperatures above 41 ℉ . If they ’re have enough luminosity , the leaves should acquire red tips or edges .
The leaves hold water well , so weewee infrequently . In the winter , pee only once every three week as long as it ’s relatively insensate . fertilise monthly throughout the grow time of year . Prune your bonsai on a regular basis .
Bougainvillea Bonsai (Bougainvillea glabra)
This evergreen bears bantam , horn - shaped flowers with shiny bract in summer through fall . Propagate bougainvillea using semi - hardwood or root cuttings in give or summertime , or aura layering .
It thrives in a gay location during the rise period and a well - lit room with fall temperatures between 50 and 59 ℉ . Use well - draining soil .
irrigate your bonsai well when the filth is dry , but avoid constant wetness and calcareous water . circularise organic fertiliser monthly or liquid fertilizer weekly as it develop , then every other week during the winter .
Cut the bougainvillea ’s shoots after bloom and rationalise its thorny branch in crepuscule or winter . Be heedful with its delicate antecedent organization .
Japanese Maple Bonsai (Acer palmatum)
This maple ’s leaves plow yellow , orangish , or red in the downslope . Expect dark-green - white-livered flowers in May or June . pass around this tree with summer seeds or cuttings or air layering in tight - draining , neutral or acidulent soil .
prefer a sunny spot where air circulates well , relocate into shade during the noontide heat and giving extra water . The Nipponese maple tolerates frost but demands temperature above 14 ℉ . Water daily during the growing time of year with non - calcareous water .
Add solid organic plant food accord to bundle directions or low - nitrogen liquid plant food weekly . cut shoot and twig year - round and strong branches in fall or summertime . Every other yr , remove all leafage in early summer .
Snowrose Bonsai (Serissa japonica) – A Stinky Bonsai Tree
This plant , also call off the tree diagram of a thousand superstar , has white flowers from spring to summertime . Grow semi - hardwood cut in neutral soil . plaza serissa in a gay site with warm nighttime temperature and hint aegis .
From fall through outpouring , move the bonsai indoors to temperatures between 50 and 68 ℉ . Keep it moist with non - chalky urine . Feed goodly plants balanced self-colored constitutive fertiliser monthly or liquid fertiliser weekly throughout the growing period .
In a warm winter , apply liquid fertilizer monthly . Trim young Tree once branch have four or five leafage , and snip old trees after flowering . Prune actively in other springtime if necessary .
Common Boxwood Bonsai (Buxus sempervirens)
This unfearing evergreen shrub has dark-green - yellow flowers , but note that the whole flora is toxicant . Propagate it via springtime carving or atmosphere layering in soil hold pumice or lime stone gravel .
rise box out of doors in full or partial sun , but in a cold greenhouse in the winter . This works tolerates icing but requires protection from utmost low temperature . During the summer , give it lots of water , but do not get it too squiffy .
While it ’s growing , apply substantial constitutional fertiliser monthly or liquid fertilizer weekly . Trim novel shoot , and thin a dense canopy .
Japanese Black Pine Bonsai (Pinus thunbergii)
Remove this evergreen ’s candles in other summertime to instigate a 2nd heyday of saturnine - dark-green needle . Propagate it with come or grafting in well - drain soil . Place the pine outdoors in full sun , with winter protection .
Do not overwater . Give healthy trees solid organic plant food at least three fourth dimension four weeks aside between March and decandling . Once the second acerate leaf growth appear , fertilise again until former tumble .
In the fall , after the 2d growth matures , off sometime needle in stout parts of the Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree , and extra shoot where there are more than two needles per cluster . Cut the bakshish off dormant bud .
Although you may look at bonsai trees and guess you could never do that , produce a DIY bonsai tree or even bonsai collection does not need to be challenge . The cay is to follow the requirements for dirt , watering , fertilizer , and pruning .
The diverse trees for bonsai available mean that you could enjoy peak , needles , leaves , and more . Bonsai make magic houseplant or additions to a garden .
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