The Art of Bonsai

The art of bonsai originates from China where the earliest bonsai plants were naturally dwarfed in the wild. Thought of as a beautiful piece of nature, individuals began training young trees to dwarf by pruning and cutting back the roots. Later the Japanese carried the art of growing bonsai to the next level.

The American concept of the art of bonsai tends to be much more free in style and design than the traditionally accepted Japanese art. However, there are certain characteristics that tend to be the same, especially if one is serious about the art of bonsai. For instance, the trees grown in both concepts of the art tend to be shaped in such a way so as to give the illusion of age.

If one is taking up the art of bonsai, there are a few things that have to be learned about the art as well as which trees are best used as bonsai. One thing that should be noted about bonsai trees is that not all plants can be effectively used as bonsai. In order to achieve the realistic impression of a bonsai plant, the bonsai lover must ensure that all parts of the tree including the trunk, branches as well as twigs and fruits are in scale with the size of the tree.

Thus, plants used in the art of bonsai should have leaves that become small under bonsai culture. Thus, plants such as avocados cannot be used in the art of bonsai as the fruits tend to look out of proportion when compared to the rest of the tree. Sycamores also prove to be unsuitable for bonsai culture as the leaves are quite large and out of proportion from the rest of the plant.

When considering which tree to be used for the art of bonsai, it is essential to consider a plant that has an attractive bark, as well as a trunk that gives the illusion of maturity. This helps boost the aesthetic feel that the plant gives especially if the plant is to be used to improve the indoor look of one’s home.

The trunk of the chosen plant should have reasonable girth but this size should also remain in proportion to the rest of the plant. Moreover, the trunk should ideally taper gradually towards the apex of the tree. At times, a number of bonsai lovers tend to have one or two shortened main branches that tend to emphasize the vertical line of the trunk. Moreover, this helps give the appearance that the tree is balanced.

To show off the ideal look of a bonsai tree, the part of the root is left exposed. The length of exposure may vary but average lengths tend to be around one third of the root. This exposure helps give off the illusion of age of a mature bonsai tree.

Finally, the bonsai plant should always look harmonious in its arrangement of branches. This means that there should be no unsightly gaps between the branches. This can be checked if one observes the bonsai from a vertical position above the plant.