how to grow bonsai tree

Once the decision has been made to learn how to grow bonsai trees, there are many details to consider in order to get the best start and to stay interested for a long time to come.

And it is very important to plan to stay interested for a long time to come because you are working with trees and trees have a very long life span. Miniature bonsai trees can live as long as their full-size counterparts in the forest. It’s not at all unusual for these tiny specimens to live for many decades, even well past the century mark, with the right attention.

How to grow bonsai successfully depends on the type of tree chosen. Given proper potting and regular care, almost any species of tree can be grown in the bonsai style but some varieties seem to be more popular than others.

In Japan, where bonsai is most famous and widely practiced, there are some trees native to Asia that are favored by bonsai enthusiasts. The short list includes, but is not limited, to these suggestions:

Trident Maple (Acer buergerianum) Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum)

Katsura Tree (Cercidphyllum japonicum) Dwarf Flowering Quince (Chaenomeles japonica) Hinoki Cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa)

Ginkgo / Maidenhair Tree (Ginkgo biloba) Sargent Juniper (Juniperus chinensis var. sargentii) Yeddo Spruce (Picea jezoensis)

Japanese Red Pine (Pinus densiflora) Japanese White Pine (Pinus parviflora) Japanese Black Pine (Pinus thunbergiana) Japanese Flowering Apricot (Prunus mume)

Kurume Hybrid Azaleas (Rhododendron kaempferi x R. kiusianum) Japanese Yew (Taxus cuspidata) Japanese Zelkova (Zelkova serrata)

If tree specimens from the Americas are easier to locate, some varieties that take very well to bonsai cultivation include:

Red Maple (Acer rubrum) American Hazelnut (Corylus americana) Pitch Pine (Pinus rigida) Bald Cypress (Taxodium distichum) Hemlock (Tsuga canadensis)

To ensure you are learning how to grow bonsai with these suggested species, it will probably be worthwhile to seek the assistance of a nursery or landscaping firm that specializes in trees. Bonsais can be started from seed, cuttings, grafting, and seedlings.

Many adventurous souls learn how to grow bonsai trees by starting with trees harvested from their own yards or the forests near their homes. These locations provide an almost unlimited number of trees with which to start learning how to grow bonsai trees successfully.

Another good thing to remember about growing bonsai trees you’ve harvested from local and wild sources is that utilizing these sources is very inexpensive. Should disaster occur, your bonsai tree can be replaced relatively easy and with minimal expense.

Remember, too, when harvesting from the wild or from your own backyard, that you can use the same propagation methods you’d use if you’d purchased your tree from a commercial source.

Seeds, cuttings, grafting, and seedlings are all ways to get your bonsai forest started. Some of us have more luck with one method over the others so don’t get frustrated if your first attempt isn’t as successful as you’d like it to be.

One last word of caution that may come in handy while learning how to grow bonsai trees – patience. Your bonsai is a tree, after all, and trees evolved to have a very long life span. Growth is slow but steady.

With a little patience and perseverance, you can grow beautiful bonsai trees that will keep you happy the rest of YOUR long life, too.

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