There are five basic styles for bonsai trees: formal upright, informal upright, slanting, cascade, and semi-cascade. These classifications are based on the overall shape of the tree and how much the trunk slants away from an imaginary vertical axis. The numerous Japanese bonsai styles are principally variations of these five basic styles. The single trunk style is the basic design that is simplest to shape because the one trunk determines the overall composition.
Formal Upright
The formal upright style has classic proportions and is the basis of all bonsai. It is the easiest for a beginner bonsai to develop because it requires the least experimentation, avoids the problem of selective bonsai tree pruning, bonsai trimming and should almost immediately become a displayable bonsai plant.
In this style, the form is sometimes rounded and the bonsai tree has an erect leader and horizontal branches. One of the branches is lower and extends a little farther from the trunk than the others .
Bonsai in the formal upright style look best in bonsai pottery that are oval or rectangular. Do not center the plant when placing it in the container. Plant it about a third of the distance from one end.
Informal Upright
The informal upright bonsai style has much the same branch arrangement as the formal upright style, but the top — instead of being erect as in the formal upright style — bends slightly to the front. This bend makes the bonsai tree’s branches appear to be in motion and enhances the look of informality
The informal upright style looks best in an bonsai pottery that is oval or rectangular. It should be planted, not in the center of the container, but a third of the distance form one end.
Many bonsai nurseries trees are naturally slanted. This makes them well suited to the informal upright style.
Slanting
In the slanting bonsai tree style, the trunk has a more acute angle than in the previous styles. The lowest branch should spread in the direction opposite to that in which the tree slants. The top of the tree is bent slightly toward the front. Slanting trees in nature are called “leaners” — trees that have been forced by the wind and gravity into non-vertical growth. The attitude of the slanting style falls between the upright and cascade styles.
Cascade
In the cascade bonsai tree style, the trunk starts by growing upward from the soil, then turns downward abruptly, and reaches a point below the bottom edge of the container. For this reason, the bonsai pottery container should be placed on the edge of the table, or on a small stand. This bonsai style is representative of a natural tree that is growing down the face of an embankment.
Training a tree in the cascade style takes longer than in the slanting style. Choose a low-growing bonsai species instead of forcing a tree that normally grows upright into an unnatural form. The cascade bonsai tree looks best in a round or hexagonal bonsai pottery container that is higher than it is wide. The tree should be planted off-center from the cascading side.
Semi-Cascade
The semi-cascade bonsai style has a trunk that is allowed to grow straight for a certain distance, and then is cascaded down at a less abrupt angle than in the cascade style. The cascading branches are thought of as the front of the tree, and the back branches are trained closer to the trunk than in the other bonsai styles. The semi-cascade bonsai should not reach below the bottom of the container, but should go below the level of the soil surface.
No matter what style you choose — whether single trunk specimens or groups of bonsai trees from single roots — everything depends on your selection of bonsai plant material, and your ability to visualize the bonsai’s final form.
Everything depends on your selection of bonsai plant material, and your ability to visualize the bonsai?s final form. You can see bonsai trees and accessories at Essential Bonsai
In successful bonsai tree growing, your recall of some age-old mantras like you will reap what you have sown, and the fruit never falls far from the tree can help you a lot. It simply means that if you get your seeds from a good source, more likely you grow strong bonsai trees and it is success halfway won for your new hobby or business. BeginnerBonsai.com
The word Bonsai is Japanese and literally translated it means planted in a container. Basically Bonsai is a collection of techniques to grow, train and care for a tree in order to shape it into a miniature but naturally and old looking tree. Throughout the ages Bonsai has evolved from plants being grown in containers into a well respected form of art.
Pruning serves two purposes in bonsai tree care. Firstly, pruning removes branches that clutter and hinder the aesthetic design of the tree. Secondly, pruning directs and controls the growth of the tree. There are pruning forms such as branch pruning which include pinching (finger pruning) and leaf pruning to help encourage branching. There is also root pruning where roots are pruned.
Here are some Bonsai tree care tips on pruning:
• Branch Pruning o Pick the branches that you wish to keep and carefully remove the others. o For new plants, allow the trunk to develop before pruning. Pruning branches from a developed trunk will increase the chances of survival of the tree. o Always have a hand-sketch or image of what you want your tree to look like, at your disposal. This will help you to identify and remove branches that clutter the chosen style and obstruct the basic design. o You should start with a light pruning then give it two or three weeks and wait for the bounce back to decide if you need to do more. o If you need to redirect growth, then prune one area heavily and another much less. Thus, growth will be directed to the less pruned area. o Always remember when you are pruning your bonsai that you can always remove something later but it is very difficult to put it back after you have cut it. So if in doubt leave it for now.
• Root Pruning o Select the roots you want to keep and get rid of the bad ones. o When pruning you need to keep the branches and roots balanced for optimum results.
The art of growing bonsai trees originated in China almost 1,000 years ago. However, it was the Japanese that were able to truly develop it and turn it into a worldwide phenomenon. Bonsai refers to the practice of growing a fully matured tree at a miniature height. The art of shrinking trees as they grow has become a popular practice in all parts of the world and is considered not only artistic – but in some cultures it is spiritual to them.
Many feel that all you need to do is to place the tree of your choice in a pot and it will grow as a miniature tree. This is only one of many steps. A bonsai tree can only be miniature through the pruning of the branches and roots and other techniques. Those who have the ability to grow a perfect bonsai (fully mature miniature tree) are truly talented.
When growing bonsai trees you want to achieve the shape it will usually take on when it is full grown through the balance of the above ground growth and the root growth. You should begin to shape the tree while it is still young and as it matures. Shaping is controlled through the use of a copper wire on the branches and trunk of the tree. Make sure thought that you cut the wire off before it starts to dig into the tree and causes scarring.
You can grow a bonsai tree from either its cuttings or its seeds. When you grow from the seeds you will find it easier and much more rewarding. To watch it fully take on a new shape and grow so small is an amazing site. Using cuttings is a bit more difficult and involved because it can take them longer to mature.
There are two types of trees that you can grow from using cuttings; softwood and hardwood. Hardwood cuttings are taken at the end of the year’s growing season and the growth begins the following season. Softwood cuttings are taken in the summer – but they should be left along until the new growth starts to show. During this time the trees can then be placed in individual pots.
Bonsai Tree Care provides you with the necessary information to grow and cultivate your very own bonsai tree. For more information visit Bonsai Tree Care.
With limited space and small amount of soil in a bonsai pot, regular attention is needed to ensure the tree is regularly watered. Sun, excessive heat and exposure to wind can dry out the soil in a short period of time. Hence, moisture levels should be monitored regularly.
Here are some tree care tips on watering:
During winter, if the trees are kept outside where rain can water them, then you need not worry about watering them, except when the weather is hot or there is little rain. During summer the plants need to be watered several times a week. During very hot periods, it is advised to water the tree atleast twice daily. It is also suggested to move the trees into shade. If the soil appears to be drying excessively fast, group the pots together so that the foliage creates a canopy to help shade the soil and keep it cooler. Clay pots allow additional evaporation from the sides of the pots and watering must be done more often. If there are two or three bonsai trees, you can use a watering can with a fine hose to water the soil and roots. But if you have a large number of bonsai trees, located at certain distance from each other in the garden, then you can invest in a drip irrigation system. If you are away from home most of the time, then it is a good idea to consider an automatic drip irrigation system or automatic watering system for Bonsai trees. The timers in the irrigation system can be set so that the bonsai are watered every day in the summer and every three days in the winter.
Kavita Masthoff is a freelance writer and an expert in Bonsai gardening. She offers monthly Bonsai articles through her website — Quality PLR Articles