Azalea Bonsai Care

The azalea bonsai tree is not actually a tree, but a shrub. The thick base of the plant makes it a good candidate for a bonsai because it resembles a miniature full grown tree trunk. These bonsai usually only flower once a year but their blossoms can very colorful and beautiful. The care azaleas require is minimal and can be maintained with a little effort.

The azalea bonsai do not care for direct sunlight and it is preferable to place the bonsai in an area that has some indirect light. Azalea bonsai require water twice a day and should be kept in a container that allows proper drainage. Azaleas do not care for a damp or wet soil and a mix of sand, gravel, and clay should be used when potting. Take care to ensure the holes in the bottom of the container are lined with screen to prevent the loose soil from draining out.

Azalea bonsai should have their flowers and leaves removed right after they die to promote proper health and growth. Care should be taken when pruning to remove only the new growth every year after they flower and again in the middle of summer when new sprouts appear. Azalea bonsai care for an acidic soil and should be fertilized every 6 weeks.

The roots of the azalea bonsai should be inspected once a year and trimmed to keep the root ball the same size as the container. The azalea bonsai needs to be repotted every 3 to 5 years when more than 1/5 of the root ball would need to be trimmed to fit the container. Care should be taken when repotting to insure all air pockets are filled with soil.

Proper care of the azalea bonsai for the winter is to keep the plant out of the harsh elements of snow and ice but the azalea should be allowed to go dormant. An unheated room with a little sunlight would be a good place to care for the the plant and should be watered once a week to ensure proper azalea bonsai care.

Growing Japanese Maple Bonsai

Japanese Maples are usually seen in full size gardens. However, this tree makes a great Bonsai plant too. Likes its bigger sister, the Japanese Maple Bonsai has small, delicate 5 lobed leaves that turn brilliant red or gold in the autumn. These little trees are also quite hardy and easy to grow.

Purchasing Your Bonsai

Japanese Maple Bonsai are fairly affordable. When purchasing your Japanese Maple Bonsai pick a plant that has a diameter of at least 4 inches. This will make it easier to shape or train to your own design style. You may also have the option to pick a seedling or one that has been grown to about 6 inches tall. The choice is yours. For a beginner the Japanese Maple Acer palmatum also known as the ‘Mountain Maple’ is the strongest of the varieties and probably a good first choice.

Japanese Maple Bonsai experts will tend to choose vigorous looking seedlings with low and large internodes. This will allow you to add gentle and elegant looking curves to the lower portion of your Bonsai.

Caring for Your Japanese Maple Bonsai

The majority of your Japanese Maple Bonsai will need to be placed in an area outdoors that gets partial summer shade. However your tree will prefer full sun for the rest of the year. Because this is a delicate little Bonsai make sure it has protection from the wind.

In the spring you will want to prune your Japanese Maple. Remove any unwanted shoots or branches. Let your shoots grow to about 5 nodes before pruning back. When you do prune leave about a ½ inch to allow for die back. The leaves can be trimmed in the late spring.

The best time to repot and fertilize your Japanese Maple is late winter or early spring.

Water your Japanese Maple Bonsai as needed. Because these plants have less soil and shallow pots they tend to dry out faster than other potted plants. Therefore you will need to water more frequently.

Varieties of Japanese Maple Bonsai

Japanese Maple Bonsai come in a few different varieties: Red-leaved, rough-barked and dwarf.

Red-leaved Japanese Maple Bonsai as the name implies have red leaves in summer. They are more prone to damage to their foliage in the spring as a result of wind, frost, or blazing sun. However, you do not want to keep them out of the sunny spots in your yard or they will lose their beautiful red coloring. These Bonsai grow more slowly than their green leaved counterparts.

Rough-Barked varieties have a bark that looks old and weathered. The variety most suited to Bonsai cultivation is ‘Arakawa’. This tree has green leaves in summer that turn a golden yellow in the fall.

Dwarf Japanese Maple Bonsai have very small leaves, branches and trunks. They have dense foliage and thinning is sometimes necessary so light can penetrate the plant. The most common varieties are ‘Kiyohime’, Yatsubusa’ and ‘Kashima’.

The Japanese Maple Bonsai is an amazing little tree. Its leaves come in various colors from red to green and in the fall, will turn a golden yellow or bright scarlet. As long as these trees are protected from the wind they are strong and easy to grow. This is a great Bonsai choice for the beginner.

Did you know there are over 300 varieties of Bonsai to choose from? I've narrowed down my favorites to 15. Check out my Bonsai Tree Gallery and growing video collection to learn more about this fascinating hobby!

Caring for Wisteria Bonsai

If you are cultivating a Wisteria bonsai, your primary goal is to let it flower. This is done  by following various techniques. Wisteria will not bloom if it hasn't reached a specific age. The normal age for it to bloom is ten years.

In the mean time, you can prune the shoots that have been developed and cut it to five to six inches against its trunk. Just leave 4 to 6 leaves on a shoot. This will encourage the flowering of the Wisteria bonsai.

Pruning must be performed when the flowering season has passed. It is also suggested that it be pruned thrice before the fall season comes. When it is mid-winter, cut the spurs to four inches and leave three buds.

After repeatedly pruning the Wisteria Bonsai, you will have to double the effort during winter. You have to control the growth of the bonsai especially at this time because it is more vigorous than normal. Let it produce a vast amount of leaves and flowers. By repeatedly pruning it, the foliage will be more compact and you will see that the flowers it produces will be more colorful.

You can also repot the Wisteria bonsai as soon as you see the first sign of flowering. Provide your Wisteria bonsai with the right food and set it in a low nitrogen area. This is to let the Wisteria take in the nitrogen it needs. If it gets too much, it tends to overgrow in foliage instead of flowering. You can control this by choosing a fertilizer that is specific for a Wisteria bonsai.

Wisteria bonsai has the ability to withstand as much rain and sun. Nonetheless, you will have to protect these from the wind. Wisteria is one of the top bonsai an enthusiast can consider growing. They also need more water compared to other trees and shrubs. The key is keeping it moist as often as possible especially during the summer.

You can put it in a container and water it from time to time. Dry the tray out after watering so that the roots wouldn’t drown. If the soil bottles up with too much water, then the root is waterlogged.

Train your Wisteria bonsai in various styles that you prefer. As long as the flowers are cascading, then watering the plant won’t be any problem whatsoever. You can show off the flowers to your guests when they drop by for a visit.

You must remember to repot your Wisteria Bonsai every 2 to 3 years. Use the basic bonsai soil. Repot during early spring in order to assist you in the flowering and propagation of the Wisteria buds.

What Is A Bonsai

When you hear ‘bonsai’, the first image that comes to mind is a miniature tree. Aesthetic miniaturization of trees that are grown in the containers is an art practiced by Japanese, Chinese and Korean.

For the Chinese, it is ‘penjing’, for the Korean ‘bunjae’, whereas for the Japanese, the term is ‘bonsai.’

The Chinese were the first to grow miniature-size trees in containers. They started doing so around 200 CE. This is how herbal healers transported medicinal plants.

The practice spread to Japan during the Heian period. Landscape gardening was given importance during the Tokugawa period. Maples and azalea were cultivated by the wealthy for a pastime activity.

The term used at that time was ‘hachi-no-ki’ which means “a tree in a pot.” Bonsai was used in the Meiji period during the late 19th century.

There are various kinds of bonsai. These are the slant, formal upright, informal upright, raft, literati, cascade, semi-cascade and the forest/group.

The slant style bonsai is like the straight trunk of any upright trees. The apex extends to the right or the left of the base. The formal upright is similar to a straight and tapered trunk. This is as opposed to the informal upright that has curves and bends with the apex usually found on top of the roots.

The raft bonsai is considered to be a phenomenon because it takes place after a tree is toppled from natural force or erosion. The branches then expose the edge of the trunk. Roots grow from these buried portions. A literati is when the trunk line is bare and there are minimum branches on a somehow contorted trunk.

Cascades are models of trees that grow on the side of the mountains and the water’s surface. The tip or the apex of a cascade bonsai reaches underneath the lip of the pot. Finally, a forest or group bonsai is a group of trees that grow altogether in a pot. These are usually of a similar species.

Bonsai are classed according to their sizes. There are styles and techniques associated to the shito and mame bonsais. These are the bonsais that are grown in pots as small as thimbles.

The bonsai enthusiast must know that the smaller the size of the bonsai, the greater the care he must exert. The miniature sized bonsai often requires special attention.

Bonsai is often found in the center of a garden when set alongside an urban or wild landscape. Bonsai collectors put high value on the bonsai because of the plant’s ability to exhibit age as they mature.

Your Tropical Bonsai Options

A tropical bonsai grows at a climate that has warm temperature all year round. It gets the lukewarm moisture. A rain forest is said to have a tropical temperature. But places such as Australia, Mediterranean and southern United States can also be tropical locations.

Now, a tropical bonsai can grow in any condition wherever your home is situated in. As long as the plant can produce a stem and be pruned once-in-a-while, then a tropical bonsai is the best plant that you can get.

Here are some tropical bonsais that you may consider getting if you are residing in an area that has a tropical climate:

1. Azalea
It is easy to prune. It only needs bright and filtered sunlight set in damp moisture. For bonsai newbies, this is the perfect plant to start from.

2. Bougainvillea
This is a flowering vine that has thorns but very easy to prune. All you need is the right amount of sunlight. Design the bougainvillea in a cascade style bonsai.

3. Black Olive
These have dark tiny green leaves. The stems, like the leaves, also have thorns. They are very easy to prune as well. Like the azalea, they need bright light that is filtered and just the right amount of moisture.
4. Boxwood
They have small waxy and oval-shaped green leaves that are easy to prune. Make sure that the roots are also cut regularly. They need bright light.

5. China Doll
They have fragile and delicate leaves. They have to be grown in a moisture soil that gets bright light but no sun.

6. Fuschia
Aince this is a trailing plant that is often grown outdoors, pruning must be done in a cascade bonsai style. It required cool temperature as well as indoor light that is bright.

7. Hibiscus
A wood shrub that has tubular flowers and must be grown in damp moisture.

8. Oleander
This is also a flowering shrub but be very careful because its leaves are poisonous. Never eat it!

9. Poinsettia
Often associated with Christmas, this plant has colorful bracts. They are also easy to prune. They just need damp moisture and bright light.

10. Pomegrenate
A shrub with pointed oval leaves and red flowers, this plant produces fruits. They need the right amount of sunlight.

11. Sageretia
A plant with oval leaves and white flowers, their blue berries are quite attractive. They need indirect sunlight. During the winter, they require the damp moisture.

12. Tree of a Thousand Stars
This bonsai has tiny leaves and white flowers that come in singles or doubles. The need damp moisture, high humidity and direct light.

Rearing Serissa Bonsai

Serissa is a tiny evergreen shrub that can grow 50 cms tall. It was first spotted in Southeast Asia, amidst damp and moist open woodland. The leaves come in opposite sides. Funnel shaped flowers are often produced by the Serissa bonsai especially during the summer. Thus it earns the nickname “tree of a thousand stars.”

There is a wide variety of Serissa that is currently being cultivated targeted to bonsai enthusiasts. They are commondly found throughout Europe, especially in Britain. Serissa is famous for being hard maintenance especially to bonsai newbies. They have the tendency to drop their leaves, sometimes even turning yellow, when the proper growing conditions aren't followed.

Since they come from a subtropical location, Serissa bonsai has to be grown at a temperature that is below 7 degree Celsius. Indoor cultivation is highly suggested when the bonsai enthusiast is considering of growing Serissa.

It important that the Serissa tree also gets a couple of weeks outside so that it can get the day and night temperature it needs. Just remember to bring it indoors when the temperature drops right below 7 degree Celsius, be it day or night. You have to look for a bright position for your plant. Make sure that it isn't too sunny.

For some reason, serissa bonsai don't like to be continuously wet from watering. They prefer that their roots be moist instead. Thus, the watering process of a serissa bonsai is by checking the dry compost once in a while. Water it thoroughly but don't drain it too much. It is alright to water the Serissa bonsai on a daily basis but check if the plant requires misting.

Remove the serissa’s suckers by styling the trunk in such a way that it becomes multiple. Prune one or two leaves of the bonsai in order to shape it properly.

If the Serissa bonsai is yellowing, it is prone to diseases and pests. By properly placing the bonsai on a moist and well-regulated place with the right temperature, then there is no need to worry because the right humidity can help keep diseases and pests away from the Serissa.

If you are wondering what the proper way to style a Serissa is, wonder no more. Any style can do as long as it can grow its small or medium size – which is 50 cms tall.

Because some Serissa tend to have think trunks, get a pot that is shallow in order for the plant to appropriately grow in its container. For aesthetic purposes, you can also get one that has a decoration.

John Naka: Legendary Bonsai Master

John Yoshio Naka was born on August 16, 1914 in Denver, Colorado. He and his family returned to their native Japan when he was eight years old. Having his grandfather as his constant companion, he observed as his elderly shaped and trimmed the trees.

When he was nineteen years old, John took up landscape design. He learned the fundamentals in the relationship of nature – trees, space and stone. After completing his education, he pursued further studies by attending a prestigious art school in Japan.

Because of the building war in Japan in 1935, his father feared that John might be deployed. John was sent back to Colorado to live with Sadao, his bruther. He settled down by marrying Alice Toshito Mizunaga in 1936. They had three sons: Eugene, Robert and Richard.

The family moved to Los Angeles in 1946. Here, John worked as a landscaper and concentrated on Japanese gardens. Striking a friendship with Sam Doi, John Naka was encouraged to read books about bonsai techniques.

His first work was the Montezuma Cypress. It was a 36 inch tall five gallon plant that was grown in Southern California. Years later, this plant continued to grow at the exact height. Tree also produced small cones two times.

At this point, John Naka was noticed as a bonsai artist. Together with for other friend, Fumiko Nagata, Ai Okumura, Joseph Yamashiro and Morihei Furuya, Naka started the Southern California Bonsai Club.

From local teacher, Naka went on to become a national teacher in the art of bonsai. He attended symposiums where he was the gust speaker in the 1970s. Some of his works were published in newspaper articles and on the “Bonsai Journal.” Here, he illustrated step-by-step the transformation of a juniper that is grown in a nursery to
the center of a bonsai garden.

Then Naka conquered the global scene by visiting various countries and also educating bonsai enthusiasts on his art. His collections of bonsai art have been viewed countless times. They have been published in countless books as well.

John Naka once said that he regarded his works as his grandchildren. That is why his interest and passion on bonsai can be seen by all.

The National Bonsai Foundation is a non-profit corporation which elected Naka as one of the honorary advisers to the foundation. Through the years, Naka has also become legendary in the sense that he has buildings named after him. As a matter of fact, a workshop room is named after him who they regarded as the “Father of Popular Bonsai.”