Bonsai 101 - Chapter 8: Easiest Trees to Turn Into a Bonsai
Learn about the differences between various garden trees you can transform into bonsai!
Almost any woody plant can be made into a bonsai. That includes trees, shrubs, and vines that have woody tissue to provide structural support and longevity.
Milton recommends you start with using traditional bonsai material, such as Elms, Zelkovas, Trident Maples, or Japanese Black Pines, because they are proven to be vigorous growers, and will age with grace.
Stick to traditional materials to gain experience and to enjoy your first bonsai before venturing out to try new materials, which could be time wasted if they are short of meeting your expectations after spending many years.
Over-exuberant beginners often start too with many bonsai and wind up having nothing notable to show for their time spent. Start with a few to learn and to do them really well in order to have the pride of ownership before scaling.
Selection Criteria
The most important consideration for selecting a traditional, proven bonsai tree is whether the mature bonsai will be to your liking. For example, start with a deciduous tree that has seasonal color changes that you like. You could choose something like a Japanese Maple that offers tender green leaves in the spring, fiery red fall foliage, and lean branches in the winter. Or you may prefer the stately evergreen in the park and go with a Pine or a Juniper.
There is considerably more to think about when it comes to unconventional or unproven bonsai material. For example, some trees have big leaves or long needles that will not reduce much, and therefore are more suitable for making into large patio “bonsai.” Then there is also the issue of longevity, with some being short lived perennials, or with softwood (like flowering peach trees) that may cause trees to die young. And even those that last, the bark may not develop interesting features.
Some bonsai also require more care than others. Some trees, like Elms and Zelkovas, are vigorous growers that can withstand neglect, such as forgetting to water…whereas Japanese Maples are less hardy and require a bit more care.
Milton recommends Elms, Zelkovas, Trident Maples, or Junipers for beginners as all-around good choices.
Tree Characteristics
Now, let’s go over the pros and cons of what you might want to consider for your collection:
Chinese Elms
We chose to start with Chinese Elms at Bonsai Heirloom because they are resistant to the Dutch Elm disease, which wiped out most of the stately American elm trees in the USA.
PROS:
Hardy, vigorous fast grower, which means that you’ll have ample pruning opportunities.
Leave reduces in size. (BH also offers a select cultivar that has red fall foliage as compared to the usual yellow.)
Interesting defoliating bark with age.
CONS:
Even with a root pruning screen, plan on repotting every five years or so to prevent it from becoming rootbound.
Purchase a Chinese Elm bonsai from BH here!
Zelkovas
PROS:
Hardy, vigorous fast grower, which means that you’ll have ample pruning opportunities.
Leaves will reduce in size – even more so with Chinese Zelkovas, which have the smallest leaves.
Japanese Zelkovas have a uniform growth habit, perfect for making into broom style bonsai. (Note: This is not the case with Chinese Zelkovas, which grow more like Chinese Elms.)
CONS:
Even with a root pruning screen, plan on repotting every five years or so to prevent it from becoming rootbound.
Purchase a Zelkova bonsai from BH here!
Trident Maples
PROS:
Hardy, vigorous fast grower, which means that you’ll have ample pruning opportunities.
Leaves will reduce in size. (BH also offers a select cultivar that has bright, red fall foliage.)
A nice winter silhouette will emerge with age.
CONS:
Leaves can burn in the summer heat.
Requires ample water.
Ideal to defoliate to rejuvenate new growth.
Purchase a Trident Elm bonsai from BH here!
Japanese Maples
PROS:
Open growth habits and soft green leaves made these highly desirable bonsai
Leaves will reduced in size and you can select cultivar with small size leaves with variation in shape and fall color.
Nice winter silhouette with age
CONS:
Usually grafted. Get seedling or cutting grown trees. Or air layer above the graft.
Trunk does not thicken as quickly as elm, Zelkova, and trident.
Leaves can burn in the summer heat.
Requires ample water.
Ideal to defoliate to rejuvenate new growth
Purchase a Japanese Maple bonsai from BH here!
Junipers
PROS:
Readily available at retail nurseries and can be collected from gardens.
Most junipers thicken quickly, excepting the procumbens nana varietal. (“nana” is a Latin term indicating a smaller size compared to other varieties within the same species.)
Same soil mix and growing and maintenance characteristics as all bonsai.
Can be maintained by pinching once established.
Evergreen.
CONS:
A little more difficult for beginners, because pinching is not so easy.
Purchase a Juniper bonsai from BH here! [add link to buy once live]
Pines
PROS:
Traditional bonsai material.
Japanese Black ages gracefully with short uniform needles and rough bark.
Often perceived as a difficult bonsai to maintain, but an easy, strong grower.
Can be maintained by pinching after it is established.
Can withstand full sun.
Evergreen.
CONS:
Nursery stock often has tangled roots, which are nearly impossible to fix.
Takes experience to keep needles short and uniform.
Will decline in partial sun (based on my experience).
We do not currently sell our Pine bonsai, but once live, purchase yours here!
About Bonsai Heirloom
We document bonsai transformations and the philosophy behind them. If you're feeling inspired to begin your own bonsai journey, consider adopting a bonsai from our curated collection. Each tree is hand-selected, artistically shaped, and ready to grow with you.