The Art of Bonsai

By Luke Sonderman

You may have heard of tiny little trees that look like they are fully grown. And, no, I’m not talking about broccoli. Bonsai trees are trees whose roots have limited space to grow, which makes the tree grow in a miniature version. If you haven’t heard of bonsai, you may be living under a rock. I own three bonsais, so I know what I’m talking about. 

What does “bonsai” mean?

Bonsai is a Japanese word that literally means “planted in a container” (bonsaiempire.com). The larger a container you give a bonsai, the larger it will grow. According to the bonsaiempire.com, “This art form is derived from an ancient Chinese horticultural practice, part of which was then redeveloped under the influence of Japanese Zen Buddhism.” 

How to groom a bonsai?

You heard me right. As a bonsai owner, you also assume the role of a gardener who must groom their tree. It is important to groom your bonsai to make it keep its appearance as a mini-version of the full size tree. While grooming my bonsai, I like to start at the bottom of the trunk and work my way up by trimming off small branch off-shoots along the trunk. Once I make my way up to the large branches, I start to work on the shape of the tree. To do this, I groom the leaves into a visually pleasing shape. It is important to cut the leaves at the base of the stem or else they will quickly grow back. Finally, I search for any other dried-out or dead leaves and snip them off as well. If you don’t have an image in your head of what you want your tree to take the shape of, I would look up images of your tree and shape it accordingly. 

Are bonsai trees expensive?

The common misconception about bonsai trees is that they are all very expensive and take forever to grow. This is untrue. There are many affordable bonsais and even some bonsais that don’t take forever to grow. The most common bonsai to own is a juniper bonsai. Juniper bonsais flourish outdoors but can survive indoors if watered properly and exposed to lots of sunlight. A  five-year-old juniper bonsai will cost between 40 and 60 dollars. This will be a tree that is 3-5 inches tall. Even 50-year-old juniper bonsais will only cost between 800 and 1000 dollars (bonanza.com). So, yes, you may be able to find bonsais for $30,000, but there are plenty of affordable options. 

Why should you own a bonsai?

You should own a bonsai because it’s a mini tree. Who doesn’t like mini stuff? It’s like having a pet that doesn’t bite you or wee on your new carpet. Ready to start? My favorite bonsai dealer is brusselsbonsai.com.