A Really Good Bonsai Plant Selection List For The Beginner Grower
You can find a lot of outdoor and indoor plants to choose from that may be trained and formed into bonsai. In reality, nearly every plant that produces a woody stem will have characteristics that may make it ideal for bonsai plant growing and training.
Depending on exactly where you want to grow your bonsai plant you will be deciding between winter-hardy species, and tropical or sub-tropical species. If you live in a temperate climate and will be growing your bonsai outdoors you will likely pick from a winter-hardy species, and if you will be growing your plant inside or are in a warm climate year-round you might choose a tropical or sub-tropical species.
Following are only a few examples of the sorts of plants which have been commonly used in bonsai, are generally easy to find, and are suitable for the beginning, but future bonsai master:
The Japanese Maple (Acer Palmatum) is a deciduous tree that has green foliage early in the year which usually turn a lovely rich red in the summer time and a dazzling red in the autumn. This kind of tree doesn’t require a great amount of upkeep beyond what is required for most bonsai plants. Grow it in full summer sun but shield it from intense cold and severe frost in the winter. It does best with smaller but frequent watering, and the soil should not be permitted to dry out in between watering.
Yet another favorite is the Chinese Juniper (Juniperus Chinensis). This coniferous juniper with dark green needle-shaped leaves is hardy and easy to work with. Put it in full sun during summer months but protect the needles from extreme cold and frost in the winter. The soil should be kept moist all through both the summer and the winter, making sure to never let the soil dry out completely during winter.
The Chinese Elm (Ulmus Parvifolia) is one of the best trees of all for the novice bonsai grower. This tree is comparatively slow growing and extremely forgiving of bad cutting and pruning. The glossy, leathery leaves are sometimes still present midway through winter. The plant really should be placed in a sunny, but wind-sheltered area during the summer, and placed indoors inside a cool room with good light during the winter. Keep the soil moist all summer, after which only keep the soil barely moist during the winter after the leaves have fallen off the tree.
The Weeping Fig (Ficus Benjamina) is quite a common houseplant, very regularly seen in offices as well as homes because it is relatively low-maintenance. This can be a good plant to modify as a bonsai plant, and once again is an extremely good choice for the beginner grower. The plant must be kept indoors throughout the year. Keep the soil evenly moist during the summer months, cutting back during the winter but under no circumstances permitting the soil to totally dry out.
This list is merely a few of the hundreds and hundreds of different choices you have to create a bonsai plant. All of these trees and plants on the list should be easy to find at your nearby nursery or garden center.
Anybody can easily get started in the hobby of bonsai. A good, practical, step-by-step guide to bonsai gardening is essential to a beginner’s success. And I’m not talking about a picture-book that is better suited for the coffee table. I have a link on my website to what I consider to be the best practical guide, dollar for dollar, that you can find. You’ll never regret getting ionvolved in this fascinating hobby, and this book will make it super easy to get started and be successful.