Types of Bonsai
Bonsai plants are available
in varied range, shape and sizes to fulfill the need of a
person searching for a dream plant of his own. Bonsai
cultivation is more rewarding than purchasing due to its
heavy costs and so in most cases, most people prefer growing
bonsai plants on their own. Cultivation of Bonsai plant
takes time, labor and pain, but when it seeds turn into
plant, it rewards all the hardships.
If you wish to cultivate a bonsai plant, you should start
after properly studying the plant styles and its origin.
Bonsai plants are grown in trays or containers and are
developed in such a way that they attain relatively much
smaller size then their free growing counterparts. Bonsai
are of various types, which are based upon the plant’s
structure, size and origin.
Types of Bonsai are
Slant Bonsai Tree
Slant Bonsai is possibly the most admired type of bonsai
tree. The basic idea of the style is that while the tree
'slants' to one side, its main branch points in the other
direction. The style is challenging because care has to be
taken for creating a well balanced look for the tree, which
suits its appearance and ambience. If style is applied
properly, it can give an exceptional look to the plant, but
wrong application can make the plant unattractive and could
also affect its growth and life period.
The Cascade Type
This style is one of the most interesting ones and gives the
plant a unique look. The basic idea here is that the trunk
of the tree starts growing upwards (as always), but then
quickly turns and proceeds to grow into horizontal
direction. The plant can go exactly over the edge of the
pot, with its branches extending even below the pot surface.
This style is not recommended for most bonsai plants as it
hinders the growth of the plant and the plant can also
become unstable.
For this style, the plant selected should have deep and
strong roots and should be placed in a large pot having good
quantity of soil. If soiling and pot are not proper the
whole tree might tip over. Among the better trees for the
cascade type bonsai tree are Junipers, Jasmine and Wisteria.
Formal and Informal Upright Bonsai Types
These are the most basic types of bonsai trees one can
choose, and can easily prove to be the best starting point
for those bonsai lovers who are still learning the ropes of
bonsai cultivation. The formal upright is basically an
upright growing tree, which has its trunk growing in a
single direction – straight upwards; this is not all that
hard to achieve. The lowest branch should be the longest,
with each progressive branch being slightly shorter than the
one before it. Branches should alternate from left to right.
That means that if the first branch points to the left, the
second one should point to the right, the third one to the
left again and so on. The overall effect is that of a
beautifully balanced and visually attractive tree.
The informal upright tree differs from the formal upright in
that the top branch of the informal tree isn't growing
vertically, but is instead tipping a bit to the front. This
gives a slight slant to the tree, giving it a more organic
look and feel.
Windswept Bonsai
This is the most preferred bonsai style and bonsai lovers
all over the world use it for styling their plants. As the
name indicates, the tree is styled as if a strong wind is
blowing through its branches. The style is very hard to
achieve and requires lot of perfection, but if done properly
it is nothing short of being stunning. You should study
windswept style before implementing it on your plant as
wrong application can even kill your plant.
I wish you all the best on your
Chinese elm bonsai tree adventure!
Best wishes,
Thomas T :)
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