Guide to Artificial Bonsai Trees

Although the word ‘Bonsai’ is a Japanese pronunciation of an earlier Chinese word ‘Penzia’, which should only be applied to container grown trees, it has become the term westerners have become most familiar with when describing any kind of miniature tree that grows in containers or pots. Classical Chinese gardens often contained carefully pruned trees and rock formations to create a small scale duplication of the natural surrounding landscape. This arrangement of miniature trees and rocks was known by the Chinese as ‘Penjing’ and was a tradition practised over two thousand years ago and was introduced to Japan between the 7th and 9th centuries by ambassadors to the imperial embassies of Tang, China.

These miniature gardens were also cultivated in trays and small pots and are kept small by a combination of careful pruning, exact watering and a tremendously clinical attention to detail. This allows the Penjing to acquire an aesthetic shape and the complex illusion of age. These types of miniature gardens usually fell into the 3 categories of tree, landscape and water/land Penjing, and are often referred to as living sculptures, or three dimensional poetry.

The sense of achievement from cultivating one successfully must be tremendous. Of course, because of the difficulty associated with maintaining the modern incarnation of a ‘Bonsai’ tree to the standard that it deserves (and the initial cost of starting one), it is a task that should only be undertaken by somebody who understands the considerable effort and patience needed to help the plant cultivate properly. However a Bonsai can be a very interesting and complimentary edition, or a centrepiece, to anybody’s desk, work place or living space. Indeed it can be a good talking point, especially now that we have given you a little bit of the history and facts to arm yourself with.

If you wish to have a Bonsai as an impressive addition to your armoury of foliage, but you are not sure if you have the time needed to invest into looking after one, then do not worry. It is extremely easy to find some very good artificial examples of Bonsai that look and feel like the real thing, but at the same time do not detract away from the style and elegance of what can only be described, by anyone who has seen one of these miniature trees, as a truly magical piece of horticulture.

Pine Bonsai - This is handmade and shallow planted into a container. It is a large display that perfectly illustrates the true elegance of how a bonsai can be complimented by the surround of a small rockery around the base. The choice of pine is also a deliberate way of using a tree known well in the west and can act as an additional talking point.

Bamboo Bonsai - A more traditional type of bonsai plant using a tree that is associated closely with the Far East and in particular China.   This is usually a large display planted in a black shallow container to enhance and contrast against the very leafy green bamboo.  This would make a very interesting edition to anyone interested in the origins of the art of ‘Penzai’.