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Bonsai Encyclopedia

Encyclopedia of popular bonsai species with care guides, traits, and styling tips.

Featured Bonsai

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Showing 8 of 77 species

Chinese Elm© Ronnie Nijboer / CC0

Chinese Elm

Ulmus parvifolia

Beginner

A deciduous bonsai with small leaves and fine branching. Fast growth makes styling easy for beginners. Semi-evergreen, providing foliage interest year-round.

Beginner-friendlyDeciduousSmall leaves
Chinese Hackberry© Geographer ( talk ) / CC BY 3.0

Chinese Hackberry

Celtis sinensis

Beginner

Deciduous bonsai bearing small fruits in autumn. Smooth gray bark and natural form are appealing. Birds visiting for fruits add charm. Good root spread.

Beginner-friendlyDeciduousFruiting
Ginkgo© EecherplazGinkgo06.jpg : Cayambe derivative work: Ginkgotree ( talk ) / CC BY-SA 3.0

Ginkgo

is also

Beginner

An ancient tree called a living fossil. Fan-shaped leaves and vivid yellow autumn color are spectacular. Unique aerial roots (chichi) add interest. Hardy and beginner-friendly.

BeginnerDeciduousAutumn gold
Japanese Sumac© Aomorikuma / CC BY-SA 3.0

Japanese Sumac

Toxicodendron vernicifluum

Beginner

Deciduous tree with pinnate compound leaves and vivid autumn colors. Natural wild appearance with a mountain grass aesthetic. Popular as small bonsai.

BeginnerDeciduousAutumn color
Japanese Wax Tree© Franz Eugen Köhler, Köhler's Medizinal-Pflanzen / Public domain

Japanese Wax Tree

Toxicodendron succedaneum

Beginner

Deciduous bonsai with brilliant scarlet autumn color, among the finest in bonsai. Unique pinnate leaf silhouette. Cool summer greenery. Fast growing and easy to shape.

Beginner-friendlyDeciduousBeautiful autumn color
Korean Hornbeam© Daderot / CC0

Korean Hornbeam

Carpinus turczaninowii

Beginner

Deciduous tree with small leaves and fine branching. Easy to shape for bonsai with attractive brown-gold autumn color. Small leaf size makes it ideal for shohin.

BeginnerDeciduousShohin
Liquidambar© Sanchezn / CC BY-SA 3.0

Liquidambar

Liquidambar formosana

Beginner

Also called sweetgum. Star-shaped leaves with spectacular autumn color. Deep corky bark ridges are also attractive. Relatively fast-growing and beginner-friendly.

BeginnerDeciduousAutumn color
Trident Maple© Hurricanefan24 / CC BY-SA 3.0

Trident Maple

Acer buergerianum

Beginner

Popular deciduous bonsai with distinctive three-lobed leaves. Appealing root spread, bark texture, and autumn color. Often styled as root-over-rock. Fast growth suits beginners.

Beginner-friendlyDeciduousAutumn color
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Bonsai FAQ

How much do bonsai cost?
Mini bonsai cost 1,000-5,000 yen, medium bonsai 5,000-50,000 yen, and masterpiece-class large bonsai hundreds of thousands to millions of yen depending on age, size, and form.
Can beginners start bonsai?
Starting with small Japanese maple, Shimpaku juniper, or Japanese white pine is recommended. With basic watering and 1-2 annual prunings, beginners can fully enjoy bonsai.
How long do bonsai live?
With proper care, bonsai can live for hundreds of years. Japan has many bonsai several centuries old, valued as art pieces passed down across generations.
What should I check when buying bonsai?
Look at root spread, trunk movement, and branch balance. Beginners may enjoy starting with affordable raw material trees and shaping them, rather than finished specimens.
What's most important for bonsai care?
Daily watering is the most important task. Water thoroughly when the soil surface dries, twice daily in summer (morning and evening). Keep outdoors in a spot with good airflow and sunlight.