Bonsai Encyclopedia

A yatsubusa maple famed for its leaf character: small, thick, crinkled leaves crowded at the shoot tips. Its unusual foliage sets it apart from ordinary Japanese maples at a glance.

Native to North American west coast. Known for resilience against sea winds and naturally curved trunks. Suits literati and windswept styles with distinctive wild charm.

Deciduous bonsai blooming with white camellia-like flowers in summer. Smooth bark develops beautiful mottled pattern with age. Triple appeal: flowers, bark, and autumn color.

Japan's wild native citrus, an evergreen bearing fragrant white flowers in early summer and flattened yellow fruits 2.5–3 cm across in winter. Famous as the 'Ukon no tachibana' at the Kyoto Imperial Palace; wild plants are nationally Near Threatened.

A deciduous tree of the camellia family whose smooth, red-brown trunk is counted among Japan's three most beautiful barks. Small white flowers 1.5–2 cm across nod in early summer, and leaves turn red in autumn. Smaller in flower and leaf than Stewartia pseudocamellia.

A white yabai-group ume named for starting to bloom around the winter solstice (toji). It bears single white medium flowers very early and in great numbers, and thickens its trunk well. Also called Toji-bai; a staple starter plant for ume bonsai.

Deciduous tree with gracefully drooping branches full of atmosphere. Enjoy waterside scenery up close. Very fast growth requires frequent care, but unique form is unmatched.

Elegant flowering bonsai with cascading purple flower clusters in spring. Cascade or display-shelf styles maximize bloom beauty. Flowering improves with age.

One of the kanbai ('winter ume') that bloom from early January to early February, bearing deep red double flowers very early. It was the earliest of seven cultivars to flower in a prefectural trial.

Indispensable citrus in Japanese cuisine. Takes long from seed but grafted stock fruits in a few years. Fragrant flowers and yellow fruits are enjoyable.

The signature broom-style bonsai tree. Fan-shaped fine branching is its greatest charm. The winter silhouette after leaf drop is considered the pinnacle of bonsai aesthetics.