Bonsai Encyclopedia
Encyclopedia of popular bonsai species with care guides, traits, and styling tips.
Featured Bonsai
Showing 2 of 137 species
© David J. Stang / CC BY-SA 4.0Kiyohime Japanese maple
Acer palmatum 'Kiyohime'
A dwarf, small-leaved maple with a beautiful spring flush: young leaves are edged red-purple, turn green in summer and colour yellow, orange and red in autumn. It spreads wider than tall with dense branching—a staple for shohin maples.
Deciduous bonsaiJapanese mapleSmall-leaved
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Sekka hinoki cypress
Chamaecyparis obtusa 'Sekka'
A hinoki selection made for bonsai and a shohin staple. 'Sekka' here means foliage even harder and more crinkled than ordinary yatsubusa types, packing into tight mounds with an ancient, fossil-like look.
ConiferSekka foliageShohin
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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.