Your Guide To Growing A Beautiful Indoor Bonsai – Part II
In Part I of my article on Indoor Bonsai we talked about the distinctions between an indoor and an outdoor bonsai, and in general what characterizes an indoor bonsai tree. In this Part II I will explain the correct way to choose the best plant material for your bonsai, and additionally provide a summary of 4-5 plants and trees that happen to be very highly suitable as indoor bonsai, in addition to being absolutely ideal for the amateur bonsai grower.
You have a good deal of options as to where you will acquire your plants for your bonsai undertaking. A specialist bonsai nursery is usually the very best place to buy a bonsai tree, and here you will be able to find out exactly what sort of potting mixture must be used and when the plant must be repotted.The very best location to look for bonsai plants and trees is at a nursery that are experts in bonsai trees. The folks at the nursery can provide lots of care guidelines, including the sort of potting material that has been used, and when it ought to be re-potted next. You may choose to buy an already established bonsai tree. This is an excellent way for you to get started building your collection, unfortunately it can be expensive. You may also check out your neighborhood garden centers for plant material that you might train to become bonsai. Plenty of plants that are very popularly used as “house plants” can be trained to be bonsai.
Considering that many traditional house plants can be trained as a bonsai you could begin by thinking about plants you currently have around the house to see if any are suitable. This could be a quite affordable way to get started with the hobby. Whatever species of plant you select make sure that it is healthy as this will greatly improve it’s probability of success.
Carefully check any plant that you’re contemplating buying for any indicators of insect damage or disease. This is necessary whether you are buying from a bonsai nursery or a garden center. The buds should be fresh with firm young shoots. A plant that hasn’t been well maintained and not been provided enough water will have dried up buds on it. Try to find strong and healthy limbs and trunks. If you familiarize yourself with the many different styles of bonsai before you go to the nursery you will be able to pick out plants that are ideal for the style that you want to create.
The following is a list of plants that are both widely used as indoor bonsai and are a good choice for the new bonsai enthusiast.
Java Fig (Ficus benjamina) You can buy this as an established bonsai or you can buy it as a houseplant and modify it into a bonsai. The Ficus benjamina is native to the warmer climate of southeast Asia and is an evergreen. Several bonsai styles work well with the Java fig including, the broom style, the cascade and semi-cascade style, the informal upright, and the slanting style.
Chinese Elm (Ulmus parvifolia) You can buy this as an already established bonsai or you can buy it as a small potted houseplant and modify it into a bonsai. This is a hardy, semi-evergreen tree that when grown indoors is evergreen but when grown outdoors will lose it’s leaves and go dormant during winter.
Chinese Box (Murraya paniculata) Available as an established bonsai or as a houseplant to be modified. This is a beautiful indoor bonsai. It has fragrant flowers that appear throughout the year.
California Juniper (Juniperus californica) This plant is commonly available as an established bonsai. You can also buy it as an ordinary houseplant and train it yourself. The California juniper is an evergreen and it’s foliage will stay green all year long. Typical styles that you will often see this plant trained as are the informal upright, the slanting style, and the cascade and semi-cascade styles. This plant makes a beautiful indoor bonsai tree.
Jade Plant (Crassula ovata) You can buy this as an established bonsai or you can buy it as a young houseplant and modify it into a bonsai. This plant is commonly seen as an ordinary houseplant but it does very well when trained as a bonsai. Some styles that can be considered for this plant are informal upright, broom, and slanting.
This is of course only a very partial list of plants and trees that can be trained as indoor bonsai. As time passes you will discover more and more species and varieties of trees to include ion your bonsai collection.
Resource
Japanese bonsai gardening is a hobby that is fascinating, affordable, and easy to get involved in. Bonsai can be enjoyed by people of all ages, and can last a lifetime. Click this link to learn more about growing your very own indoor bonsai tree, and sign up for your FREE 7-part introductory mini-course on how to grow miniature bonsai trees. Or, to get started growing your own bonsai trees trees right away check out the highly regarded “how-to” bonsai book “Beautiful Bonsai Secrets”.
