Small and standing tall

Bonsai roughly translates as ‘tree in a pot’ and therein lies its artistry. A bonsai tree is basically a miniature ‘full grown tree’ and the term should be reserved for those plants that are grown in shallow containers and have been pruned and trained according to the bonsai traditions.

There are two types of bonsai – indoor and outdoor variety - and it’s important to know the difference. Once a plant is selected, to make it grow into a tiny tree, you have to restrict the roots and prune the branches. The artistry in bonsai lies in knowing how to ‘shape’ the tree in an aesthetic manner.

Bonsai practitioners will agree that decisions on styling a bonsai are mainly about which branch to cut and which one to bend. Bending a tree too has rules and learning the art perfectly often takes years and at the cost of several plants. Since not many can invest so much time and labour on the art of bonsai, ‘readymade’ bonsais are bought and nurtured.

Here are some tips:

What to buy?

Some vendors sell plants which aren’t suitable for bonsai so the first rule for bonsai is to know the plants that do well as miniatures. In India, the species that are suitable for bonsai are most varieties of Ficus, Pine, Casuarina, Raintree, Silver Oak, Duranta Gold, Poinsettia, Tamarind, Neem, Mango, Sapota and Cashew Tree.

Creating a bonsai

If you have started off with bonsai, then it’s best to take guidance from an instructor. Usually, the plant that you bring from the nursery should be removed from its container and the bottom of the root ball should be cut off to at least two-thirds. Select a shallow container which most of the starter kits provide. Place the remaining root ball in the soil and rake through the soil to expose some roots. Top the soil with moss and gravel and water well.

Depending on the species, place the tray outside or near a sunny window. Decide the branches which need to be bent or shaped and wrap a wire snugly around it, taking care not to suffocate the branch’s supply. Remove the wire after the branch has grown in the shape desired.

When shaping the tree, here are some rules:

The trunk should lean slightly in the direction of the viewer

The height of the trunk should be six times the tree’s caliper (breast height of the tree)

The bottom branches must be cut off. The first branch should be at one-third height of the tree

The tree trunk and the branches should not cross each other

The tree should taper as it ascends and the branches should taper as they grow

The overall shape of the tree top should be an imaginary asymmetrical triangle