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Types of Bonsai Trees
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The exceptional characteristics, art in making, easiness of caring, and convenience in space are just few of the reasons why real Bonsai trees are the common choice of many plant lovers. The art of creating Bonsai trees started in Asia as early as the Han Dynasty and until now, the art of making and cultivating the miniature plants still lives. Even the West is now very interested in planting and caring for Bonsai trees. You may also want to cultivate and care for a Bonsai tree, but what classification would you choose?
You can choose the type of Bonsai tree depending on its use. These are the two major classifications of real Bonsai trees: indoor or outdoor. Most Bonsai trees are considered outdoor since most require enough sunlight in order to grow better. These are usually used to decorate your garden. Meanwhile, you may also find indoor Bonsai trees which are very common in different Asian restaurants. You can use this to ornament your house like the kitchen and living room. Anyway, you can have the outdoor Bonsai trees displayed indoor only that you need to regularly feed the plant with sunlight.
Aside from this Bonsai classification, you can also find a variety of this plant depending on their styles.
• Chokkan, also called the formal upright Bonsai tree style, is distinguished with its upright, straight, and tapering trunk.
• Moyogi. This is also called as the informal upright Bonsai tree style. Unlike the Chokkan, the branches and trunks for these Bonsai trees have curves and bends and never tilt towards the front. The trunk in Moyogi can tilt due to the wind force and sunshine.
• Shakan. This Bonsai tree style is also known as the slant-style in English. The trunks of Shakan are also straight like those of the Chokkan. The only difference is that the Shakan trunk comes from the soil, bended at a certain angle. It can withstand elements like the sun and wind force. Shakan is usually created through wiring and commonly creates an amazing style with different slants and bends of the trunk and branches.
• Kengai or the cascade-style. The branches of this Bonsai tree spread sideways instead of upwards, usually leaning lower than the pot’s base. You may see these branches as if they are caressing the ground.
• Han Kengai or the semi-cascade style. This looks like the Kengai, only that the trunk of the Bonsai tree does not lean lower than the pot’s base. Han Kengai looks like a tree that hangs out perilously from the gully edges and cliff tops.
These are the most common styles of Bonsai trees. However, you can still find other Bonsai tree styles like the Netsuranari or raft-style, the literati style, Yose Ue or the forest style, and the Sekijoju or the root-over-rock style. You can also find the Hokidachi or broom style, Ikadabuki or multi-trunk style, and the Ishizuke or growing-in-a-rock style.
Bonsai trees can also be classified depending on their size. Tiny Bonsai trees or Mame has a size range that limits to three inches. Small Bonsai trees or Shohin have five to 10 inches in size. Kifu or medium Bonsai trees measure up to 16 inches. Chu/ Chuhin or medium to large Bonsai trees have 16 to 24 inches while the Dai/ Daiza or large Bonsai trees have over 40 inches in size.
With the many classifications of Bonsai trees, you can definitely choose the best plant for your house, your office, your business, or as a gift. Anyway, the beauty of Bonsai does not depend on its classifications since these trees are naturally beautiful as they are.
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