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Version: 1.5
X-Last-Updated: 1993/05/24
Archive-name: bonsai-faq/part1
This is part 1 of 5 of the rec.arts.bonsai/alt.bonsai FAQ
I'll try to update the FAQ either weekly or as often as required
based on the info submitted. (In other words..I'll do it more
often if required and less often if nothing has changed). The
FAQ will be posted bi-weekly, or when it get updated whichever
comes first.
If there are errors or typos in this text, or if your name has
been left off of the contributor list, please just drop me a
note. I'm very much capable of making mistakes...I do promise to
do my best to correct all errors found before the next release
of the FAQ.
The bonsai Dictionary is still under construction. I have some
of the most frequently used Japanese terms (according to my
limited sources), and I have the Latin botanical terms (again
within the limits of my knowledge/sources...) If you have
additions or corrections, please e-mail them to me at the
address below.
THIS FAQ IS NOW AVAILABLE VIA ANONYMOUS FTP!
This FAQ, and many other FAQ's are available via anonymous ftp
from rtfm.mit.edu in the directory pub/usenet/news.answers.
The archive name for this FAQ appears in the Archive-name: line
in the auxiliary header found in each of the 5 sections of the
FAQ. This FAQ is known as bonsai-faq/part1. (Each part has
a separate name..ie part2, part3 etc..)
A mail server also exists for accessing the FAQ archives. Send
a message to mail-server@rtfm.mit.edu with the command
'help' in the body of your message.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++
+The Bonsai Mailing List+
+++++++++++++++++++++++++
For those of you who for one reason or another can not currently
get a feed for rec.arts.bonsai, there may be another way to get
in on the discussion there. Subscribe to the bonsai mailing list!
Subscription is easy. Send e-mail to: LISTSERV@cms.cc.wayne.edu.
In the body of the letter, have the line:
SUB BONSAI <Enter your name>
The mailing list software will extract your mailing address from
the message header, so you don't need to put that in your command.
The messages in the mailing list are automatically posted to
rec.arts.bonsai, and all of rec.arts.bonsai is automatically
mailed to the subscribers of the mailing list! For a list of
commands, send the command: help to the LISTSERV address.
If you have trouble, you can contact either me (Mike), or
Dan Cwiertniewicz <dan@FOGHORN.PASS.WAYNE.EDU> for help.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
+ FTP site for bonsai GIF files! +
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
An anonymous FTP server for Bonsai GIFS (and other types of pictures)
is available at bonsai.pass.wayne.edu. Login as anonymous and use
guest as a password. You can put images in the /uploads directory,
and get images from the /pub/GIFS directory. This allows the person
responsible for the site a chance to check the files before anyone
can get them, thus avoiding having the site terminated due to
inappropriate material.
+++++++++++++++++++ CALL FOR TRANSLATORS ++++++++++++++++++++++
If you like Bonsai, and you can translate this FAQ into another
language, please do so...You can either e-mail me the
translation, or post it directly yourself..I'll add it to the
FAQ as TRANSLATIONS come in (if they come in...)
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Mike Bartolone
bartlone@gemed.ge.com
or
cs688.freenet-in-a.cwru.edu
(first rec.arts.bonsai/alt.bonsai FAQ compiler)
The rec.arts.bonsai/alt.bonsai FAQ has now been broken down into
smaller pieces to make mailer mangling less likely.
part 1 Section 1 -- Introduction and Table of contents
Section 2 -- What is Bonsai?
Section 3 -- Dictionary of Japanese bonsai terms
part 2 Section 4 -- Dictionary of selected Latin botanical
terms.
part 3 Section 5 -- Frequently Asked Questions!
Section 6 -- Soil
part 4 Section 7 -- Clubs, Associations
Section 8 -- Reading material (Books and Magazines)
part 5 Section 9 -- Suppliers and Nurseries
Section 10 -- Junipers (Their own section!)
Section 11 -- Indoor bonsai
Section C -- Contributors...
Section 2 What is Bonsai?
This was at one time, the most commonly ask of all FAQ's, but,
since the Karate Kid was first shown, the frequency with which
this question gets asked has decreased a little bit..Bonsai is
literally a plant, (usually a tree or shrub) grown in a tray,
or dish. The first plants grown in pots were in Egypt about
4000 years ago, mostly for practical reasons, mobility, and
convenience. The Greeks, Babylonians, Persians, and Hindus
copied the technique. The Chinese were the first to plant
trees in pots for aesthetic purposes about 200 AD. It then
moved to Japan with the monks that also brought Buddhism in
the 6th and 7th centuries. This data is supported in essence
by a scroll from Japan's Kamakura period (1192-1333), in a
scroll describing life in the Heian period (794-1191).*
Bonsai as we now know it was perfected in Japan.
The original bonsai trees were usually collected, dwarfed
by nature. Today, however, it is probably better to allow such
specimens to stay where they are. In many locations collecting
them in the wild is against the law. In others the chance of
finding a suitable specimen is almost zero.
Over the years, techniques have evolved which allow the
grower to change the height and direction of growth, and in
some cases to dwarf the foliage as well as the plant. Today,
bonsai is an art form, a living sculpture. There are certain
classic or traditional forms that can be found and followed,
but the basic rule of thumb for personal bonsai is 'If you
like the way it looks, it's a good bonsai'.
*(From The Masters Book of Bonsai)
Section 3 -- Dictionary of Japanese bonsai terms
Bonsai styles ---
chokkan Formal Upright
The chokkan bonsai typically has a single, upright
trunk that tapers toward the top, branches are
symmetrically balanced and well spaced.
moyogi Informal Upright
Moyogi bonsai have a single trunk like the chokkan,
but the trunk is usually curved. The trunk generally
tapers toward the top like the formal upright.
kabudachi (multiple trunks)
sokan Twin Trunk
sankan Triple Trunk
gokan 5 trunk
Two (or 3 or 5) trunks growing from the same root.
Usually one trunk is the largest and is referred to
as the parent. Good conformation is based on the
aesthetic balance of the smaller 'children' to the
parent in trunk thickness.
shakan Slanting
A single trunk, similar to the formal and informal
upright, but cultivated with the trunk growing at
an angle other than 90 degrees to the ground.
Branches are again balanced and well spaced.
netsuranari sinuous
sinuous bonsai have multiple trees growing from a
single sinuous root. 5 needle pine are most commonly
used for this style.
neagari exposed root
Roots growing up out of the ground, suspending the
trunk in the air characterize this rare style of
bonsai.
ikada raft
Similar in effect to netsuranari, but typically with
one straight horizontal root joining the trees.
This is usually accomplished by burying a larger
tree horizontally and then training each branch as a
separate tree.
fukinagashi Windswept
Similar to the slanting style, but all of the
branches are swept in one direction as though it
were growing in a place with a strong constant
prevailing wind.
kengai cascade
An unusual form where the trunk and branches arch
and 'cascade' over the edge of the pot. Usually
planted in a deep pot to give balance to its
unusual form.
bunjingi literati
upright or informally upright trunk bare of branches
except at the top, characterized by a tasteful
simple elegance.
hokidachi broom
broom style trees have an upright trunk, with
branches evenly fanned out. It resembles an old
fashioned broom standing on its handle.
yose-ue Group
A group planting of distinct separate trees,
representing a grove, or forest.
ishitsuki rock-grown
There are two basic types of rock grown bonsai,
root grasping the rock, where the roots do enter
the soil the rock is protruding from, and on, or
in the rock, where the tree is planted in a pocket
of earth attached to the rock, or in a hollow in
the rock.
Growing techniques
misho grown from seed
yamadori collecting plants from nature
sashiki grown from cuttings
tsugiki grafting
toriki layering and dividing
Other Japanese bonsai terms --
nebari the rootball of a bonsai
End of Section 3 -- Dictionary of Japanese bonsai terms.
End of Part 1 of 5 of the rec.arts.bonsai/alt.bonsai FAQ.
Continued in part 2
Version: 1.4
X-Last-Updated: 1993/05/24
Archive-name: bonsai-faq/part2
This is part 2 of 5 of the rec.arts.bonsai/alt.bonsai FAQ.
This posting contains:
Section 4 -- Dictionary of Latin Botanical Terms
Section 4 -- Dictionary of Latin Botanical Terms
-- (Note: This section is complete within the limits of my
documentation)
abbreviatus -- short
acuminatus -- long tapering point
acutifolius -- with sharp leaves
adpressus -- pressed together, pressed against
adscendens -- going up
aerius -- of the air, as air-roots
affinus -- related, with an affinity
africanus -- from Africa
alatus -- winged
albescens -- pale, whitish
albidus, albus -- white
albiflorus -- with white flowers
alpinus -- of the alpines, mountains
alternus -- alternating, usually means NOT directly
opposite
altus -- altitude, tall
amabilis -- pretty
amphibius -- adaptable either to land or water
angulosus -- angled, turning every which way
angustifolius -- with narrow leaves (seldom used, more
commonly nerifolius)
aquaticus -- of the water, water-loving
arborescens -- growing like a tree, woody like a tree
arenatius -- found in sandy places
argenteus, argentus -- silvery
aristatus -- bearded
arrectus -- straight up, erect
ascendens -- going up, ascending
asiaticus, asiatus -- from asia
atlanticus -- Atlantic
atropurpureus, atropurpurea -- purple, sometimes dark red
atrosanguineus -- dark blood-red
atroviolaceus -- dark violet
atrovirens -- dark green
augustus -- important in size or appearance, imposing
aurantiacus -- orange-red
aureus -- golden
azureus -- light blue, azure
babylonicus -- Babylonian, from Babylon
balticus -- from the Baltic
bengalinis -- from Bengal
biennis -- biennial
biflorus -- two flowered
bifolius -- two leaved
brefolius -- with short leaves
brevis -- short
brevisimus -- very short
brillian -- brilliant
brittanicus -- from Britain
brunneus -- brown
bulgarius -- Bulgarian
buxifolius -- with leaves like a boxwood, box-leaved
calamifolius -- with reed-like leaves
californicus -- from California
campestris -- found in fields
candelabrum -- having the form of a candelabra
candicans -- white or frosty looking
catitatus -- headed
carneus -- flesh-colored
cerefolius -- with waxy leaves
coccineus -- bright red
coloratus -- colored
columnaris -- having the form of a column
concolor -- similar coloring
conglomeratus -- all close together
contortus -- twisted, contorted
cordatus -- heart-shaped
cornutus, cornuta -- horned
crassifolius -- with thick leaves
crenatus -- serrated
cuspidatus -- sharp tooth, or hard point
deformis -- deformed
deliciosus, deliciosa -- delicious
dendroideus -- like a tree
densatus -- dense
densifolius -- with dense leaves
densiflorus -- with dense flowers
dentatus -- toothed, with a series of points
dipterus -- two-winged
discolor -- of two or several colors
dissectus -- deeply cut leaves, an in fern-leaved maple
divaricatus -- spreading
domesticus -- domesticated
edulis -- can be eaten
elatus, elata -- tall
elegans -- elegant, graceful
elongatus -- long
erectus -- upright
excelsius, excelsus -- tall
exoticus, exotica -- from another country
fastigiatus -- having nearly vertical, close-together
branches
ferox -- fierce, thorny
flaccidus -- soft, limp
flammeus -- flame-colored
flexilis -- bendable, flexible
florepleno -- with double flowers
florebundus -- with many flowers
foetidus -- bad-smelling, having a fetid odor
fragrans -- sweet-smelling, fragrant
fragrantissimus very sweet-smelling
frutescens -- bushy, shrubby, twiggy
gallicus -- from Gaul (France), may also pertain to a
rooster
giganticus -- large, gigantic
glaucus -- with a frost-like bloom, as on a grape
gloriosus, gloriosa -- great, superb
gracilis -- slender, graceful, lissome
grandifolius -- with large leaves
gutatus -- freckled
haemanthus -- bright red flowers
humilis -- dwarf, low
ilicifolius holly-like leaves
japonicus -- from Japan
lancifolius -- with lance-like leaves
latifolius -- with broad leaves
leptolepis -- with thin scales
leptophyllus -- with thin leaves
leucodermis -- with white skin
lobularuis -- lobed
luteus -- yellow
macranthus -- with large flowers
nacro -- big, long, large
maximus -- the largest
medius -- medium
megalophyllus -- with very large leaves
microphyllus -- with very small leaves
minimus -- very small
mollis -- hairy, fuzzy
myriophyllus -- with many leaves
nanus, nana -- dwarf, small
nerifolius, nerifolia, -- with narrow leaves
niger -- black
nodulosa -- with small nodes
nudifolia -- deciduous, naked of leaves
oblongatus -- oblong, oval
officinalis -- medicinal
parviflorus -- with small flowers
parvifolia -- with small leaves
patens -- spreading
pinous -- line-like
podocarpus -- with stalked fruits
polydactylus -- with many fingers
porphyreus -- purple
praecox -- very early
procumbens -- procumbent, lying down
pumilus -- dwarf, small
pygmaeus -- pygmy
pyramidalis -- pyramidal
repens -- creeping, low
reticulatus -- with a netted pattern
robustus -- strong, robust
roseaflorus -- with rose-like flowers
rotundifolius -- with round leaves
scandens -- climbing
semperflorens -- everblooming
sempervirens -- always green
serpens -- creeping
serpyllifolius -- with thyme-like leaves
serratus -- with a saw tooth edge
stolenifera -- with runners that root and send up
another plant
strictus -- erect
sylvaticus -- of the forest
tenuifolius -- with slender leaves
tomentosus -- very wooly
tridens -- with three teeth or points
variegatus -- variegated
verrucosus -- warty
virens -- green
virginianus -- of Virginia, first defined in Virginia
viridis -- green
vulgaris -- common, vulgar, ordinary
xanthinus -- yellow
zonalis -- banded
End of Section 4 -- Dictionary of Latin Botanical Terms
End of Part 2 of 5 of the rec.arts.bonsai/alt.bonsai FAQ
Continued in part 3
Version: 1.4
X-Last-Updated: 1993/05/24
Archive-name: bonsai-faq/part4
This is part 4 of 5 of the rec.arts.bonsai/alt bonsai FAQ.
This posting contains:
Section 7 -- Clubs, Associations
Section 8 -- Reading material (Books and Magazines)
Section 7 -- Clubs, Associations
Clubs and Associations
-------------------------
Bonsai Institute of California
PO Box 6268
Whittier CA 90609 USA
Bonsai - Zentrum Muenster
Wolfgang Klemend
Weselerstr. 57
D-4400 Muenster
Germany
(note: Club AND Nursery)
Svenska Bonsais{llskapet
c/o Margit K}berger
Kornbodsg. 27
S-724 81 V{ster}s
Sweden
Milwaukee Bonsai Society
P.O. Box 174
Greendale Wi 53129 USA
Albuquerque Bonsai Club
P.O. Box 6979
Albuquerque, NM 87197
Meets 1st Wednesday each month
Connie Gardner, president
(505) 268-6284
Prairie State Bonsai Society
(formerly Morton Arboretum Bonsai Society)
P. O. Box 2634
Glen Ellyn, IL 60138-2634
Meets 4th Monday of the month at College of DuPage.
Section 7 -- Reading material (Books and Magazines)
Books
-------------------------
BONSAI
The Complete Guide to Art & Technique
by Paul Lesniewicz
published by Blandford Press
Indoor Bonsai
by Paul Lesniewicz
published by Blandford Press
The Creative Art of Bonsai
by Isabelle & Remy Samson
Ward Lock Ltd ISBN 0 7063 7024 4
_BONSAI with American Trees_
by Masakuni Kawasumi
published by Kodansha International Ltd
ISBN 0-87011-246-5
"Bonsai Techniques" by John Yoshio Naka
Published for the Bonsai Institute of California,
The Complete Book of Bonsai
by Harry Tomlinson
Abbeville Press, 1991 224p
$30.00
(Hardbound. ISBN:1-55859-118-4)
The Complete BONSAI Handbook
By Darlene Dunton
Stein and Day Publishers
ISBN 0-8128-6008-X
Four Seasons of Bonsai
by Kyuzo Murata
The Beginner's Guide to American Bonsai
By Jerald P. Stowell
ISBN 0-87011-326-7
The Masters' Book of Bonsai
Compiled by Directors of The Japan Bonsai Association
published by Kodansha International Ltd
ISBN 0-87011-453-0
Bonsai: Illustrated Guide to and Ancient Art
Ed: Patricia Hart Clifford
published by: Sunset Publishing Corporation
ISBN 0-376-03044-5
American Bonsai Society-Bonsai Clubs International Book Service
C/O Vernon Weeks Dept "B"
3740 Louisiana Ave. N.
New Hope MN 55427 USA
Telephone: 612 537-6984
ABS-BCI list...
Title (Author)
Prices ($US)
List Member Postage Title
========= ====== ===== ====================================
1. 24.95 20.00 2.00 The Art of Indoor Bonsai (Ainsworth)
David & Charles, 1989. (Hardback. ISBN:0-943955-11-4)
Trafalgar Square ( David & Charles ), 1992.
(Paperbound. ISBN:0-943955-58-0) 128 p. $19.95
Good pages on basic techniques and basic ideas for
growing indoors. 66 pages devoted to care and
feeding of 33 species which work well indoors.
2. 44.95 36.00 2.75 Bonsai (Koreshoff)
3. 45.00 36.00 2.50 Bonsai, The Art & Technique (Young)
4. 29.95 25.00 2.00 The Bonsai Book (Barton)
Trafalgar Square ( David & Charles ), 1990.
(Hardback. ISBN:0-85223-742-1)
5. 17.95 17.95 Paid Bonsai Book of Practical Facts (Meyer)
6. 24.95 20.00 2.00 Bonsai Design:
Deciduous & Conifer Trees (Adams)
Sterling Publishing Co., Inc., 1990
(Hardback. ISBN:0-7063-6836-3) 143 p.
7. 19.95 16.00 2.00 Bonsai Masterclass (Chan)
Sterling Publishing Co., Inc., 1993
(Paperbound. ISBN:0-8069-6763-3) $14.95
8. 25.00 25.00 Paid Bonsai Techniques I (Naka)
9. 35.00 35.00 Paid Bonsai Techniques II (Naka)
10. 27.95 22.50 2.25 Bonsai: The Complete Guide (Lesniewicz)
11. 14.00 12.00 2.00 Bonsai: Trees & Shrubs (Perry)
12. Brooklyn Botanical Gardens Handbooks:
a) 6.95 5.75 1.50 first, Bonsai for Indoors
Sewall Company, 1991.
(Paperbound. ISBN:0-945352-59-X)
b) 6.95 5.75 0.50 each Bonsai: Special Techniques
Sterling Publishing Co., Inc., 1992.
(Paperbound. ISBN:0-945352-02-6)
c) 5.95 4.75 additional Bonsai: Dwarf Potted Trees
d) 5.95 4.75 Japanese Gardens
13. 29.95 25.00 2.00 Chinese Bonsai (Lesniewicz)
14. 39.95 32.00 2.50 Chinese Penjing (Hu)
15. 100.00 75.00 Paid Classic Bonsai of Japan (Nippon
Bonsai Assoc.)
16. 29.95 25.00 2.00 The Complete Book of Bonsai (Tomlinson)
17. 17.95 14.50 2.00 The Creative Art of Bonsai (Samson)
18. 24.95 20.00 2.00 Four Seasons of Bonsai (Murata)
Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 1990.
(Hardback. ISBN:4-7700-1498-8)
19. 29.95 22.00 2.00 Hagamos Bonsai (Botero) [Spanish Text]
20. 8.95 7.25 1.50 Indoor Bonsai (Ainsworth)
21. 14.95 12.00 1.50 Indoor Bonsai (Lesniewicz)
22. 14.95 12.00 1.75 Indoor Bonsai: A Beginner's Guide (Pike)
23. 19.95 16.00 2.50 The Japanese Art of Miniature Trees
& Landscapes (Yoshimura & Halford)
24. 23.95 16.00 2.00 The Japanese Art of Stone Appreciation
(Covello & Yoshimura)
25. 40.00 32.00 2.50 Japanese Maples (Vertrees)
26. 39.95 32.00 2.50 Penjing: The Chinese Art of
Miniature Gardens (Hu)
27. 29.95 25.00 2.00 Popular Bonsai (Pike)
28. 8.95 7.25 1.50 Successful Bonsai Growing (Adams)
29. 29.95 29.95 Paid Outstanding American Bonsai (Clark)
30. 75.00 60.00 Paid The World of Bonsai (Lesniewicz)
31. 14.95 12.00 1.50 Bonsai: The Art of Training Dwarf
Potted Trees (Brook. Bot. Gard.) [Video]
International Bonsai
pub. by
The international Bonsai Arboreum
412 Pinnacle Road
Rochester, New York 14623
Phone (716) 334-2595
Plants and gardens, Brooklyn Bot. Gard. Record. -- Handbook
Vol. 9 No. 22 Dwarfed Potted Trees, The Bonsai of Japan
Vol. 22 No. 2 Bonsai: Special Techniques
Vol. 32 No. 2 Bonsai for Indoors
Brooklyn Botanical Gardens
1000 Washington Ave
Brooklyn, NY 11225
Art of Bonsai(Adams)
Sterling Publishing Co., Inc., 1992.
(Paperbound. ISBN:0-7063-7116-X)
$17.95
Very good book for explaining strategy of training certain trees.
Unfortunately ignores maples. Part 1: Profiles on 1) Beech and Hornbeam
2) Elm and Zelkova 3) mixed Juniper species & Cryptomeria (~ 20 pages each)
explaining conditions for growing and production cycle over the first
6 years of growing and training.
Part 2: 16 case histories of authors own plants illustrating technisues
and strategies.
Simon and Schuster's Guide to Bonsai (Giorgi)
Simon & Schuster Trade, 1991.
(Paperbound. ISBN:0-671-73488-1)
$14.00
Practical Bonsai (Lewis)
Trafalgar Square ( David & Charles ), 1993.
(Paperbound. ISBN:1-85223-661-2)
$8.95
Living Art of Bonsai (Liang)
Sterling Publishing Co., Inc., 1992.
(Hardback. ISBN:0-8069-8780-4)
$35.00
Bonsai Basics (Pessey)
Sterling Publishing Co., Inc., 1992.
(Paperbound. ISBN:0-8069-0327-9)
$9.95
Probably one of the better inexpensive basic books. A nice
section on how trees grow.
Indoor Bonsai (Pike)
Trafalgar Square ( David & Charles ), 1991.
(Paperbound. ISBN:1-85223-254-4)
$15.95
Beginning Bonsai (Student)
Tuttle, Charles and Company Inc, 1992.
(Paperbound. ISBN:0-8048-1729-4)
$9.95
Bonsai (Sunset)
Sunset Books.
(Paperbound. ISBN:0-376-03044-5)
$7.95
Masterpieces of Bonsai (Takayanagi)
Farrar, Straus & Giroux.
(Hardback. ISBN:0-87040-711-2)
$22.95
Magazines
-------------------------
Bonsai Today
Stone Lantern Publishing Co
P. O. Box 816
Sudbury MA 01776
Subscriptions are $42 a year. 6 issues a year.
English translation of a Japanese magazine. Very detailed!
"Bonsai" -- Journal of the American Bonsai Society
Quarterly, ca. 30 pages
Annual membership fee: individual $18, student $11
Information: ABS Executive Sec. Box 358, Keene NH 03431
"Bonsai Clubs International"
6/Year, 60 pages
Annual Dues $25
Magazine office:
PO Box 1326
Ft. Walton Beach, FL 32549 USA
Phone (904 862-4619)
End of Section 8 -- Reading Material (Books and Magazines
End of Part 4 of 5 of the rec.arts.bonsai/alt.bonsai FAQ
Continued in part 5
Version: 1.4
X-Last-Updated: 1993/05/24
Archive-name: bonsai-faq/part3
This is part 3 of 5 of the rec.arts.bonsai/alt bonsai FAQ.
This posting contains:
Section 5 -- Frequently Asked Questions!
Section 6 -- Soil
Section 5 -- Frequently Asked Questions!
Q: How do I start?
Opinion 1) Get as many books as you can. Read them..look
at the pictures. Look in your local phone book and see if
there is a bonsai club in your area. Talk to local Nursery
operators and see if they know of any clubs in your area.
Select a tree that has some of the basic design that you'd
like to have in your final tree, and buy it..use the info
you got from reading, and from the local club/nursery
owner (if he knows what bonsai is!).
Opinion 2) Indoors: Remember that immature plants should
not be treated as bonsai, they must be treated as the
houseplants they are. Give them plenty of soil to grow in
and don't use too little fertilizer, or they won't develop
branches and leaves when you cut them and the trunk won't
grow in thickness.
Q: As a beginner, should I purchase a mature or partially
trained bonsai, or start from scratch?
Opinion 1) I think you should start from scratch. Your
first attempts may never be 'show quality', but you can
make a few mistakes without damaging a tree you paid for.
It may take a bit longer to arrive at something that looks
the way you want it to, but bonsai is (usually) not one of
those instant gratification hobbies. If you get the proper
book and some guidance, starting with some inexpensive
nursery stock may yield some 'instant bonsai' which allows
the beginner to learn, while allowing you to own something
that looks like a 'real bonsai'. Stay away from trees
labeled 'Bonsai' in MOST discount stores. Numerous people
have seen some discount chains with dead or dying seedlings
planted in shallow trays with a solid mat of pebbles glued
down over the soil. The trees had not been watered, and
even if they were, the water couldn't penetrate the ground-
cover. They were marked $10.00...
Opinion 2) The question should really be: Should I start
from scratch with a small seedling, or with a plant that is
larger. Neither will give you "instant bonsai". The larger
will have a thicker trunk from the beginning, and thus will
look "almost like a tree" sooner. A younger plant gives you
greater freedom in which shape to train it into. You get to
use different methods on them, the larger lends itself to
cutting down, the smaller to cutting away to encourage
other growth.
(And by all means, if you see a shaped tree you really want,
the price is right, it looks healthy and undamaged, and is of
a species you know is hardy or of a sort you already have,
and therefore know you can take care of -- it _is_ OK to
buy it.)
Q: Is there a list of which plants that are accepted as 'good'
to start a bonsai? (Latin names, and if to be in- or out-doors
please)
Ficus benjamina Indoors
Fast grower, hardy. Easy to get the leaves small. Suitable
for many different shapes.
Ficus retusa Indoors
Similar to benjamina, leaves grow in a different pattern.
Ficus pumila Indoors
If you want a cascade, this is the way to go. Cut often to
prevent it from going long and thin. May die if the roots dry
out totally.
Schefflera arboricola Indoors
Schefflera actinophylla Indoors
Can be cut down enormously, buy a 50cm plant and cut it down
to 10cm! Must be shaped completely without wiring. Takes
correct treatment to get the leaves small.
Crassula argentea Indoors
Portulacaria afra Indoors
Succulents with small leaves, branch easily.
Malpighia cocciera Indoors
Slow grower.
Murraya paniculata Indoors
Slow grower. Gets beautiful structured bark when still young.
Myrthus communis cool winters
Must be kept at around +10C in the winter.
Q: I have trouble finding the 'right' pots for bonsai.
(Either unavailable or too expensive) Are there alternatives?
Q: I assume that the time & # of times to prune the trees/roots
vary with the latitude. Anyone have data on that?
The answer to this is a bit more complex than it would seem.
It isn't just a case of latitude. Localized climatic
conditions can and do play a much larger role in when to
perform the common bonsai activities such as pruning, and
repotting, than the latitude. For instance, in the US, the
Great Lakes have a climatic effect in a strip around them
that extends from about 10 miles to well over 50 miles in
width depending on if you measure on the eastern or western
edge of the lakes. What you need is the USDA zone map and
a chart comparing the climate of some of the cities in Japan
for min. winter temp, earliest frost, last frost, avg.
precipitation. etc. Unfortunately I've seen a lot of people
try to do this and come to the conclusion that the climate
(at least in the US) has no parallel to that of Japan.
Q: What are some good tools for beginners to purchase? They're
rather expensive if you get true bonsai tools. It would be
a shame to buy a $45 trimmer and then realize that it's only
used during odd procedures or only for specific types of
trees/styles.
Section 6 -- Soils
Special thanks to Reji Martin for most of the following section
on soils. There has been some discussion of whether one single
type (or size?) of soil caould actually be used from top to
bottom in a pot, but I don't think there is a definite answer
as of yet. So, as a general guideline, this info is widely
accepted.
BONSAI SOILS
Sorry about taking so long to put this together, anyway as
promised here it is.
A good general rule of thumb (green, I hope) for all trees is
a uniform mix of loam, peat, & sand. A good compost (the mix)
should be a well-balanced one. The proportions of each will
change according to the species of tree. For instance pines
& junipers will prefer a mix which is principally sand;
rhododendrons & azaleas like a peaty compost; while fruity &
flowering trees like plenty of loam. A good suggestion would be
that you try to match the original soil(s) the tree came with,
if possible, if not the following chart will help;
NOTE: The sand should be a coarse grit like substance to
promote good drainage!
TYPE SPECIES SAND PEAT LOAM
General mix Most varieties 2 1 1
Pine/Juniper 4 1 0
Conifer mix Cypress, &
other conifers 3 1 1
General
deciduous mix 2 1 1
Fruit/Flower mix 1 1 2
Lately I have been experimenting with soil mixtures, which seems
to be the best way to understand soil mixtures. And it became
quite obvious to me that some of my trees had been set back a
years growth because the soil wasn't right . . . there was very
little new root growth. And when I transplanted it into a good
mix the new root growth was triple the amount of old root!
The importance of good drainage cannot be emphasised enough
as the roots require some air too! I have been covering the
base of the pot with small gravel and then the putting the
proper mix for the particular tree and to top it off a finely
sifted loam to promote moss growth. A proper soil mix will allow
for drainage while holding enough mosture for the plant without
causing root rot, etc.
(Editor's note: The fine soil on the top should be a VERY thin
layer and is only really there to allow moss a good footing.)
\\ || //
\\|||/
\||||
/-----------------------||||-----------------------------\
Fine |::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::|
|--------------------------------------------------------|
Mix |;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;|
|;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;|
|--------------------------------------------------------|
Gravel |o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/|
|o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/|
| ---------------------------------------------- |
| | | |
|_____| |_____|
Experimentation and observation is the best way to find the
right soil mix for your tree(s). If you are in doubt use the
above mentioned 'General mix'. Pines and junipers can be as
much as 70-80 % sand!
End of section 6 -- Soil
End of Part 3 of 5 of the rec.arts.bonsai/alt.bonsai FAQ
Continued in part 4
Version: 1.5
X-Last-Updated: 1993/05/24
Archive-name: bonsai-faq/part5
This is part 5 of 5 of the rec.arts.bonsai/alt.bonsai FAQ.
This posting contains:
Section 9 -- Suppliers and Nurseries
Section 10 -- Junipers (Their own section!)
Section 11 -- Indoor Bonsai
Section C -- Contributors...
Section 9 -- Suppliers and Nurseries
====================================
+++++++++++++++++++++
The Bonsai Farm
13827 Hwy. 87 So.
Adkins, Texas 78101 USA
Tel: (512) 649-2109
Owners: Edith & Leonard Sorge
(Note: Good variety plants for indoor and outdoor bonsai
tools, and pots)
+++++++++++++++++++++
Greenwood Gardens
Ollerton Road
Arnold
Nottingham
ENGLAND.
NG5 8PR Tel: 0602 205757
+++++++++++++++++++++
Bonsai Nursery
966 S. Saratoga-Sunnyvale Road
San Jose, CA.
408-252-1458
Very nice selection of finished bonsai ranging from $40.00
on up, clay pots, tools, and starter plants. The starter
plants are in 3" and 4" containers and priced between
$3.00-$5.00. This is a very good way to begin a new
bonsai. They also carry a good selection of plants in 1
gallon containers that can be "bonsai-ed".
Friendly and knowledgeable service.
+++++++++++++++++++++
Ken's Bonsai Gardens
471 Page Mill Rd.
Palo Alto, Ca
415-325-4840
"Ken" is a master. I was very humbled by visiting his
gardens which are located in his small front yard. Very
high-quality "finished" bonsai. Prices ranged from $20.00
up into the thousands. No supplies to speak of...just a
few pots sitting on the front porch.
+++++++++++++++++++++
Ruukkupuu
PL 32
36601 PALKANE
FINLAND
tel. (936) 2842
Finnish bonsai-equipment supplier (has been for about 20
years now). It has quite large selection of pots and other
equipment, may have indoor bonsai's soon...
+++++++++++++++++++++
Carter Seeds
475 Mar Vista Drive
Vista, CA 92083
Predominantly a wholesaler, but they do carry 1 oz packets
of Pinus thubergii (Black Pine) seeds. Write for a catalog.
+++++++++++++++++++++
Yonemoto's Nursery and Landscaping
208 El Pueblo Rd. NW
(on 2nd just South of Paseo del Norte)
Albuquerque, NM
(505) 898-0120
+++++++++++++++++++++
Midwest Bonsai Pottery
8311 Racine Trail
Austin, TX 78717
Mike and Candy Hansen, the proprietors, have a stoneware pottery and
bonsai-ery. They sell trees, pots, tools, soil mixes, and other
equipment.
+++++++++++++++++++++
Shibui Bonsai
??? Saratoga-Sunnyvale Road
Cupertino, CA 95014
(408) 736-8256
(408) 248-5743
Hours: 1st Saturday of the month, 9-12am,
2nd Wednesday, 6-8pm
and by appointment
Shibui carries a large assortment of bonsai supplies, and specializes in
Tokaname pots. If you're looking for a special pot, this is a good place to
check. They also carry wire, fertilizers, pruning hardware, etc.
In addition, they have a color catalog from which they can order pots from
Japan if you don't find what you're looking for in stock.
+++++++++++++++++++++
Bonsai Nursery
3750 S. Federal Blvd.
Denver, CO 80110
303/761-3066
2-3 acres of plants. One 20x75 foot roundtop full
of bonsai. Also nice outdoor display.
$3.99 juniper starters. Assortment of other bonsai
(maple, etc.).
Cons: no moss or nifty ground cover for sale.
The people are friendly enough, and they won't try
to pull a fast one on a first-timer (the lady said I
didn't need to spend $25 on a new set of shears--use
a pair of cuticle scissors to see if I like bonsai,
then come back and buy the shears). The clerks didn't
know the answers to some of my questions, saying I
should speak to "Mr. Ron" the bonsai guy.
=========================================================
Note: The following may or may not still exist. I have not
contacted them, and the listing I got them from is at least
8 years old! If you live close enough to verify any of these
sources, or find any of them to have moved or gone out of
business, please let me know so we can update the FAQ!
Hillier Nurseries (Winchester) LTD,*
20/26 Lamb's Conduit Street
London England
WCIN 3LE
(Note: Very complete and worthwhile catalogue)
Armstrong Nurseries
Box 473
Ontario CA 91764 USA
(Note: Young starter plants, dwarf citrus)
Crane Products
8432 Birch Bark Dr.
Pico Rovera CA 94111 USA
(Note: Handcrafted bonsai tools, starter plants)
Hortica Gardens
Don and Pauline Croxton
Box 308
Placerville CA 95667 USA
(Note: Bonsai stock..extensive selection)
Phone (916) 622-7089
House of Bonsai
800 Trail Blvd., No.,
Naples FL 33940 USA
(Note: Mature bonsai, young starter stock, pots and accessories)
Plant City's Bonsai Tree
609 Shallowford Road
Gainesville, GA 30504
Phone: 404-535-2991
Raw material, and trained specimens, pots, soil, tools,
fertilizers and many other items. Classes available.
============================================================
Section 10 -- JUNIPERS
The Juniper is one of the most recognised bonsai specimens and
is frequently the first bonsai purchase many newcomers make.
Junipers do make very fine bonsai, and although they are not
'difficult' bonsai to manage, they are frequently 'mistreated'
and therefore do not last long. We have gotten LOTS of
questions about brown junipers', and what 'first aid' you might
give them. Well, we hate to break the news to you, but, if you
have a brown juniper, it is probably dead. Don't get too
depressed, even the best have lost a tree..or 5..or 10. The
most common mistakes made with junipers are over watering, AND
lack of sufficient sunlight. Junipers are outdoor trees, so
if you have no way to grow them outside, find some nice person
that knows about bonsai, and can give it a good home. If you
want to try a juniper anyway, make sure it gets plenty of sun,
don't over water it, and make sure it gets plenty of air.
Section 11 -- Indoor bonsai
A special thank you to Hud Norden for the following list of indoor
bonsai.
In Dorothy Young's "Bonsai the Art and Technique", for warm indoor
temperatures (65-75 daytime), she suggests:
Auraucaria heterophylla (Norfolk Island pine)
Bougainvillea glabra
Brassaia actinophylla (Schefflera)
Calliandra emaginate (powder-puff)
Carissa grandiflora (Natal plum)
Ceratonia Siliqua (Carob)
Citrus Limon (lemon)
Crassula argenta (jade tree)
Cuphea hyssopifolia (elfin herb)
Cycas revoluta (cycad)
Ehretia microphylla (fukien tea)
Ficus Aurea (strangler fig), F. benjamina, deltoidea, microcarpa,
neriifolia, pumila, runignosa [big win in the fig family!]
Grevillea robusta (silk oak)
Hedera helix (ivy)
Lagerstroemia indica (crape myrtle)
Malpighia coccigera & glabra (miniature holly & Barbados cherry)
Myrtus communis (Greek myrtle)
Olea europaea (olive)
Pithecellobeum flexicaule (Texas ebony)
Punica granatum (pomegranate)
Pyracantha coccinea, fortunaea, koidzumii (everlasting thorn,
Chinese fire thorn, Formosa fire thorn)
Sageretia thea (sageretia)
Schinus terebinthifolius (Brazilian pepper)
Serissa foetida (serissa)
Severinia buxifolia (Chinese box orange)
Syzygium paniculatum (brush cherry)
60 F - 65 F Daytime Temperatures
Araucaria heterophylla (Norfolk Island pine)
Brassaia actinophylla (Schefflera)
Calliandra emarginata (dwarf powder puff)
Ceratonia siliqua (carob tree)
Chamaecyparis pisifera, thyoides (Sawara cypress, dwarf white cedar)
Cotoneaster microphyllus (Chinese cotoneaster)
Cryptomeria japonica (Japanese cedar)
Cupressus arizonica, macrocarpa, sempervirens (Arizona, Monterey,
Italian cypress)
Cycas revoluta (cycad)
Ficus benjamina, carica, deltoidea, microcarpa, nerrifolia, pumila,
rubignosa (figs)
Gardenia jasminoides (common gardenia)
Hedera helix (English ivy)
Ilex crenata, vomitoria (Japanese, Yaupon holly)
Juniperus chinensis var. procumbens, squamata (procumbent, prostrate
juniper)
Ligustrum japonica (Japanese privet)
Murraya paniculata (Orange jasmine)
Myrtus communis (Greek myrtle)
Nandina domestica (heavenly bamboo)
Olea europea (European olive)
Pithecellobium flexicaule (Texas ebony)
Pittosporum tobira (Mock orange)
Podocarpus macrophyllus (Buddhist pine)
Polyscias balfouriana, fruticosa (Balfour, ming aralia)
Punica granatum (pomegranate)
Pyracantha coccinea, fortuneana, koidzumii (everlasting thorn, Chinese
fire thorn, Formosa fire thorn)
Rhododendron indicum, kiusianum (satsuki, kyushu azalea)
Sageretia thea (sageretia)
Serissa foetida (serissa)
Severinia buxifolia (Chinese box orange)
Ulmus parvifolia (Chinese elm, especially the Catlin)
Cool (40 F - 60 F) Daytime Temperatures
(Bring indoors in winter, and take them outdoors in the spring.)
Buxus microphylla and sempervirens (boxwood)
Chaenomeles japonica (Japanese flowering quince)
Chamaecyparis obtusa, pisifera, thyoides (Hinoki, Sawara cypress,
dwarf white cedar)
Cryptomeria japonica (Japanese cedar)
Ilex crenata (Japanese holly)
Juniperus chinensis var. procumbens, squamata (procumbent, prostrate
juniper)
Nandina domestica (heavenly bamboo)
Pyracantha angustifolia, coccinea (fire thorn, everlasting thorn)
Rhododendron indicum, kiusianum (satsuki, Kyushu azalea)
Thuja occidentalis (American arborvitae)
Ulmus parvifola (Chinese elm)
Section C -- Contributors
This section is a listing of the contributirs to this list. I
want to include this info so we all know who to thank..and who
we can talk to.
Here goes...
Name netmail, Snail Mail etc Contribution
---- ----------------------- -------------
Andy Hart andy@cmptrc.lonestar.org creator of
CompuTrac, Inc. alt.bonsai
222 Municipal Drive dictionary
Richardson, TX 75080 USA contributions
Mike Bartolone bartlone@gemed.ge.com 1st FAQ compiler
cs688@freenet-in-a.cwru.edu
3459 S. 110th St
West Allis WI 53227 USA
Hud Nordin rkn@Apple.COM ABS-BCI Book
service list
...
Bruce Barnett barnett@crd.ge.com Bonsai Today
address..
Reji Martin varmart@atlas.cs.upei.ca More books,
Prince Edward Island, and suppliers
Canada
Linda Brigman Linda.Brigman@bbs.oit.unc.edu More books
lgb@rcc.rti.org (internet)
lgb@rti (bitnet)
Kreg Webb kwebb@sedona.intel.com Book and Mag
Intel, Corp. C3-36 addresses
5000 W. Chandler Blvd
Chandler, AZ 85226
Klaus Zeppenfeld klaus@informatik.Uni-Osnabrueck.DE Club listing
Breslauerstr. 23
D-4760 Werl
Germany
Jonas Flygare flax@mizar.docs.uu.se FAQ Questions
Va\"ktargatan 32 F:621
S-754 22 Uppsala
Sweden
Marlon Cole cczcole@unicorn.nott.ac.uk or Supplier
cczcole@uk.ac.nott.unicorn address
Cripps Computing Centre
University of Nottingham
Nottingham
ENGLAND
NG7 2RD
Urban Fredriksson urf@icl.se FAQ opinions
(n.g.u.fredriksson.swe2001@oasis.icl.co.uk) club listing
Janet Jakstys UUCP:{ames,pyramid!amdahl,hplabs}!ntmtv!janet
Northern Telecom INTERNET:ntmtv!janet@ames.arc.nasa.gov
Mtn. View, CA. supplier listing
John & Jame Amoroso ja@gnv.ifas.ufl.edu additional history
Gainesville, FL ja@ifasgnv
Joel W. Collins, III jwcoll01@ulkyvx.louisville.edu FAQ
(University of Louisville) question
1443 S. 2nd St., Apt. 2
Louisville, KY 40208 USA
Bill Lindsay BILLL@HARVARDA.HARVARD.EDU Brooklyn Bot.
Garden address
Diane Jean Nakashian dianen@world.std.com More addresses
Acton, MA, USA
William A. Young (Butch) wayoung@n4wmt.b24c.ingr.com
Huntsville, AL Suppliers addresses
Ron 'Coyote' Lussier coyote@sti.com Supplier Address
Software Transformation
1601 Saratoga-Sunnyvale Rd, #100
Cupertino, CA 95014
(408) 973-8081 x315
Greg Bishop (bishop@baeyer.chem.fsu.edu) More book information
Tallahassee, FL
Gail Valentine gailj@ihlpl.att.comm Club and supplier listing
AT&T, Naperville, IL
End of Section C -- Contributors
End of part 5 of 5 of the rec.arts.bonsai/alt.bonsai FAQ
End of the rec.arts.bonsai/alt.bonsai FAQ