{"product_id":"2940013964976","title":"Growing Bonsai Trees","description":"Bonsai are miniature trees grown in pots. The aim of bonsai culture is to develop a tiny tree that has all the\u003cbr\u003eelements of a large tree growing in a natural setting. This look is achieved, principally, by branch and root\u003cbr\u003epruning and shaping, but other factors are also important. The texture of the trunk, its look of age, the moss\u003cbr\u003eand the under plantings in the container — all contribute to the illusion of a miniature tree as it is seen in\u003cbr\u003enature.\u003cbr\u003eA presentable bonsai can be created in a few seasons. Cultivating these miniature potted trees is both an\u003cbr\u003eintriguing hobby, and a means of adapting a wide range of plants to specialized and decorative uses. Bonsai\u003cbr\u003erequire daily watering during their growing season, and, because the plants are rooted in shallow pots,\u003cbr\u003ecareful pruning.\u003cbr\u003eBonsai are kept outdoors most of the year, but — from time to time — these miniaturized versions of nature\u003cbr\u003eare brought indoors for display. Only certain tropical trees, shrubs, and vines can be continually kept indoors\u003cbr\u003efull time as bonsai.\u003cbr\u003eBonsai, as an art form, stems from ancient oriental culture. It originated in China and was developed by the\u003cbr\u003eJapanese. In the 13th century, the Japanese collected and potted wild trees that had been dwarfed by nature.\u003cbr\u003eThese naturally formed miniatures were the first bonsai.\u003cbr\u003eWhen demand for the small trees outstripped the supply, Japanese gardeners began to train bonsai from\u003cbr\u003enative trees. They shaped the trees to give them the illusion of age and naturalness. Over the years, the\u003cbr\u003eJapanese devised standards of shape and form, which gradually began the classic bonsai styles.\u003cbr\u003eAmerican bonsai are much freer in concept and style than Japanese bonsai. American bonsai growers\u003cbr\u003ehave recognized that the horticultural and aesthetic rules are important, but are specifically aimed at\u003cbr\u003eJapanese culture. Because of this, Americans have taken oriental styles and applied them to plants never\u003cbr\u003egrown by the Japanese. Therefore, the rigid procedures and names used by the Japanese are not used in\u003cbr\u003ethis bulletin.\u003cbr\u003ePrinciples of Bonsai\u003cbr\u003eNot all plants are equally effective as bonsai. To produce a realistic illusion of a mature tree, look for plants\u003cbr\u003ewith the following characteristics:\u003cbr\u003e· Small leaves or needles.\u003cbr\u003e· Short internodes, or distances between leaves.\u003cbr\u003e· Attractive bark or roots.\u003cbr\u003e· Branching characteristics for good twig forms.\u003cbr\u003eAll parts of the ideal bonsai — trunk, branches, twigs, leaves, flowers, fruits, buds, roots — should be in\u003cbr\u003eperfect scale with the size of the tree. Plants used for bonsai should have small leaves, or leaves that\u003cbr\u003ebecome small under bonsai culture. Plants with overly large leaves, such as the avocado, will look out of\u003cbr\u003ePage 4\u003cbr\u003eproportion if chosen for bonsai. Sycamores also develop leaves that are too large. Certain species of both\u003cbr\u003emaple and oak trees usually respond well to bonsai culture and develop leaves that are in proportion.\u003cbr\u003eAmong the plants with small leaves and needles are spruce, pine, zelkova, pomegranate, and certain oaks\u003cbr\u003eand maples.\u003cbr\u003ePlants chosen for bonsai should have attractive bark, and the trunk must give the illusion of maturity. The\u003cbr\u003etrunk should have girth, but must remain in proportion to the entire tree. The trunk should taper gradually\u003cbr\u003etoward the top of the tree. Sometimes one or two of the main branches must be shortened to emphasize the\u003cbr\u003evertical line of the trunk and give the trunk a balanced appearance.\u003cbr\u003eTo give the appearance of age, the upper one-third of the root structure of a mature bonsai is often exposed.\u003cbr\u003eThis is especially effective if the roots have good girth and form. Twisted and tangled roots should be\u003cbr\u003estraightened before potting or repotting a tree to achieve an aged appearance. Bonsai from nursery stock,\u003cbr\u003eand trees collected from the wild, should have a root system that will — when exposed — add to the\u003cbr\u003eappearance of the finished bonsai.\u003cbr\u003ePlants have a “best profile” just as people do. Decide on the front of the tree at the very beginning, because\u003cbr\u003eplanting and shaping are done with the front of the tree in mind. However, you may change your ideas\u003cbr\u003eabout the plants ultimate shape as you clip and prune.\u003cbr\u003eThe front of the bonsai should offer a good view of the main trunk, which must be clearly visible from the\u003cbr\u003ebase to the first branch, typically about one-third the way up. Everywhere on the tree, but mostly from the\u003cbr\u003efront, the branches should look balanced and appear to be floating in space; they should not appear lopsided\u003cbr\u003eor top-heavy. The branches should not be opposite one another with their lines cutting horizontally\u003cbr\u003eacross the trunk. The branches give the bonsai the dimension and establish the tree’s basic form.\u003cbr\u003eA bonsai should have","brand":"99 \u0026cent; eStore, save to buy more","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47152827891952,"sku":"2940013964976","price":0.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/2940013964976_p0.jpg?v=1763598000","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/2940013964976","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}