Bonsai Encyclopedia

The Complete Guide to 310 Bonsai Species — from classical Japanese junipers and pines to tropical Ficus and flowering bonsai — with expert styling, wiring, pruning, and seasonal care guides for every tree.

🌲 Juniper

The quintessential bonsai genus — Juniperus species have been shaped by Japanese masters for centuries. Dense, pliable foliage, exquisite jin and shari deadwood potential, and remarkable resilience make junipers the most popular bonsai worldwide. From the legendary Shimpaku to the ground-hugging Procumbens Nana, this group offers styles from formal upright to dramatic cascades.

🌳 Pine

Revered as the king of bonsai in Japan, Pinus species embody strength, age, and endurance. Black pine (Thunbergii), white pine (Parviflora), and red pine (Densiflora) form the holy trinity of Japanese bonsai, demanding precise candle-pruning and needle-pulling techniques. Mugo and Scots pines bring European alpine character to the art.

🍁 Maple

Acer palmatum and its cultivars are the supreme deciduous bonsai — prized for their refined ramification, stunning autumn colour, and graceful silhouettes in winter. Trident maple (A. buergerianum) offers vigorous growth and superb nebari development, while field maple and Amur maple bring cold-hardiness and smaller leaves to the collection.

🍃 Elm

Ulmus parvifolia (Chinese Elm) is arguably the best beginner bonsai tree — tolerant of pruning, fast-growing, with naturally small leaves and beautiful mottled bark. Zelkova serrata brings the classic Japanese broom style, while other elms offer varied bark textures and leaf sizes for every skill level.

🌸 Azalea

Satsuki and Kurume azaleas are among the most celebrated flowering bonsai in Japan, with entire exhibitions devoted to their spectacular spring blooms. Rhododendron indicum cultivars display flowers in every shade from pure white through pink, coral, red, and purple — often with multicoloured blooms on a single tree. Careful post-bloom pruning and acidic soil are key.

🌴 Ficus & Tropical

The gateway to indoor bonsai — Ficus species thrive in warm, bright interiors where most other bonsai would perish. Ficus retusa (microcarpa), F. benjamina, and F. religiosa develop impressive aerial roots, buttressed trunks, and dense canopies with minimal fuss. Tropical species like Schefflera, Carmona, and Bougainvillea extend the indoor palette with flowers and exotic textures.

🌺 Flowering

Bonsai that reward patience with spectacular seasonal blooms. Prunus mume (Japanese apricot) flowers on bare branches in late winter, Wisteria drapes cascading racemes of violet and white, while Chaenomeles (quince) and crabapples bring orchard charm in miniature. Timing pruning around flowering cycles is the key skill.

🍎 Fruit-Bearing

Miniature trees that produce real, proportionate fruit — a true marvel of bonsai artistry. Pomegranate, olive, citrus, crabapple, and Pyracantha bear fruit that scales beautifully on bonsai, creating stunning autumn displays. These species demand good light, careful fertilizing, and patience for fruit set.

🎄 Other Conifers

Beyond juniper and pine, the conifer world offers extraordinary bonsai subjects. Cryptomeria japonica (Japanese cedar), Taxus (yew), Chamaecyparis (false cypress), Larix (larch), and Picea (spruce) each bring unique foliage textures, bark character, and seasonal interest. Larches offer the rare spectacle of a conifer with golden autumn colour.

🌿 Broadleaf Evergreen

Year-round green foliage on compact, small-leaved species — ideal for bonsai that look complete in every season. Ligustrum (privet), Buxus (boxwood), Ilex (holly), Murraya, and Sageretia develop fine twiggy ramification and respond enthusiastically to pruning. Many tolerate shade and indoor conditions better than deciduous species.

🍂 Deciduous

The art of the bare tree — deciduous bonsai reveal their true structure in winter when every branch and twig is visible. Fagus (beech), Carpinus (hornbeam), Betula (birch), Quercus (oak), and Crataegus (hawthorn) offer dramatic seasonal transformations from spring budbreak through summer canopy to autumn fire and winter silhouette.

🌱 Specialty & Unusual

The conversation pieces of the bonsai world — Ginkgo biloba, the living fossil unchanged for 270 million years; Metasequoia, the dawn redwood thought extinct until 1944; Serissa, the tree of a thousand stars; Podocarpus with its yew-like foliage; and Schefflera with its aerial root curtains. Each brings unique challenges and aesthetic possibilities.

🏠 Houseplants Encyclopedia

357 indoor plant species including tropical Ficus, the indoor bonsai favourite.

🌲 Conifer Encyclopedia

Explore the full conifer family — many species also make excellent bonsai subjects.

🍁 Trees Encyclopedia

Full-size trees and their botanical profiles — the parent species behind many bonsai.

🌿 Mosses Encyclopedia

300 moss species — essential companions for bonsai soil surfaces and accent plantings.