Posts categorised: Species

Zanthoxylum nitidum

Zanthoxylum nitidum (Shiny-leaf prickly-ash) 花椒属 hua ciao shu, is a species of flowering plant in the Citrus family and is found in South China, Southeast Asia and Northern Australia. It is prickly in foliage and also aromatic and the flowers have yellow-green petals and the fruit are red-brown. For more information visit Flora of China and there… Read more »

Bougainvillea as Bonsai

Bougainvillea glabra An evergreen plant which is a thorny ornamental vine, bush or tree which is originally from South America and can sometimes become deciduous if kept warm over winter or kept too moist. They are very decorative plants with attractive flowers from scarlet to lilac in colour.

Camellia as Bonsai

Camellia are another stunning flowering tree or shrub which make for an interesting bonsai for those who like flowering species. One of the most commonly used is Camellia japonica, however there are over 200 species of Camellia so a wide range to choose from.

Defoliation of Ginkgo’s

Ginkgo biloba are a fascinating species of tree and everyone should have at least one in their bonsai or tree collection. Recently I have been experimenting with defoliation techniques on them to aid with encouraging back budding and improve the density of buds on the branches which in turn will lead then to smaller leaves… Read more »

Plectranthus as Bonsai

Plectranthus are a semi succulent that can be used as a bonsai or accent and they are very easy to keep, hold a good shape and propagate easily too. There are over 350 species of Plectranthus and the majority originate from areas of Africa, Madagascar, India and Australia to name a few and they belong… Read more »

Repotting Bonsai

Repotting season for the majority of tree species is at an end and here are a few examples of some of the bonsai trees that have been repotted this year showing the variation in root type plus root development on each tree.

Forsythia as Bonsai

Forsythia are a stunning bonsai that are at their best this time of year due to the bright yellow flowers that signify the start of Spring. The flowers form before the leaves so you get the full advantage of being able to see the flowers without them being hidden underneath a full canopy of leaves…. Read more »

Chaenomeles as Bonsai

Quince (Chaenomeles) originate from China and Japan and they are a common ornamental shrub which is used as a bonsai due to the showy flowers that bloom in Spring. There are a wide range of cultivars to choose from and the most commonly used as a bonsai is

Bonsai in Spring

This is a fabulous time of year as it is the time when your deciduous trees start to push leaves and all trees start to increase their productivity after winter dormancy. Prior to the full onset of Spring repotting should have taken place to root prune the trees and check the composition of the soil… Read more »

Diospyros kaki as bonsai

The Japanese Persimmon is another great Mame bonsai as it packs a punch in a small form with bright orange fruits. It originates from China and is also called the Kaki Persimmon and Asian Persimmon.