Artificial Bonsai trees are also great because you do not have to worry about planting seeds, pruning, watering, and all of the other care processes that you usually would have to. There are many great stores around the world that offer these artificial Bonsai trees, a few of which will be discussed here in more detail.

Where to Look

If you would like some of these artificial trees for yourself, then one place you will definitely want to check out is the Bonsai Boy Company. They are a fantastic company, one that offers one of the largest selections in the world when it comes to Bonsai trees, both real and fake.

They offer Bonsai specials, Juniper Bonsai trees, flowering and fruiting trees, outdoor deciduous trees, outdoor evergreen trees, one of a kind trees, corporate gifts, Bonsai pots, figurines, humidity trays, desktop grow lights, fertilizers and chemicals, Bonsai books and videos, tools and wire, Bonsai soils, natural stone landscapes, and much more.

Another great company offering artificial Bonsai trees is Bonsai Gardener. This company offers an array of Bonsai trees for you to choose from, and at some of the most affordable prices on the market today. Whether you are looking for the real deal and are willing to put the time and effort in that is going to be required of you, or you are just looking to get the aesthetic appeal of the real Bonsais but without all the hassle, then there are great artificial versions for you to choose from as well.

Bonsais can easily be considered as one of the most unique and beautiful types of trees in the world. Not only that, but because of their miniature size they are incredibly versatile in terms of where you can grow them and keep them to show them off. They are not dangerous for children or pets, and make exciting and attractive statements in any décor.

There are many options available to you when it comes to the Bonsai plants, and if you are looking for a unique and gorgeous tree, this is definitely one kind that you are going to want to seriously consider.

Care And Details Of The Azalea Bonsai

This plant loves filtered or partial sun light. It is important to avoid exposing this plant to direct sun during the spring and summer months. The plant can do well outdoors even in winter climes but does need to be protected. Do this with some glass. It does not need to be brought indoors during the winter. Watering should be done with rainwater if possible, and keep soil damp. This plant does not like to have dry roots. It is important to repot every year in order to insure that the soil acidity remains high.

If you are, using fertilizers feed every 20-30 days if using a slow acting organic formula during early spring to late autumn. Micronutrients should be added using a schedule and chelated iron should be added a couple times a year. If you are using chemical fertilizers feed every 2 weeks with half strength solution for acid loving plants. Also, if you repot in spring do not feed until autumn and do not feed during the hottest month of the summer in order to protect the plant.

Pruning should be done in late summer, seal the wounds. This plant will grow shoots from old wood so keep this in mind. Also shoots grow in groups of 5 so reduce that to 2 then remove all the leaves but 2 sets on the 2 remaining shoots. Older branches are brittle so be careful while wiring, the day before you wire skip watering to help soften the branches. Repotting should be in spring after the flowers have died, every year for young trees, and 2-3 years for older trees. PH balance needs to be 4.5 to 5.5. It is best to use a soil specifically designed for Azaleas. Because of how root mass grows do not use a soil with particles because these can form mats and make water and feeding difficult.

Certain plants are better suited than others to the rigors of Bonsai. The Bald Cypress Bonsai is one of the most popular Bonsai trees, prized for the way it forces new leaf buds out along the bare trunk after the trunk has been cut.

Beginner’s Bonsai

The Bald Cypress Bonsai tree is an excellent tree for someone who is just getting started in the art of Bonsai, because it is so easy to grow. If you live in the southern United States, you will find the Bald Cypress Bonsai growing prolifically in great numbers outdoors, and you can probably find an outdoor specimen to bring indoors and train. If you do not have access to these quantities of Bald Cypress Bonsai, you should be able to find a specimen at your local nursery, or order one from a Bonsai supplier.

When converting an outdoor specimen into a Bonsai tree, bear in mind the Bonsai rule of scale: the height of the tree should be approximately six times the width of the base of the tree. This rule will result in your cutting a great deal of your top growth off, but be bold. The tree will grow back in true Bonsai style.

Bald Cypress Bonsai trees are frequently planted in groups in a single container to form a ‘Bonsai forest.’ If you decide to build a forest, remember to work in odd numbers, forming your forest from groups of three, five, seven, nine, or eleven individual trees.

Caring For Your Bald Cypress Bonsai

Your Bald Cypress Bonsai likes wet soil, almost on the swampy side. Water the tree overhead to simulate rain falling from above, and fill the pot almost to the rim with water. During the summer, you may have to water your Bald Cypress bonsai twice a day.

This Bonsai tree likes full sun and, like most Bonsai trees, it prefers to live outdoors. Fertilize your tree once a week during the springtime, tapering off to once every two weeks during the late spring and fall. Hold off on the fertilizer as fall gives way to winter, so your Bald Cypress Bonsai tree can go dormant until next spring.

Australia – Brisbane Botanic Gardens

The Bonsai House in the Brisbane Botanic Gardens displays about 100 plants, some of which are more than 80 years old. Enjoy specimens that include figs, maples, azaleas, camellias, and conifers, all arranged in a clean, airy space next to the Japanese Garden.

Belgium – Gingko Bonsai Center

This delightful center has four gardens, a greenhouse, a tropical area, a starter trees area, and offerings of pots and other materials. The center also offers bonsai education courses and workshops for the gardening public.

Canada – Montreal Botanical Garden

The garden boasts a tree house courtyard with an extensive collection of North American specimens.

Bonsai in Japan Omiya

This is the mecca for bonsai lovers everywhere. The Bonsai Village in Omiya, Japan, houses hundreds of thousands of trees and other plants, scattered among about ten private gardens. The village was established in 1925, two years after a major earthquake. Today there are 16 nurseries in the village, each focusing on a specific theme, like azalea, or natural looks with minimal human touch, or deciduous trees.

Jurong Lake in Singapore

Thousands of specimens can be found on display on two islands in Jurong Lake. Visit both the Chinese Garden and the Japanese Garden to get the biggest bang for your buck.

Latin America

Bonsai is extremely popular in Latin American countries, particularly in Puerto Rico, the country which will be the host of the 2009 world Bonsai Convention. In addition to the usual courses at beginner, intermediate and advanced levels, the Puerto Rican groups have endeavored to teach the techniques of the art to the disabled.

The popularity of the art is also evident in Mexico, where groups sponsor exhibits, demonstrations, and regular classes to discuss design, pruning, types of plants, containers, and other topics of interest to the bonsai community.

Italy

The art is alive and well in Italy, as evidenced by the annual Crespi Cup of Milan. Among the prizes awarded at the Crespi cup are: best tree judged by naturalness and artistic quality; best coniferous tree; best deciduous tree; best shohin; best suiseki, and best pots.

Be sure to include a bonsai stop on your next international vacation.

Planting

Bonsai accessories differ from other plants from the very beginning. The trays that bonsai trees are typically grown in are much shallower than the pots used for regular plants. They are also designed with an abundance of drainage holes. Since the root systems of these plants are so small, it’s important that they do not become saturated. This can lead to the roots rotting. Many bonsai pots come with mesh screens over the drain holes to prevent them from clogging. The soil also requires special consideration for bonsai gardening. The key is to avoid compaction, and provide adequate air and water flow through the soil.

Tools

There are many bonsai accessories and tools that are necessary for creating and maintaining the unique look of these types of plants. This is especially true when it comes to pruning and trimming. Due to the delicate nature of the work being performed, ordinary gardening tools are not recommended for work on bonsai trees.

One of the first bonsai accessories you should acquire is a set of concave pruning shears. Instead of just cutting, these shears were designed with the healing of the trunk in mind. The concave wound that is left behind makes it easier for the tree to heal itself naturally. The concave shears can be used to cut branches up to 1 ½’ in diameter.

Scissors are essential for any collection of bonsai accessories. There are specially designed bud scissors that are for doing the more detailed pruning work that is required for bonsai gardening.

A set of bonsai wire cutters is also a good idea since these trees get there unique shape by being trained with the use of wire. The bonsai wire cutters differ from regular ones in that they have a shorter head. This reduces the risk of damaging anything other than what you’re trying to cut.

A root hook is another important bonsai accessory due to the fact that these plants need to be re-potted frequently. This tool is useful for clearing away soil and untangling the delicate roots.

There are numerous other bonsai accessories and tools available, but these few mentioned above should be enough to get you started in your new hobby.

Bonsai Care Basics

There are four main aspects of bonsai care that you should know about before you decide whether or not to get yourself a bonsai tree. The first is that your bonsai tree will require constant monitoring of the water levels. A bonsai tree cannot be allowed to go dry, or the tree will die. Proper bonsai care entails watering your tree each time the soil looks to be dry, otherwise the roots can become brittle and the tree will wither.

The second thing you need to know about bonsai care is that your tree will require regular feeding , as well. A liquid fertilizer, made especially for bonsai trees, is the best; and should be diluted with water rather than fed to your tree full strength. You can purchase the fertilizer that is specially made for bonsai care at virtually any home and garden center; and many online specialty stores dedicated to bonsai care will carry it also.

The third most important part of bonsai care is understanding that your new bonsai tree is just that - a tree; and not your ordinary house plant. As such, your bonsai will require a dormant period each year. This is not such an issue for those who keep their trees outside in a bonsai garden; but for anyone who keeps their bonsai indoors, you will need to be sure to give your tree a cool and dark place to stay for a few months during the winter.

The fourth aspect of bonsai care is the pruning. In order for your new tree to grow into a true bonsai, you will need to prune on a regular basis. If you have purchase your tree already trained from a home and garden center, then all you will need to do is regularly trim off the new growth in order to keep your tree growing the way it was trained. If you started your tree from scratch, you will have to prune more regularly until it is growing the way you want; then trim on a regular basis to keep the new growth off.

Bonsai care can be very time consuming, but if you love these little trees as we do it can also be very rewarding.

Choose Your Trees

In a bonsai catalog you can see all of the many different types of trees available at a single glance. This is especially important for anyone who is just getting started with this exciting hobby, as there are so many different types of trees to choose from, that with a bonsai catalog you can see which one suits your tastes the best.

Buying Your Supplies

A bonsai catalog is also a great place to find all of the supplies you may need to care for your bonsai trees. Since bonsai require regular maintenance, there are several tools (such as pruning tools, shears, clippers, etc.) that you must have if you want your tree to stay healthy and grow in the right direction. With a bonsai catalog, you can order all of the many different tools you will need at the same time, and from one place, rather than taking a chance that your local home and garden center won’t have everything you may need.

But it isn’t just pruning tools that you can find in a bonsai catalog. You can also find the wire you will need to use when training your tree, as well as a wide variety of planters that you can choose to place your trees in. Since bonsai are actual trees, their root balls never really stop growing completely, so it is necessary to replant your tree into a larger container once in a while so the roots don’t get choked.

A bonsai catalog is the perfect place to find everything you could ever need for your bonsai trees, or for getting started with a new hobby. Whether you just need a place where you can get all of your supplies at the same time, or you want to browse through the different types of trees available, you can’t go wrong with a bonsai catalog for all your bonsai needs.

Choosing Your Palette

If you are a beginner at bonsai, Ficus Ginseng trees are a good choice for you to begin with. Other good trees for beginners at the art of bonsai are Japanese Maples and Baby Jades. Often in web sites, books and gardening places that cater to bonsai, Ficus Ginseng will be referred to as Ginseng Ficus, Banyan Fig or Taiwan Ficus.

Whatever you call this eye-catching bonsai, Ficus Ginseng is clearly distinguishable from may other tree species. It has a very thick trunk and partially exposed roots. Some even look like they are standing on tip toe. These thick upside down forked trunks are topped with very dark green leaves. Although it might sound a peculiar choice for bonsai, Ficus Ginseng seedlings often become beautiful and elegant bonsai trees.

Your seedling or young tree becomes your palette in bonsai. Ficus Ginseng is able to blend in with a variety of different displays, decorations, interior designs and pots. However, it is also clearly recognizable as a tree. Many people enjoy pursuing bonsai to help them express their creative sides.

Basic Care

Shaping and pruning are the main brushstrokes of bonsai. Ficus Ginseng trees are usually pruned with dull instruments in order to prevent excessive bleeding. When your Ficus Ginseng has about ten leaves, prune about six to eight of them off. You won’t need to prune the roots until it’s time for repotting.

Repotting is done every couple of years. This gives you a chance to prune away half of the root system and to make any changes in the display. Putting a bonsai in a new pot or display tray is akin to reframing a painting or photograph. Sometimes, Ficus Ginseng grows so quickly that you might need to repot yearly. It’s best to do this in the spring.

Unlike other species of bonsai, Ficus Ginseng can tolerate many kinds of soil conditions. They do best in strong light conditions, but will manage to live in low light. Many Ficus Ginsengs are tolerant of being over watered, but try not to make a habit of over watering. They need less watering in winter than in summer.

There are many sources that sell bonsai trees and you could find some excellent specimens at any bonsai nurseries which nowadays have mushroomed all over the country. However, the best way to buy one of these miniature masterpieces is through window shopping, i.e. visiting a bonsai gallery.

What Is A Bonsai Gallery?

Run a search on the Net with ‘bonsai tree’ as keywords and you would be flooded with results for bonsai gallery. These galleries are the showcase where the bonsai creators display their exquisite creations. You want to buy a great bonsai tree, you need to take a look at these galleries and feast your eyes of the varieties of shapes and sizes of these trees.

In the absence of the Internet, you would have only a few sources close to your home to choose from. Fortunately, now you have the whole world as a market at your finger tips and you could order if you so wanted, your bonsai from Japan itself.

There is more to a bonsai gallery than a source from where you could buy a bonsai tree. You actually get plenty of education and exposure from each one of the bonsai galleries you visit as each tree has a story to say and each one is indeed a miniature work of art which leaves you speechless.

If you are a beginner and want to get an idea of how to shape a tree, what type of container it should be kept in, how to plan its growth and many other such tips you would find all this information listed with the bonsai gallery as well. Most of the people who post these galleries on the Net would be more than happy to give you advice on how to grow your own bonsai trees just as one parent would be happy to share child care tips with another.

These galleries are a way in which each bonsai creator expresses his or her pride for creating real live art and when you buy them you would show your appreciation just as an art connoisseur would do for any other form of art.

The Bonsai Garden

The bonsai garden takes a lot of planning, organizing and work. With bonsai tree you have only the tree to worry about, however with a garden you would have to pay attention to each and every aspect of the environment as well. For the garden to feel perfect, you would need to create a miniature landscape with everything in it grown on the same scale. There are four elements that would make your bonsai garden perfect – (i) nature-like look, (ii) perfectly matched bonsai trees, (iii) beautifully sculptured trees, and (iv) complementary containers.

The first thing that your bonsai garden should have is a natural look. That means that everything else in the garden would have to be as small as your bonsai trees. For example, you could have a miniature lake, miniature rocks, miniature stones, etc. All the other plants in the garden also should be of the same size as the bonsai trees.

The second element of a perfect bonsai garden would be perfectly matching bonsai trees. For a garden to look good the trees should feel like they belong there. The trees should complement each other perfectly so much so that when you look at the garden it should make a perfect image. Each tree should look natural, which means the branches of the trees should have the same pattern as fully grown up trees have in real life with the strong ones low and thinner ones tapering towards the top.

The third element would be the shape of the trees and their branches. The branches of each tree in the bonsai garden should be such that would allow the sun rays reach to all parts of the trees. In this manner the trees would stay healthy and so would all other elements in the garden.

Lastly, the garden should have perfectly matched pots or containers. In Japan, the tree is usually grown to match the pot – so perfect and important is the match between the tree and its container.

When you have all the elements combined just right, your bonsai garden would look like poetry to the eyes – and you would feel like an accomplished poet.