The art of Bonsai shaping and tree training is one of the oldest, most intricate arts in the gardening and botanical industry. The word bonsai is derived from the Japanese words bon, meaning tray, and sai, meaning tree, with a literal meaning of planting miniature trees inside a tray. There are a variety of different styles of bonsai trees, as well as many different species of tree that can be used to create a Bonsai. Styles of Bonsai include informal upright, formal upright, cascade, literati, semi-cascade and raft bonsais, all of which can range greatly in size from miniature, small, medium and large. Both flowered and fruit trees can be used.
Trunk And Bark Surface
The type of trunk and bark on the bonsai play an important role in its style. There are many terms used to describe different bark and trunk forms – for example, a bonsai with a twisted trunk is known in the traditional Japanese as a nebikan, while those species with dead branches or trunks are known as deadwood bonsais.
Trunk Orientation
The direction and orientation of the major trunk of a bonsai tree are used to describe a growing style. For example, if the trunk of the tree has its apex directly above the base of the trunk (where it enters into the potting soil), it is known as an upright style. (Chokkan and Moyogi in Japanese). If the trunk is slightly slanted, it is known as an informal upright, and if the branches hang lower than the base of the trunk, the style is known as cascade. Branches at the same level as the base of the trunk are known as the semi-cascade style.
Root Status
Most bonsai trees are planted directly into soil; however there are certain bonsai species that are planted with their roots over rocks. This root-over-rock style is known as deshojo, and a similar style in which the entire tree is rooted within a rock is known as ishizuki.
Bonsai Styles
A key factor in the traditional Japanese bonsai art form is the style used to create a bonsai. As mentioned above, there are a variety of styles that are used to create a specific form of bonsai, which allow bonsai growers across the globe to standardize their method of bonsai cultivation.
