The Little Book of Bonsai

This charming, beautifully photographed beginner's guide from a trusted bonsai expert covers all the basics to keep your bonsai alive and happy. Jonas Dupuich, founder of the #1 bonsai blog in the U.S., shares his passion and expert advice with anyone looking to learn more about bonsai in this modern, entry-level guide to an ancient art. Filled with photos of stunning, inspiring trees, The Little Book of Bonsai provides simple, clear, effective guidance on bonsai care, including wiring, watering, pruning, pests, disease, tools, repotting, fertilizing, and more. Dupuich covers indoor and outdoor bonsai care, selecting the right container, displaying your bonsai, and choosing different species with clear, step-by-step photos to help you cultivate your trees with confidence. With its stylish, full-color design and fresh take on a captivating pastime, The Little Book of Bonsai makes a gorgeous gift for oneself or for others.

“Marvelously written and photographed…this book is a great guide for making bonsai basics easier.”—Golden Statements: The Magazine of Golden State Bonsai Federation

“A well written, beautifully illustrated introductory book on the development of bonsai. In fact, I wish that I had this book on my shelf when I first jumped into growing trees many years ago . . . This little book would fit very well into a beginner’s library but it also has numerous nuggets for the experienced practitioner.”—American Bonsai Society Journal

“The book is small in size, but it is packed with fascinating and practical information about these unique trees, which are attracting attention among beginner gardeners searching for alternatives to small-scale succulents as well as ways to bring a sense of tranquility to their homes, inside and out.”—Oregon Live

“We have waited a long time for a concise introductory bonsai book written by an expert, and we  finally have it. Dupuich’s book has the earmarks of a classic.”—Michael Hagedorn, author of Post-Dated: The Schooling of an Irreverent Bonsai Monk

“This well written and beautifully illustrated book covers bonsai care along with authoritative information for creating your own bonsai. Highly recommended for beginners.”—William N. Valavanis, publisher of International Bonsai magazine and founder of the U.S. National Bonsai Exhibition

“Without the proper guidance and understanding, bonsai can be challenging. The Little Book of Bonsai helps you develop your vision, see nature at its best, and re-create it in a smaller size. With Dupuich as your guide, your bonsai journey can begin!”—Kathy Shaner, curator of the Bonsai Garden at Lake Merritt in Oakland, California

“Dupuich has the best bonsai blog online, so it’s not surprising that The Little Book of Bonsai is the best book for new bonsai enthusiasts.”—Boon Manakitivipart, award-winning bonsai artist and teacher

Auteur
Jonas Dupuich is a full-time, award-winning bonsai expert and creator of Bonsai Tonight, one of the top bonsai websites in the world. He tours the country, giving bonsai classes, lectures, and workshops, and he has been featured in major bonsai publications including International Bonsai Magazine and Bonsai: The Journal of the American Bonsai Society.

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Preface

The first time I saw a small tree become a bonsai, I was hooked.

I was working at the family business, a retail nursery, when an acquaintance offered to “style” a neglected pine. He took the tree home and returned it a few days later. I could tell it was the same tree, but the pruning and wiring had completely changed its character. I wanted to learn more.

The acquaintance, Boon Manakitivipart, became my friend and teacher. I quickly joined a bonsai club and started collecting small trees. They didn’t all fare well at first, but over time I learned to keep them healthy.

Learning to style the trees took longer. Were I not lucky enough to have a good teacher, I’m not sure I would have stuck with it.

For the next few years, I spent more and more time working with bonsai. I started visiting bonsai exhibits around the country and eventually began a bonsai blog to share what I learned. I found that I like writing about bonsai and have written more than a thousand posts to date.

Today I have the good fortune to work with bonsai full-time, teaching classes and growing bonsai in Northern California. When I get the chance, I travel to Japan to visit bonsai exhibitions, bonsai gardens, and the nurseries of fellow bonsai professionals.

My aim in writing this book is to help you keep your bonsai healthy and make your trees beautiful. It’s the book I wish I had when I started. I hope you enjoy it!

Chapter 1

Bonsai Style

It’s easy to recognize a bonsai when you see one. A bonsai (pronounced “bone-sigh”) is a small tree in a pot (bonsai means “tray planting” in Japanese). If you’re interested in creating one of your own, a good first step is understanding what goes into bonsai design. To help you get started, I’ll describe where bonsai come from and what makes a bonsai look like a bonsai. I’ll also introduce basic bonsai styles and help you identify the most attractive features of your tree.

Where Bonsai Come From 

Almost any plant that produces woody growth in the form of trunks and branches can become a bonsai. Trees, shrubs, and some vines can be trained as bonsai by pruning, wiring, and repotting—the fundamental bonsai techniques.

Some bonsai are trained from the time they are cuttings or seedlings. Others are dug up from the mountains (like the Sierra juniper pictured at left) or from garden landscapes as mature trees. Whether a tree started its life in a nursery or in the mountains, bonsai training techniques are largely the same.

Bonsai reflect their relationship with the people who care for them, as bonsai growers leave their mark on the trees under their care. Over time, the evidence of these interactions give bonsai their unique and unmistakable character.

What Makes a Bonsai Look like a Bonsai?

The defining characteristic of bonsai is their size. Bonsai are small trees, no more than three to four feet tall, which are trained in the form of much larger trees growing in nature.

Although bonsai resemble full-size trees, they are not exact copies in miniature. Bonsai resemble idealized versions of mature trees with lots of character.

Old trees grow slowly and produce fine branches, thick bark, and prominent roots that are visible at the base of the trunk. The crown of the tree is rounded, as in the Korean hornbeam at right, unlike the pointy tops of younger trees.

Like mature trees in nature, bonsai are roughly triangular in shape. This is a result of lower branches extending further from the trunk than the upper branches in order to capture sunlight.

How one interprets the idea of a mature tree differs from person to person and provides a wonderful diversity of bonsai forms around the world.