Maggie4
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Joined: Thu Jun 21, 2018 1:44 pm

is it a bonsai?

hi guys!
I bought a plant in supermarket some time ago..I thought this is a bonsai but as I looked at the photos in the Internet I lost hope:D Can you help me? Tell me what is the name of this plant... and how should I take care of it?
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rainbowgardener
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Sort of it is bonsai, since bonsai literally only means tree in a pot. It is probably a ficus tree, which is very popular as a bonsai subject..

Bonsai is not a type of tree, it is the art of growing miniature trees in small pots and shaping them to resemble a mature tree, but miniaturized. (Note: the trees are only miniature because growing with such a small root system in such a small pot stunts them and they are kept pruned. Take a bonsai tree out of the pot and plant it in the ground and it will grow into a full sized tree)
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Ficus trees tend to be leafy and twiggy and I rarely see a ficus that I think is very successful as a traditional bonsai. They are usually shaped to have bends in the trunk to make it look like something other than a stick in a pot:
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But the forked trunk can also work to add interest:
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First you need to learn how to care for your tree and keep it alive and healthy in its pot. Here's some tips:
viewtopic.php?f=36&t=1479

and the non-forum part of this website has a whole section on bonsai: https://www.helpfulgardener.com/bonsai/

Then if you are serious about wanting to take up bonsai as a hobby, you would need to study the art of pruning and shaping, etc.

Otherwise, you can get it a bigger pot and just let it grow out. Ficus makes a good indoor house tree. I had one for many years that started the size of yours and became a tree that was taller than I am. This is not mine, just a picture I found on line:
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imafan26
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Location: Hawaii, zone 12a 587 ft elev.

Technically bonsai does literally mean a tree in a pot, but I still consider it a potted plant when it isn't really trained. To me a bonsai is a miniature version of a natural tree. Bonsai tries to mimic nature through training to make a tree resemble an aged tree that has lived a long time and endured the stresses of life.

Lightening strikes, gravity (slanted and windswept). It also tries to mimic the layering that happens naturally as branches jockey for a spot to catch the sun. Even when trees are cut, the branch is usually shaved and shaped to try to minimize the artificial cuts and look more like it would if a branch had naturally been snapped by the wind. Nubs are removed with concave cutters. And leaves are trimmed frequently to keep them small and compact. Branches are wired to create the layers and pyramidal shape of the classic forms. The broom style is not one that I see often and it is not my favorite, but it is an easy form for the beginner. Roots are exposed and the character of the trunk is one of the most important aspects. Bonsai usually have fronts to emphasize the trunk. Moss is often grown on top of the soil to mimic grass. Even the pots are carefully chosen to match the form and style of the tree.

Good bonsai are long lived if well cared for and can be passed from generation to generation.



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