An age old debate

[josh1812@live.com]

Should succulents such as jade trees and palms such as ponytail palms as well as bamboos be considered "BONSAI". I'd like to hear peoples opinion

[Victrinia Ridgeway]

Hmmm... if it makes you think... nice tree! I think it qualifies as a bonsai. However, you won't be seeing them at kokufu-ten any time soon...lol

V

[josh1812@live.com]

However, you won't be seeing them at kokofu-ten any time soon...lol

V

LOL

[bonsaiboy]

Although maybe not bonsai in the traditional respect, and perhaps some not even trees at all (grass bonsai? Or do you mean stuff like bamboo?), they most certainly can make good bonsai.

[WatchMeShove]

well a lot of people have jades as bonsai, they can even be seen in a lot of bonsai books. For anything to be considered a bonsai it must look like a tree which has become miniaturized. If you have a young tree which is small because of it's age, then it is not considered a bonsai, however, once it has been trained in some way to stay small, it can be considered "bonsai," or plants in developmental stages can be considered "pre-bonsai material." So to answer the question, jades can most definitely become bonsai. I know people who have ponytail palms and they consider them to be bonsai, and there are many types of bamboo that are considered bonsai, however "lucky bamboo" I don't really consider to be bonsai. It's all about what you think though, if you told people that what you had was bonsai I don't see any reason for them to disagree with you.

[Victrinia Ridgeway]

Bonsai as with all artistic forms is highly subjective. There will never be a universal standard because at its most basic level it is just a "tray planting". We each develop our own personal idea of what qualifies, and believe me when I tell you it changes as you mature in the art. As a matter of fact, it's always something I tell people to use as a marker for their own development. As you up your own game, the level of what you consider a true bonsai gets upped as well... it's inevitable, and there isn't a thing wrong with that.

One just has to keep having fun with it... or what's the point...?



Kindest regards,

Victrinia

[maveriiick]

Etymology
From Japanese bonsai (tray planting), from bon (basin) + sai (to plant), from Chinese pen (tray) and zai (plant)


So in essence any plant in a pot should be bonsai.

[cu007299]

I agree with all. Bonsai is subjective to the grower.