Ancient art of bonsai is modern art, too

There are many kinds of gardening that I like to do and some that I just admire from afar. One that falls into the latter class is the ancient art of bonsai.

I freely admit that I do not have the time and the patience to indulge myself in this art, which started in China about 1,000 years ago and later moved to Japan. Growing the plants goes beyond horticulture. To many, it becomes a spiritual, cultural or artistic form.

Bonsai (pronounced "bone-sigh") is a Japanese word that means "tray-planted" or "tree in a pot." It refers to mechanically dwarfed trees or to the art of training and growing miniaturized trees in containers.

Simply placing a tree in a small pot does not make a tree a bonsai. Bonsai trees are not genetic dwarfs but depend on rigorous and time-consuming training to create artistic or other significant effects. These practices can continue for centuries, as the trees are revered and encouraged by their caretakers.

Achieving the perfect bonsai is a horticultural and artistic triumph. The artist trains these trees, wiring the trunk and branches to move them, over time, into the desired positions. In addition, the roots and branches are regularly pruned to make the tree take on the appearance of great age and beauty.

Bonsai trees are trained from nursery-grown trees or are collected from the wild. Each method has advantages and disadvantages. Nursery-grown trees are easily obtainable and relatively inexpensive, but they can take years to obtain the look of great age that bonsai fanciers try to achieve.

Trees collected in the wild add another dimension to the hobby. For some, finding the tree and then spending months or years preparing to dig it up and move it into a pot is an adventure in and of itself. (It goes without saying that collecting trees requires permission from the public or private landowner.)

Finding the right kind of tree is also important. Some believe — inaccurately — that these plants are cared for like traditional house plants. Most of the trees are temperate zone plants, which need four seasons to grow and develop. Most flowering bonsai require cold temperatures to allow them to form flowers.

Most species of pines, spruces, firs and other evergreen conifers are cold-hardy in our area. The same is true of other favorite deciduous trees, including several kinds of maples, elms, azaleas and other species. Species that must be protected from the cold temperatures include Norfolk Island pines, several kinds of Ficus trees and other tropical plants.