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Pre-Bonsai Stock
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This is an example of what can be done with our field grown Shimpaku Juniper stock. This plant was under development for 4 years after being dug as field stock.
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Bonsai Pronounced (Bone-sigh) From the word "bon" meaning tray or dish and "sai" meaning tree.
We mostly sell what is referred to as field grown pre-bonsai or poten-sai. These are plants that are grown outdoors in a field, not pots, resulting in healthy plants that are not pot bound. They have the potential to be trained into bonsai. Not only are they less expensive than finished bonsai, they give you the chance to style them the way you want them. They, for the most part, still have somewhat flexible trunks.
Everything has a season. Dug out of season these plants can die. They may only be dug while dormant. This usually occurs after a few weeks of weather below 45 degrees F.
Aside from the subtropical bamboo listed below, the plants we sell for bonsai are hardy outdoors here in USDA zone 5 year round even as bonsai. In fact, they will not live well at all indoors any time of the year. They will never be "a cute little Christmas tree" for indoors. That's not what bonsai is.
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Prepared properly, they enjoy winter temperatures well below 0 degrees F. The growing season compared to being the equal of a hard days work for us. The winter dormancy season is a well deserved, and required, good night's rest.
We do "finished" bonsai by request only. A bonsai is never really finished though. A real bonsai is more than the so-called bonsai that have been made on an assembly line and have glued on rocks you may find at the supermarket or department store. A real bonsai is a woody tree or shrub that has been worked on and maticulously dwarfed and pruned for years, decades, or even centuries.
One can not simply put a plant in a pot and call it "bonsai". There are specific criteria that one such life form must meat to be worthy of being called "bonsai".
Lets start off with the basic requirement: the plant must be woody. Any tree, shrub, or vine capable of being styled into a tree-like form fits this requirement.
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Wisteria sinensis standard pictured with a yard stick
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What does not fit into this requirement? The biggest misleading bonsai we see commonly are palm trees, pony tail palms, air plants, and the dreaded "Lucky Bamboo" which is no more a bamboo than I am. So, what's up with these plants not being bonsai. The problem lies within the "trunks". Palms are actually not true trees. The "trunks" are formed by leaf bases and stems. The heart of the plant that new growth comes from is in the middle of this bundle. If you trim this off to keep the plant short...there goes the plant.
You can check out some books at your local library or check out some of the vast resources about bonsai on the net for more in depth information.
Below are plants that make great bonsai and will never reach their stated mature heights as long as they are kept dwarfed. Of course one could set them out in the yard and let them grow naturally too, acheiving their full heights. Pictured at the left are examples of what these trees will approximately look like when older.
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B-1000
Acer buergeranum
Trident Maple
12"-18"
$7.00
Not bonsai-ed it will reach a height and spread of about 25 ft. It's a very nice rounded small shade or street tree. Give some protection in zone 5.
USDA zones 5/6 - 8 (with protection until established)
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B-1003
Ginkgo biloba
Maiden Hair Tree
12"-18"
$7.00
Not bonsai-ed it will reach a height of about 50 ft. These trees are un-sexed. In about 40 yrs. The female trees are capable of producing fruit. Just in case you didn't know, Ginkgo fruit has the aroma of vomit when stepped on. If you want positively ID'd males, they are available for local pick up only at our nursery due to their larger size. Either way, male or female, the foliage is amazing. Especially when it turns gold in the fall.
USDA zones 4 - 8
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Our field grown Wisteria standards blooming in the field. Transplant may set them back some, but they are blooming age. |
B-1007
Wisteria sinensis
Chinese Wisteria
Upright Standards 20"-36"+ tall
$17.75
Order by April 28, '08, and save 20%! $14.20
Can be trained as a standard or left to grow in its natural form as a vine. As a tree form, or standard it can reach a height of about 8 ft. As a vine 30 ft is common. This vine becomes extremely woody and heavy with age. A common trellis will not support it. A heavy duty arbor is needed. After many years it will produce racemes of purple flowers in the spring.
USDA zones 5 - 8
Shipment as weather permits. |
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B-1004
Juniperus chinensis "Shimpaku"
Shimpaku Juniper
12"-18"+
$10.00 (not styled as in above photo, field stock only)
Not bonsai-ed it will grow slowly to a height of about 2 ft. This mounding shrub will reach a spread of about 3 ft. Unlike other cultivars of the Chinese Juniper, this one is very uncommon in the USA. It's foliage is very soft. Not at all prickly like other junipers. It's fol iage actually looks more like a cross between an Arborvitae and a juniper.
USDA zones 5 - 9 (Yep, hardy to -40 degrees F!)
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Bambusa multiplex 'Alphonse Karr' bonsai pictured with an earthenware pot and suiban tray. One foot pictured for comparison.
Plants may be purchased with or without pot and / or suiban.
Plant, pot, and suiban in the above photo was sold for $40.00. Its root system had been meticulously reduced in depth to just 1.5 inches.
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B-1008
Our subtropical bamboo differs from our cold-hardy species in that they do not require a winter dormancy period and can be grown indoors as bonsai or as regular house plants.
We offer varieties of Bambusa multiplex on a limited availability basis. Or by special request.
There is no set size. Each one is different. If you are interested in one of these, please contact us to see if any are currenly available.
Bambusa multiplex varieties:
'Alphonse Karr' - features culm variegation
'Riviereorum' - has very small leaves that are well suited to bonsai
May be kept trimmed at a desired height in pots indoors. Maximum height in the ground in warm climates is 15 to 20 Ft.
$10.00 - $35.00 + depending on size or age
May be grown indoors in colder zones or outdoors in USDA zones 8-10
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