Buying Bonsai

You need to consider few things before buying a bonsai tree. First decide where you are going to put your bonsai tree, whether you would like to grow it outdoors or indoors. This will directly determine your choice of bonsai tree.

Outdoors or Indoors

A lot of people think that bonsai are houseplants but most of the bonsai are hardy trees and cannot live indoors. Imagine digging out a maple tree from your yard and bringing it indoors. I will not survive for long. Bonsai maple is just a smaller version of the real tree.

If you want to grow your bonsai tree outdoors make sure your winters are not too cold and not too warm for the species you select.

If you want to grow your bonsai tree indoors make sure it is getting enough light, humidity and is also protected from freezing temperatures.

There are three types of bonsai plants available:

• Tropical plants. These plants like warm and humid weather and cannot tolerate cold temperatures below 50F.
  
  
• Subtropical plants. These plants, coming from Mediterranean type of climate, prefer warm temperatures and drier conditions than tropical plants. Some of them can even tolerate freezing temperature for a short period of time when mature enough. They don’t like heated dry rooms and need to be misted with water few times a day. You can grow them outdoors if you live in a warm climate.
  
  
• Temperate plants. These plants used to long winters and long summers. They need to grow outdoors because indoors they don’t get enough light and cold temperature exposure. Trees like pine, maples, oaks, spruce, hemlock and elms must live outdoors to stay healthy. They are also called “hardy” species.

Bonsai Tree Style

Another thing to consider, besides the environment, is the style you want to use for your bonsai. There are a lot of different bonsai styles ranging from neat to weird looking animal-like Chinese bonsai, also called Penjing. Not every plant species is suited to each bonsai style.

Where To Buy Bonsai Tree

Once you have decided on growing conditions and bonsai style, it is time to buy the plants. When it comes to buying a plant for bonsai you have several sources:

1. Specialized nurseries

It is always best to buy from the dealer that is specializing in bonsai, because they know what trees are suited for the local climate and how to take care of them. Trained staff provides bonsai trees with proper care assuring that you are getting a perfectly healthy tree, unlike department stores and farmers market, where employees know nothing about bonsai.

2. Garden center

Most of the garden centers sell established bonsai trees, but be careful buying plants that are newly potted and pruned to create an instant bonsai. Avoid buying plant that has torn or damaged leaves. Shrunken and dried buds might be an indicator of incorrect watering. Buds should be well formed and shapely bursting with life and strength. And don’t forget to check for pests and diseases.

3. Online store

When purchasing from Internet, make sure you are buying from a reputable bonsai website. Also check their shipping and return policies in case something is wrong with the tree and you want to return it.

4. Raising your own

I think that raising your own bonsai is a lot of fun. You can raise plant from seeds, grafting, cuttings, or air-layering. But keep in mind that you need a little more experience and knowledge to do it the right way and it will take several years before a well established bonsai is formed. It is not very reliable method which also requires a great deal of patience.

5. Modifying plants

You can get an established plant from the garden center and create your own bonsai tree through pruning. Make sure you are starting with a perfectly healthy plant. I always recommend asking for bonsai care information and recent history like trees’ origins, last repotting, age and etc. You should avoid buying pre-packaged bonsai kits or bonsai in the display boxes.