Bonsai Offers Exotic Choices

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Thursday, June 4th, 2009 Subscribe To Our Feed

Most bonsai artists are content with the more common deciduous, confierous, or fruit trees when developing their bonsai tree collection. However, more exotic bonsai varieties can be found that allow the bonsai gardener to challenge his or her skills.

An example of an exotic choice is Wisteria, a plant native to China, Korea and Japan which can reach more than 30 feet in size in the wild. Not conforming to any of the traditional bonsai styles, Wisteria can make for an interesting challenge.

With both beautiful and aromatic flowers that come in a variety of colors, such as, blue, pink, white, and purple, Wisteria can be a great choice. Wisteria blooms in the Spring at which time they need lots of water but with good drainage. Wisteria does well in a wide range of lighting conditions, from full sun to partial shade. To maintain healthy plants, be sure to provide them with ample fertilizer just prior to they bloom in the spring and once again in late summer prior to losing their leaves.

If you love fragrant flowers, an excellent alternative is Orange Jasmine which produces a bright red fruit and fragrant white blossoms, bringing both delight to the nose and beauty to the eye.

Orange Jasmine should be fed every three to four weeks beginning in early spring and continuing through mid-autumn. Light watering is sufficient for most of the year, with slightly more in the hotter season.

Because they generally grow better in moderate shade or filtered sun, Orange Jasmine is one of the few bonsai that can, and should be cultivated indoors.

The Mimosa tree, also sometimes known as silk trees due to their long silky filaments, offer another good alternative. They are as fragrant as both of the two choices mentioned above and their puffy flowers and lacy foliage are also just as lovely.

The Mimosa’s flowers bloom in late April to early July and moderate water should be given during the blooming season. However, you should avoid getting water on the flowers because, much like a number of other flowering plants, the flowers will quickly deteriorate when wet.

The Mimosa will be one of the larger bonsai in your collection. They grow rapidly, have large leaves and are very difficult to sustain at a very small size. So give them lots of room on the display bench.

Another non-traditional bonsai is the Desert Rose. The Desert Rose can turn what would be an ordinary bonsai collection into one full of color and excitement. It is a native of East Africa and in the wild can grow up to 10 feet tall, producing large, pink, trumpet-bowl flowers.

The Desert Rose should be kept outdoors most of the year as they need ample sunshine and lots of fresh air. With their very bushy growing habit, they will make an excellent design complement to the many traditional bonsai in your collection.

Since they are sensitive to cold, they need to be moved indoors during periods of cold weather below 50F (10C). They will lie dormant but healthy when temperatures are in the range of 50F-60F (10C-15C) and will need very little water during this period.

You can extend your bonsai design horizons by trying your hand at a few of these fragrant and beautiful flowering plants. Spaced among some of the standard evergreens - firs, pines and others - they provide a nice contrast. You’ll also have an ever-changing display, as they blossom in spring and lose their leaves in the fall.

George Dodge enjoys landscaping and gardening as a hobby. Bonsai gardening offers hours of enjoyment producing delightful miniture shrubs and trees as an art form. His Bonsai Tree Gardening site shares tips for the beginning bonsai gardener. Experiment with exotic bonsai choices to roundout your collection.

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