Cotoneaster If you want a plant that is hardy and easy to grow for Bonsai, the Cotoneaster would be the perfect choice. The leaves and flowers are both quite small and dainty. The nice thing about the Cotoneaster is that you will find a multitude of varieties, including evergreen and deciduous. Additionally, the species grow in a number of forms to include spreading, prostrate, and upright.
During the spring months, you will see shiny green foliage that has very dainty white flowers. Depending on the variety of Cotoneaster you choose, they may also produce small, red berries. The nice thing about growing the Cotoneaster for Bonsai is that they are easy to train and work well with all types of styles such as Root over Rock, Root on Rock, Clump,
Cascade, and Informal Upright.
There are many reasons why the Cotoneaster is a favorite for Bonsai enthusiasts. For one thing, because of the beautiful leaves, flowers, berries, rather than choose a simply pot, you can go all out when it comes to color when potting this plant. Again, you will discover a huge array of
varieties but to grow Bonsai, the following are the best options:
Care
English Buxus
Being a member of the evergreen shrub family, the English Buxus is just one of about 70 different species. In their normal habitat of Asian, Africa, Central America, and Europe, this plant will grow in woodlands to hilly, rocky mountainsides.
The leaves are extremely small, making this a great plant choice for Bonsai. Then, during the spring, the English Buxus produces male flowers, which have beautiful, yellow anthers, surrounded by clusters of female flowers.
While you could consider a number of the 70 species for Bonsai, the two most commonly used include the Buxus sempervirens, also called Common Box, and Buxus microphylla, known as the Japanese Box. On the exterior, these two species seem very much alike.
For example, they both have small, dark leaves. However, they are different in that the sempervirens can grow quite tall and they spread well whereas the microphylla grows very slowly and is much shorter. You can grow this Bonsai in shade or sun but if the plant receives too much sun, the leaves will scorch.
When it comes to the cold, winter months and frost, they are both very hardy. You do however want to provide good protection from the frost, once the temperatures dip below freezing. If you notice the leaves turning a bronze color in the winter, do not panic since this is normal.
Many Bonsai growers love the English Buxus since they can be cultivated indoors very easily. If you decide to grow your Bonsai inside, just make sure it is kept in a room without heat, or even a screened in porch.
To train this plant for Bonsai, you will need to keep up on the trimming, especially when growing. Typically, this plant is stiff, with a very angular appearance. As you prune and trim, you will notice, the English Buxus softens and becomes easier to work with.
Care
Flowering Quince
If you want a gorgeous plant to grow for Bonsai, the Flowering Quince is it. During the late winter months, the plant will produce magnificent white, pink, or red flowers, all intertwined on bare branches.
This plant originates in China, Korea, and Japan, and is a very adapting type plant. The branches are tough but with a springy quality. In most cases, the branches will be covered with thorns on quick-growing shoots.
While the leaves are actually quite simplistic, they do have very fine teeth. In addition to the beautiful clusters of flowers, the yellow/green, waxy fruit that grows in the summer has a wonderful, perfumed fragrance.
Care
Bonsai Gardening Secrets
During the spring months, you will see shiny green foliage that has very dainty white flowers. Depending on the variety of Cotoneaster you choose, they may also produce small, red berries. The nice thing about growing the Cotoneaster for Bonsai is that they are easy to train and work well with all types of styles such as Root over Rock, Root on Rock, Clump,
Cascade, and Informal Upright.
There are many reasons why the Cotoneaster is a favorite for Bonsai enthusiasts. For one thing, because of the beautiful leaves, flowers, berries, rather than choose a simply pot, you can go all out when it comes to color when potting this plant. Again, you will discover a huge array of
varieties but to grow Bonsai, the following are the best options:
- Cotoneaster Compacta Nana
- Cotoneaster Congestus
- Cotoneaster Horizontalis
- Cotoneaster Microphyllus
Care
- Make sure the Cotoneaster is placed where it will get good sunlight, although it will need occasional shade
- Provide shelter from frost
- During the summer, you will need to water often and less in the fall and winter
- When in the growing season, use a good fertilizer, but avoid fertilizing when flowers and fruit are growing
- Since the Cotoneaster handles being pruned quite well, you want to keep the new shoots trimmed back when in the growing season and then in the spring, cut back old growth
- Any wiring should be done during the growing season and in the spring
English Buxus
Being a member of the evergreen shrub family, the English Buxus is just one of about 70 different species. In their normal habitat of Asian, Africa, Central America, and Europe, this plant will grow in woodlands to hilly, rocky mountainsides.The leaves are extremely small, making this a great plant choice for Bonsai. Then, during the spring, the English Buxus produces male flowers, which have beautiful, yellow anthers, surrounded by clusters of female flowers.
While you could consider a number of the 70 species for Bonsai, the two most commonly used include the Buxus sempervirens, also called Common Box, and Buxus microphylla, known as the Japanese Box. On the exterior, these two species seem very much alike.
For example, they both have small, dark leaves. However, they are different in that the sempervirens can grow quite tall and they spread well whereas the microphylla grows very slowly and is much shorter. You can grow this Bonsai in shade or sun but if the plant receives too much sun, the leaves will scorch.
When it comes to the cold, winter months and frost, they are both very hardy. You do however want to provide good protection from the frost, once the temperatures dip below freezing. If you notice the leaves turning a bronze color in the winter, do not panic since this is normal.
Many Bonsai growers love the English Buxus since they can be cultivated indoors very easily. If you decide to grow your Bonsai inside, just make sure it is kept in a room without heat, or even a screened in porch.
To train this plant for Bonsai, you will need to keep up on the trimming, especially when growing. Typically, this plant is stiff, with a very angular appearance. As you prune and trim, you will notice, the English Buxus softens and becomes easier to work with.
Care
- The English Buxus will need to be fed about every two weekswhen in the growing period
- In the springtime, you want to repot about every two to three years, using good, basic soil organic preferably
- Provide this Bonsai plenty of sunlight and air circulation, which helps fight off fungal disease
- During months when temperatures are hot, you will find that the English Buxus often has a problem with red, spider mites
- Box plans in general are often infected with fungal diseases. Take the Box Blight fungus for example. This new disease is still being research but spreads very quickly, killing the leaves, stems, and small branches. You will begin to notice black streaks that will show up on the bark and then turn to a gray colored fungus. Within just a few months, if not treated, this fungus will spread throughout the plant, killing it. Therefore, you will need to use a quality fungicide if you notice any problem with fungus whatsoever.
Flowering Quince
If you want a gorgeous plant to grow for Bonsai, the Flowering Quince is it. During the late winter months, the plant will produce magnificent white, pink, or red flowers, all intertwined on bare branches.This plant originates in China, Korea, and Japan, and is a very adapting type plant. The branches are tough but with a springy quality. In most cases, the branches will be covered with thorns on quick-growing shoots.
While the leaves are actually quite simplistic, they do have very fine teeth. In addition to the beautiful clusters of flowers, the yellow/green, waxy fruit that grows in the summer has a wonderful, perfumed fragrance.
Care
- This particular Bonsai loves sunlight but should not become overheated
- Make sure the soil is well drained and rich with nutrients
- You want to keep the Flowering Quinces well watered
- The great thing about using this plant as a Bonsai is that it can be trained without much difficulty and looks great in a variety of styles
- Bushy growth can be encouraged by cutting back the older branches
- Pruning should be done in the late spring
- Propagates fairly well by layering or cutting
Bonsai Gardening Secrets
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