lundi 14 mars 2011

Interesting Facts About The Bonsai Tree

By Bob Flukes


While others refer to it as a dwarf plant, but the fact is that the bonsai tree literally means "potted plant" and that it first seen in China. Two words, with 'bon' that means dish and 'sai' that refers to tree or plant. This combination gives away the fact that the tray or container is considered to be the home for this little shrub.

The early types of this plant were first seen in Republic of China, more than a thousand years ago. And that taking care of these specimen trees in little pots has been regarded as a balance of expression of all elements in peace and harmony that is between heaven and earth. And owning one is well believed to bring peace and calmness to whoever has it. In fact, Buddhist monks are the first people to take good care and grow these plants inside their quiet monasteries. Then the image of having these potted plants changed when it reached Japan, as having one of these trees in the house has been associated with the well to do families, rich, Japanese elite. Then the plant was quickly associated as a symbol of fame, prestige and honor. They also buy some more of these trees aside from the ones that they have so they can showcase these plants on special events.

Bonsai tree types include the following: the indoor bonsai type, the outdoor species that are divided into evergreen trees like pines, junipers and deciduous trees like ginko, maples and elms to name some. Indoor ones are really great gifts for beginner bonsai growers. And then the varieties of this type include serissa, fukien tea, sago palms, schefflera, aralias, brush cherry, gardenias, bougainvillea and money tree, among others. If you would like to know if there are indeed species perfect for starter growers then yes there are some types for newbies as well as the Aged Specimen is the type that can make a perfect gift for real bonsai enthusiasts.

As for the other types, the outdoor species are those types that can be placed outside of one's home like azaleas, boxwoods, most junipers and pines. Meanwhile, the deciduous trees are the type that lose their leaves in the fall but will grow back again in spring. Some of these types include ginkgo, maple, larch, apricot, crabapple and other elm species.

Do you know that taking care of the bonsai tree highly depends on their type? For the indoor ones, these species are needed to be taken out every morning to get six hours of sun exposure, as this would keep them healthy. It should also be known that these types have to be watered daily using a controlled amount of clean, fresh water so as not to weaken and rot the roots. For those outdoor varieties, these should be well protected against the presence of outside pests and animals, as well as being sheltered as required to really avoid too cold temperature during winter.

As for the deciduous types, these have to be watered every other day and be treated with fertilizers every few weeks with little exposure to direct sunlight especially during winter months where the temperature is too cold.

Generally, these plants are much needed to be relocated to another tray after a year or two, so you can trim the old and bigger roots well and allow the smaller ones to grow. It is also best to put them in a clean container with holes at the sides to let the excess water flow outside and to keep the soil of the plant well hydrated. Remember to keep the bonsai out of the direct sunlight in between its hottest hours, from 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Too much sun exposure will quickly dehydrate and kill the plant. All in all, a good supply and balance of humidity, fertilizer, light, heat and water supply in order to take care of this small tree. This definitely goes back to having bonsai tree around as a symbol of calmness, peace and balance around your home.




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