19 TYPES of BONSÁI - Names, Characteristics and Photos

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The art of growing bonsai has its origin in China two thousand years ago, at the hands of the Taoist monks. They saw the figure of the trees as a symbol of union between the earth and the sky, as well as as a symbol of eternity. In bonsai they tried to enhance all these symbolisms, creating a plant that was a representation of a perfect specimen of the same species, but in miniature.

Since then, the art of growing bonsai has developed a lot, so much so that today there are a lot of ways to cultivate and shape them. If you want to learn more about the different types of bonsaiJoin us in this Green Ecologist article in which you will see a guide with the names of the most relevant types of these small trees, their characteristics and photos.

Types of bonsai according to their size

There are different types of bonsai according to size of them and these are their names:

• Hachi-uye
• Omono
• Chumono
• Kotate Mochi or Komono
• Shohin
• Mame
• Keshitsubu or Shito

Hachi-Uye bonsai, the largest

These are the larger bonsai. These are plants with a height greater than 130 cm, and for that reason they attract a lot of attention. The bonsai Hachi-Uye They are very rare to see because they are expensive and laborious, since maintaining the bonsai technique in such a large plant requires a lot of work and effort.

Image: Exploited

Bonsai Omono

The Omono have a size of between 60 and 120 cm, so they are the equivalent in size to many common shrubs to see in parks and gardens. They are large enough to be eye-catching, so they are often used to preside over the center of patios or to cross doors or passageways.

Image: Steemit

Bonsai Chumono

With a height of between 30 and 60 cm, the Chumono they are still difficult to see among novice amateurs, as they are still plants of a certain size and weight. Their price, however, is cheaper than that of the even larger categories, so those who are not intimidated can find them in specialized stores.

Image: Bonsaigallery

Komono bonsai

Also called Kotate mochi, the size of these bonsai goes from 15 to 31 cm. These are fairly simple bonsai to maintain, in which a lush forest or fukinagashi style is usually sought.

Shohin Bonsai

They are of the most common types of bonsai, since its size of between 15 and 25 cm makes them very popular and easy to maintain compared to others of more extreme sizes. The Shohin They do not entail the large amount of work of larger bonsai or the technical difficulty of the smaller ones.

Mame and Shito, the smallest types of bonsai

Mame are bonsai up to 15 cm, while the Keshitsubu or Shito are bonsai less than 5 cm. These are more technically difficult, and usually require sowing the seed in the small pot itself and starting to prune the seedling as soon as it grows.

Types of bonsai according to their style or shape

According to your form or style sought, these are the different types of bonsai:

• Chokkan
• Moyogui
• Shakan
• Hokidachi
• Sokan
• Fukinagashi
• Kengai
• Han Kengai
• Bunjin
• Ishitsuki
• Ne Agari
• Yose ue

Chokkan or formal style

Is the most formal style in the art of bonsai. At Chokkan bonsai typeThe aim is to create a completely straight trunk with a cylindrical shape, with branches that alternate on each side, with deep branches between them and a separation distance that shortens as they approach the apex.

Moyogui or Moyogi

It is also known as casual upright style. A curved trunk is sought in any of the three axes, with alternate branches on both sides that come out of the curved areas of the trunk. There are also branches deep, and the distance between branches shortens as they go up. The Moyogui or Moyogi it is common among beginners.

Shakan or slant style

Similar to the chokkan, with the difference that it is a slanted style, in which a trunk is sought that remains straight but inclined with respect to the ground. The bonsai shakan style It is common in pines and other conifers, like this pine in the image.

Hokidachi

It is also called umbrella or broom. The Hokidachi bonsai style It seeks to form a dense dome like that of an umbrella, uniform and completely covering the branches with its leaves.

Sokan or sankan

It is called sokan or sankan depending on whether there are two or three trees that make it up. It is actually a single tree, but with an outlet that is divided at the base into different trunks, creating the illusion of separated trees.

Fukinagashi or windswept style

Is the call windswept style. The style of fukinagashi bonsai It emulates the shapes that trees take from areas with very strong winds, which mark a very inclined or even horizontal growth.

Kengai and Han Kengai

Similar in a way to fukinagashi, the kengai or waterfall style represents trees that grow in a downward inclination, with low branches and even without a crown. At han kengai or semi waterfall, the inclination is less marked and they do retain the glass.

Bunjin or bunjingi

Is he literati style, bare and twisted trunk. Bonsai bunjin or bunjingi represents the minimalist philosophy of the monks who were looking for a basic bonsai in this style and with nothing that was not really necessary.

Image: Pinterest

Ishitsuki

The ishitsuki bonsai style It is characterized by having a tree that grows on a rock, leaving its roots in sight and descending through it until it digs into the ground to collect the necessary nutrients.

Ne Agari or neagari

At bonsai n stylee Agari or neagari the substrate is removed from the base of the bonsai as it grows, so that its roots are gradually exposed. This style is common in pine bonsai and azaleas.

Yose Ue or forest style

The forest style implements a certain number of trees of the same species and odd number, of different thicknesses and sizes, with which it seeks to create the image of a small landscape or forest.

Now that you know the different types of bonsai by size and style, here we leave you several care guides for these small trees:

• Care of bonsai ficus ginseng.
• Care of the ficus benjamina bonsai.
• Caring for the bonsai fig tree.
• Water a bonsai: when and how to do it.

If you want to read more articles similar to 19 types of bonsai, we recommend that you enter our Decoration category.