Bonsai trees are known to have originated from China, however, they’re commonly associated to Japan due to a number of reasons. The name bonsai is actually a Japanese word with literal interpretations that mean planted in a container. So, this tree isn’t really meant to be grown in yards like most trees but simply refers to a miniature version of a tree.
For a lot of people, the need to grow bonsai trees is simply to create a realistic, but miniature version of a tree that’s potted. The right bonsai tree would easily attract the attention of people as the plant has the exact physical characteristics of a tree, but in a smaller form. With this said, this article serves as a guide on how to buy a bonsai tree.
About Bonsai Trees
Bonsai trees don’t grow into their existing forms by default. Instead it takes years to train the tree to its final form. To buy such trees, you’ll need to consider its size, as well as the particular use you want to put it to. You may simply want to have this stationed indoors or simply buy one for purposes of exhibitions.
Whatever your goal is, there’s a tree for you. Bonsai trees come in three main sizes; miniature, small, and medium. There are also dwarf varieties that measure approximately 2 to 10 inches in length. The small and medium sizes of bonsai trees measure around 10 to 20, as well as over 20 inches respectively.
Certain bonsai trees tend to be more difficult training than others. The reasons mostly boil down to the natural tendencies of the tree in question. Buying the right kind of tree largely depends on making as much inquiries as you can about its growth habits and patterns.
What do you need?
Buyers must have a thorough understanding o their basic needs before proceeding to buy a bonsai tree. First off, you need to know of the different categories of this tree. There are wire tree sculpture bonsai trees, flowering bonsai trees, tropical bonsai trees and evergreen bonsai tree categories.
From the names alone, you tend to get an idea of what these bonsai tree categories are about. For wire sculpture bonsai trees, these are trained with the help of wires. Most bonsai tree varieties trained in this fashion are ideal for office and home decorations.
For flowering bonsai trees, these can be used in place of flowers. Some variants of these include the magnolia bonsai, and cherry blossom bonsai trees. It’s important to find what fits your need.
There are also key considerations to make like the cost of bonsai trees, the different species to choose from, where to buy, and the hardiness zones most ideal for the trees. Let’s discuss each of these points to provide you with a better idea of what to expect.
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Cost of Bonsai Trees
Before shopping for your bonsai trees, it’s necessary to have an idea on costs. Now, cost in itself can be varied depending on the species you’re looking at. When it comes to cost, you should expect such to fall within the ranges of $27 to as much as $500.
Certain species bonsai tree species tend to be rarer than others hence the varying costs. The range is quite wide due to a number of other reasons including the size and which nursery you buy your trees from. Quite a lot of bonsai trees either belong to the ficus, junipers, azaleas, or pine family among others.
With bonsai trees, size matters a lot. These are designed to grow and remain in containers for the purpose of indoor or outdoor decorations. So, you might find smaller types of bonsai trees selling for much higher compared to some larger variants. However, this isn’t the case all the time.
There are small bonsai trees that sell for the same amount with medium-sized variants. The reasons could be the species they’re made of, of other reasons. To make the right purchase decisions, you’ll need to make a lot of enquiries to find out why a particular bonsai tree sells for a particular amount.
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Bonsai Species to Choose from
Bonsai tree species are quite varied. Buying your tree will require making necessary findings about the most popular or exotic species available. Some popular bonsai tree species you might find interesting include the dwarf jade bonsai, Benjamin Ficus bonsai, black olive bonsai, and Juniper bonsai tree variants.
Others include the Hawaiian umbrella bonsai, green island ficus, Fukien tea bonsai, willow leaf ficus, desert rose bonsai, sago bonsai, and ponytail bonsai trees. There are also others like the boxwood bonsai, wisteria bonsai, bougainvillea bonsai, Japanese maple bonsai, cherry blossom bonsai, and magnolia bonsai trees.
The crabapple bonsai, Chinese elm bonsai, cypress bosai, hemlock bonsai, pine bonsai, zelkova bonsai, and the weeping willow bonsai trees are some popular bonsai tree variants you might want to buy. It’s important to make your research about the different variants before choosing which to go for.
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Where to Buy
Where do you buy your bonsai trees from? This is a question you’ll have to figure out. The easiest answer will be to walk into any nursery or garden center to make your purchase. However, the level of service you get from such nursery night be highly disappointing.
To save yourself from such stress, it’s best to find nurseries with a reputation for customer satisfaction. One way to figure that out involves searching for customer reviews. The more positive the customer reviews are, the better. Avoid patronizing nurseries where majority of customer reviews are negative.
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Hardiness Zones
Because bonsai trees are mostly indoor plants, hardiness zones don’t apply much to them. With indoor plants, there’s better control of weather conditions. Your best shot at finding out details about hardiness zones depends on your interaction with the nursery expert you patronize.
It’s vital to make all necessary inquiries to save yourself from silly mistakes. Never rush through the process of finding the right information.
Now you know how to buy your bonsai trees. All you have to do is find the right place to buy, and have a preferred bonsai tree variant you wish to go for.