How To Grow Bonsai – The 12 Amazing Styles

Owning miniaturized versions of bigger trees or bonsai trees please a lot of people not because they could own a tree and care for it, but because they can have fun having choosing from the different styles of bonsai trees. These styles are formal upright, informal upright, cascade, semi cascade, slant and windswept. These are the different types of bonsai trees available for shaping, training or forming. After choosing the styles, the bonsai lovers can choose specific pots for the specific style the bonsai tree is trained to be and decide which caring tips they need to grow the trees properly.

Upright styles: Formal and Informal

Trees that are suitable for the upright styles of bonsai trees style are Pine, Larch, Juniper and Spruce. This is because they have trunks that are straight upwards and their first lower branches are far wider than the rest. The rest of the branches will then follow suit and shape an overall triangular look for the tree. This is a great shape for beginners to practice with. Lending the tree an impression of motion, the informal upright style is similar to the formal upright except that the top branch needs to be extended forward instead of upwards. The Informal upright types of bonsai trees style are suitable for Beech, Japanese maple and Trident Maple trees

Slant types of bonsai trees

The slant on the other hand is a style where the tree trunk extends to one direction while the lowest branch extends to the other direction. This style is quite common and very easy to train. Informal upright types of bonsai trees style are suitable for Beech, Japanese maple and Trident Maple trees while the slant style can be done on almost any bonsai tree.

Cascade style Bonsai

There are also the cascade and the semi cascade styles available. The cascade types of bonsai trees are those that have a sloping effect. The trunk is vertical and then is turned to one direction while the branches are trained to slope or cascade lower than the surface of the pot. The semi cascade is similar to the cascade except the trunk gradually slopes instead of turns to one direction.

Windswept style Bonsai

The windswept style looks like the bonsai tree has been beset by strong winds. It looks a bit unruly and beautifully unkempt. These are most of the common styles that bonsai plants are usually trained to be.

Pruning Bonsai is the key

Getting the style of bonsai tree you want is easy. All you have to do is prune and trim. These styles have been practiced for centuries as an art form. This is one of the most important maintenance issues of this particular plant. Aside from shaping the bonsai into the desired form, pruning and trimming could maintain balance of the bonsai tree as you reduce growth taking place above the ground.