Bonsai Glossary

Akadama - A granular Japanese clay commonly used in bonsai soil. It provides good drainage while retaining enough moisture for the roots.

Apex - The highest point of a bonsai, forming the top of the tree and completing its overall shape.

Bonsai - The Japanese art of growing and shaping trees in containers to create the appearance and character of mature trees in nature.

Branch Structure - The arrangement and development of a bonsai’s branches, helping to create balance, shape and the impression of age.

Broom Style (Hokidachi) - A bonsai style with an upright trunk and branches spreading outward to form a rounded, broom-shaped crown.

Bud - A small developing growth that can eventually become a new leaf, shoot, branch or flower.

Cascade (Kengai) - A bonsai style in which the trunk and branches grow downward, usually extending below the bottom of the pot.

Conifer - A group of trees including pines, junipers and cedars, many of which are popular subjects for bonsai.

Deadwood - Areas of intentionally preserved dead trunk or branches used to suggest great age, weathering or hardship.

Deciduous - A tree that naturally loses its leaves during part of the year, usually in autumn or winter.

Defoliation - The deliberate removal of some or all leaves during the growing season to encourage finer growth and smaller leaves. This technique is not suitable for every species.

Drainage - The ability of excess water to pass freely through the bonsai soil and out through the holes in the pot.

Evergreen - A tree that retains living foliage throughout the year, although individual leaves or needles are still naturally replaced.

Fertilizer - Nutrients supplied to a bonsai to support healthy roots, foliage and growth.

Formal Upright (Chokkan) - A traditional bonsai style featuring a straight, upright trunk that gradually tapers toward the top.

Informal Upright (Moyogi) - An upright bonsai style in which the trunk has natural curves while the overall tree remains balanced.

Jin - A dead branch that has been stripped of bark and preserved to create the appearance of age or weather damage.

Juniper - An evergreen conifer frequently used for bonsai because of its flexible branches, attractive foliage and ability to develop dramatic deadwood.

Literati (Bunjingi) - A minimalist bonsai style usually featuring a slender, often curved trunk with relatively little foliage.

Moss - Small plants sometimes grown on the soil surface to retain moisture and give a bonsai a more natural and established appearance.

Nebari - The visible surface roots spreading from the base of the trunk. Good nebari can give a bonsai a strong and mature appearance.

Needle - The narrow foliage found on conifers such as pines.

Node - The point on a branch or stem from which leaves, buds or new shoots grow.

Pruning - Removing selected branches, shoots or foliage to maintain health, control growth and develop the desired shape.

Repotting - Removing a bonsai from its pot periodically so that the roots can be inspected and managed and the growing medium renewed.

Root Pruning - Carefully trimming selected roots during repotting to maintain a healthy, compact root system suitable for container cultivation.

Semi-Cascade (Han-Kengai) - A bonsai style in which the trunk grows outward and downward, but generally does not extend below the bottom of the pot.

Shari - An area of bark removed from the trunk to expose and preserve deadwood, often creating the appearance of an old tree weathered by nature.

Shohin - A small category of bonsai, generally compact enough to be comfortably carried in one hand.

Soil Mix - The combination of materials used around a bonsai’s roots. A good mix balances drainage, aeration and moisture retention.

Species - The particular type of tree or plant being cultivated, such as Japanese maple, Japanese black pine or Chinese elm.

Trunk - The main woody stem of the tree. Its thickness, movement, taper and texture are important parts of a bonsai’s character.

Windswept (Fukinagashi) - A bonsai style in which the trunk and branches appear to have been shaped by persistent strong winds.

Wiring - The careful application of wire around trunks or branches so they can be positioned and gradually trained into a desired shape.