Bonsai Styles

A large part of the art of bonsai consists of imitating nature, by shaping the trees grown in trays to look like those found in the countryside or forest. This is why the most widely used shapes have been given names, which make up an official catalogue of some of the characteristic forms from which the bonsai enthusiast can choose. The tree must conform to the type chosen, the whole art consisting of cutting, pruning and wiring the plant to the chosen shape. These 'official' shapes, the formation of which will be described, all originate from Japan.

To obtain these characteristic shapes requires a degree of skill, adaptable material, and above all, a great deal of patience. For a tree, unlike a man, has eternity before it - particularly when it benefits from careful tending.

Single trees

The following are single trees with one trunk grown in containers.

CHOKKAN - formal upright bonsai This is an upright tree, which has a vertical trunk and progressively smaller branches. The branches are arranged symmetrically, forming the pyramidal shape which is characteristic of the giant conifers.
BUNJINGI - literati style bonsai A 'literati' form of tree, imitating calligraphy. An elegant form with a slightly slanting trunk, whose branches and foliage develop only at the crown.
TACHIKI Informal upright style bonsai
SHAKAN - slanting style bonsai A tree whose single trunk leans sharply to the right or left. Its branches are fairly uniformly arranged, and are positioned on opposite sides of the trunk.
FUKINAGASHI - windswept style bonsai A form also described as 'windblown'. The trunk leans to a greater or lesser extent and the branches all face the same direction (the same way the trunk leans), as if battered by the wind.
KEN GAI - cascade style bonsai A cascading tree, with a strongly bent trunk, whose branches hang over the container.
ISHITZUKI - root-over-rock style bonsai A very specific form for plants grown on or in the crevices of rock-like stones or boulders. A 'rock dweller', this is a very effective form, some plants developing a spectacular arrangement of knotty aerial roots.
HÔKIDACHI - broom style bonsai An upright tree, whose branches begin to sprout out at a certain height, giving it its characteristic, broom-like appearance. The elm is particularly suited to this very symmetrical shape.
NEAGARI - exposed root style bonsai The exposed roots are seen below the lower portion of the trunk.
MOYOGI - curved informal upright bonsai An almost upright tree, with spiral development of the trunk, which decreases towards the crown.
BAN KAN - coiled style bonsai The trunk, becoming narrower towards the top, twists around its own axis. Such trees can grow in many different directions.

Trees with several trunks

These are literally trees which have several trunks growing from a single root. There are examples.

SOKAN - twin trunk style bonsai The simplest form, a double trunk growing from a forked base.
SANKAN - triple trunk style bonsai Three trunks of different thickness growing out of one stock.

In these two cases, the size of the trunks growing out of the base should not be identical. In the Sokan style one of the trunks is thicker than the other: this is the 'father', the other trunk being the 'son'. In the Sankan style two trunks are larger than the other, and these are the 'mother' and 'father', with the smaller trunk the 'son'.

KABUDACHI - clump style bonsai The term used for all bonsai where several trunks grow from one root.
IKADA - raft style bonsai Known as 'raft' bonsai, but with the trunk lying just below the surface of the soil and the branches, which rise vertically, giving the illusion of a group of trees planted side by side.
NETSURANARI - raft from root or sinuous style bonsai This is a spreading, 'rambling' shape, obtained by growing various trunks from a single, connected root base lying on the surface of the soil, again giving the impression of several trees planted side by side.

Groups of trees or forests

The desire to imitate nature provides the incentive for planting several trees in a container, to form groups of trees that recall a forest.

This effect results from planting several trees of the same species or variety, though often of differing ages and subsequently differing sizes. The way they are arranged can suggest a simple glade or a veritable forest. Different trees may be used, with various combinations of evergreens to provide contrast.

The YOSE-UE style (two or more trees in one container), uses a flat tray, or flat, moss-covered stone base. The trees making up a forest may, themselves, be different styles of the single or multiple trunk tree.

The most popular single trunk shapes to create this effect are the Hokidachi, Fukinagashi, Bunjingi and Ishitsuki bonsai, as well as some multiple trunk forms.

These forests, always spectacular even when the trees are young, are extremely popular today. It should be said that they require special, sometimes very exacting care.

Particular attention should be paid to watering during warm weather, since a number of trees sharing the same container will need a considerable amount.