The fashion for bonsai trees comes from the far east. The technique, originally from China, was adopted and renamed by the inhabitants of the Empire of the Rising Sun, reaching us with the name we know today.
The word bon – sai , an interpretation of Japanese ideograms, is often translated as ‘planted in a small pot’. This concept refers to pygmy trees that can be kept in shallow pots and in the comfort of our homes, applying the appropriate techniques to stunt their growth.
Bonsai history
According to the article published by the Science magazine of the National Autonomous University of Mexico, the art of bonsai arises in ancient China, where it was called punsai , penjing or pensai .
The Taoist monks who lived isolated in the monasteries, in need of medicinal plants and in order to save effort, began to transplant whole trees into small containers, which suffered a decrease in size in the process. In turn, they tried to imitate in the branches and trunks of the new pygmy trees the forms of the animals of Chinese culture, such as birds, leopards and dragons.
Chinese missionaries, between the 10th and 11th centuries, exported the technique to Japan, with the premise that the cultivation and care of these small trees could bring them closer to the gods. The Japanese adopted the technique, refined it, and renamed it.
In the western world, bonsai trees made their debut in the city of London, at the Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All Nations , held during the Victorian era in 1851. The first European treaty dealing with The subject was published in the bulletin of the Botanical Society of France and written by J. Vallot in 1889.
What plants can be used to make bonsai trees?
Although there are no severe restrictions when choosing the plants to create bonsai trees, it is recommended to use varieties of plants that manage to reach great heights, with a perennial trunk covered by a solid bark. We bring you some recommendations below.
We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.OkPrivacy policy