Bonsai is an artistic method of growing plants and trees in small containers; the technique originated in Asia hundreds of years ago. Bonsai literally means tray planting. The object of a Bonsai Plan is to create an artistic combination of plant and container so that the shape, color, and texture of each complement the other. Of all the thousands of varieties of plants and trees, very few can be used successfully as a Bonsai Plant. A Bonsai Plant can be tiny (1″), small (5-10″), medium (up to 16″), medium to large (16-24″), and large (24-40″). A Bonsai Plant is kept small and true to its original form by pruning branches, root reduction, periodic re-potting, pinching off inappropriate new growth, leaf removal, and by wiring the branches and trunk so that they grow into the desired shape. The goal of a Bonsai Plant is to create a small specimen plant arrangement that mirrors the large original found in nature. Some of the best indoor plants and trees to use as a Bonsai Plant are: Alocasia, Anthurium, Aralias, Azaleas, Ficus, Fuscia, Gardenias, Hawaiian Schefflera, Hibiscus, Jade, Jasmine, Money Tree, Norfolk Pine, Podacarpus, Pony Tail Palms, Sago Palms, and Schefflera.
