Bonsai glossary of terms with photographs

With 134 different Japanese words and Bonsai phrases, helpful photographs and additional links for even more information, this is the largest, most comprehensive glossary of Bonsai terms on the web…

ACCENT PLANT

A complimentary plant that is displayed next to a Bonsai – most often used when the Bonsai is on show or being formally exhibited. Accent plants can be a perennial, a grass or a small bamboo.

AIR LAYERING

A technique used to create new Bonsai material from a mature tree. It allows us to extract thick branches from trees by removing a strip of the bark down to the tree’s cambium layer, brushing the wound with rooting hormone, wrapping it securely with ample damp sphagnum moss then covering securely with plastic sheeting or bubble wrap. The roots will begin to grow from the top of the cut, into the moss.

AKADAMA

This classic Japanese volcanic Bonsai soil is ideal for most species of deciduous trees. In literal terms, Akadama means red clay balls.

APEX

The uppermost branches of a tree.

BACK BUDDING

Term used for the process of creating new growth on a bare branch. Back budding occurs when new buds appear on old wood.

BLEEDING

When trees or branches seep sap from wounds or cuts.

BONKEI

Tray-planted artworks that feature stones, trees, plants and figurines to mimic miniature scenes.

BONSAI

Bonsai is a Japanese word made up of two word phrases – bon and sai. Bon is pronounced as the English word ‘bone’, and means pot, container or tray. Sai is pronounced as the English word ‘sigh’ and means tree or plant in Japanese. When combined it’s the name for the art of cultivating a plant to create the illusion of a dwarf tree.

BRANCH BENDER

A device – often a clamp – used to bend thicker branches or even the main trunk into a desired position or angle.

BRANCH SPLITTER

Also known as a trunk splitter, this cutting tool is specially designed to split trunks with minimal damage to the surrounding wood or bark.

BROOM STYLE

The common name for a style of Bonsai called Hokidachi. This style resembles an upside-down brush, has a single vertical trunk with numerous symmetrical branches that divide into even more twigs.

BUNJIN

The Japanese phrase/term for an educated person, or a tree grown in the literati-style where the trunk is very long, thin and slender, while the branches are high upon the tree and very sparse.

BUTTRESS

Buttress is also known as root flare and is the section of a Bonsai where the root system meets the soil’s surface. The root system here is often worked and styled to give the impression of strength and old age.

CALLUS

This is an abundance of new plant tissue which forms around a cut or wound, eventually sealing and completely closing the damaged section of tree.

CAMBIUM

The layer of plant tissue positioned between the xylem and phloem which produced new wood.

CANDLES

Buds left on evergreen trees grow and enlarge – these are now called candles.

CANOPY

The foliage based on the upper branches and the outer part of the tree – the canopy forms the tree’s silhouette.

CROWN

The uppermost section of a tree. The crown is where numerous branches spread from the trunk to define the silhouette of your Bonsai.

CHICHI

Nodules found upon the trunks of older, more established Ginkgo specimens.

CHLOROSIS

Chlorosis is an illness in plants that are not producing enough chlorophyll. The leaves turn yellow. It can be caused by poor drainage, damaged roots, compacted roots, high alkalinity, and nutrient deficiencies in the plant.

CHOKKAN

The Japanese term for formal upright-style Bonsai.

CLUMP STYLE

A style of Bonsai. See Kabaduchi.

COMPANION PLANT

Also called accent plant, companion plants are used when a Bonsai, a scroll and an accent plant is displayed in a Tokonama.

CONCAVE CUTTERS

Concave cutters are one of the most important tools a Bonsai enthusiast can own. They are used when removing branches as they produce the perfect cut – either flush to the trunk or main branch, or slightly depressed within the trunk. The cut produced will heal quickly, due to the nature of the resultant wound.

CONIFER

A conifer is a predominantly evergreen tree that bears cones such as pines, cedars, spruces and junipers. These species tend to have tiny, waxy leaves, sometimes needles, which remain upon the tree all year round.

CROWN

The collective name for all parts of a tree that are above ground: the branches, twigs, trunk and reproductive structures.

CUT PASTE

This is a wound sealant specially created to promote rapid healing of any cuts. It also helps keep sap from bleeding. A very popular product with experienced Bonsai growers.

CUTTING

A method of propagating a new tree by taking small cut sections of the tree, placing the base into rooting hormone powder and planting.

DECIDUOUS

A tree or shrub which sheds its leaves in Autumn, enters a state of dormancy throughout the Winter to shoot new buds again in the Spring.

DEFOLIATION

The process of leaf pruning – either some or even all of the leaves are pinched off to encourage new shoots and smaller leaves. When done correctly, and not too late in the growing season, defoliation can greatly increase ramification.

DIE-BACK

Die-back is where shoots or branch tips die. There could be many reasons why this happens, but chiefly it will due to drought, insect attacks, disease, lack of light or extreme weather conditions.

DORMANT

This is the descriptive word for the period during late autumn and winter when a tree rests. Very little or in fact no growth is made during this time.

DWARF

Dwarf trees and shrubs are plants that have been created and cultivated to grow smaller than the original species of plant. They are usually extremely compact and often very slow-growing.

EDA

The Japanese term for a tree’s branch.

ERICACEOUS

Ericaceous describes acidic soil conditions or a plant that must have acid-based soil in which to survive healthily.

EVERGREEN

A tree or shrub that retains its foliage throughout all of our four seasons – pines and junipers being perfect examples.

FEEDER ROOT

The roots which absorb water and nutrients from the soil.

FENG SHUI

This is the Chinese art of creating balance, comfort and harmony in both the environment and then in a person’s lifestyle. It translates literally as ‘wind-water’.

FERTILISER

Fertiliser is a generic term for all the combined nutrients and food needed by a plant. The chemical make-up normally comprises phosphorous for a strong root system, nitrogen for healthy leaves, and potassium to help the flowers and fruits develop.

FIBROUS ROOT

Fine, hair-like and extremely delicate roots that absorb the vast majority of water and nutrients from the soil.

FOLIAGE PAD

These are cloud-shaped masses of foliage positioned upon a branch. They are created by training each branch and carefully pruning the spreading twigs to ensure ample leaf growth to create the large pads of leaves.

FOREST BONSAI

A style of Bonsai involving the use of a number of trees – all of the same species – to create a miniature forest.

FUKINAGASHI

This is the Japanese term for windswept-style Bonsai art.

FUNGICIDE

A liquid-based chemical used to fight fungus growth.

GERMINATION

This is the natural process whereby a seed begins growing into a new plant, splitting and developing a shoot and roots.

GIRTH

This is the circumference of a Bonsai tree, measured at the trunk’s widest point, normally just above the roots.

GRAFTING

Grafting is a technique for propagating another tree. By cutting and attaching a stem of one plant to the main Bonsai it is possible to create a new branch where otherwise one would not have grown.

HAIR ROOTS

The extremely fine roots which absorb water and nutrients from the soil.

HAN KENGAI

The Japanese term for semi-cascade style Bonsai.

HARD-PRUNING

This is where vigorous-growing shrubs are cut back to only a few inches above the soil level in order to promote strong new growth during the spring and summer months.

HARDINESS

A plant’s classification in terms of its ability to survive throughout the most extreme temperatures of geographic regions. If a plant is capable of surviving a winter frost it is described as hardy.

HUMIDITY

The percentage of moisture that is present in the air.

HOKIDACHI

The Japanese Term for broom-style Bonsai.

IBIGAWA ROCK

This is a type of rock from the Ibigawa region of Japan that is widely used for rock-based landscapes and Bonsai art. It has a grey colouration and is often heavily grooved and sharp.

IKEBANA

A Japanese term meaning ‘living flowers’. Ikebana is the art of flower arrangement which follows strict rules for representing heaven, earth and people.

INSECTICIDE

Either a man-made or organic product that is used to kill or repel plant-damaging insects and bugs.

INTERNODE

The length of stem between the nodes, where new leaves bud and stems grow, is called the internode.

ISH SEKI

The Japanese term used for Bonsais that have been planted on rock.

ISHITSUKI

The Japanese term for root-over-rock style Bonsai.

JIN

This is the Japanese term (pronounced jeen) for the deadwood on a Bonsai. It could be a dead branch protruding from the main trunk, or even a stripped-back apex of the tree.

KABUDACHI

The Japanese term for clump style Bonsai.

KENGAI

The Japanese term for cascade-style Bonsai.

KIYONAAL

One of the best sealants to use when major cuts are undertaken and branches are removed from Bonsais. This green-coloured, quick-drying sealant can also be used as a grafting aid. It contains both fungicides and insecticides and can be used to form a smooth cover that remains quite flexible. In time it simply drops off, leaving no trace.

LAVA

A soil additive derived from crushed volcanic ash, often used to enhance Bonsai soil.

LAYERING

Layering is a method of propagation whereby a stem or branch of a donor tree is persuaded to grow new roots by encapsulating it with dampened soil.

LEADER

This is the main part of a Bonsai’s trunk, uppermost on the tree.

LIME SULPHUR

Lime sulphur is widely used in Bonsai creation to bleach, whiten and preserve sections of dead wood, such as jin or shari. Once the bark has been stripped from a branch or trunk and the hardwood is exposed, lime sulphur can be carefully painted over the wood to enhance its visual appeal, make it look weathered and also help preserve the dead wood.

LOAM

Loam is a very rich Bonsai soil which comprises clay, sand and plenty of quality organic matter.

MAME

Mame is pronounced ‘ma-may’ and is the Japanese word describing a Bonsai that is no taller than 10cm and can be held in the palm of a hand.

MESOPHYLL

The mesophyll is the spongy inner tissue of a leaf where both water vapour and carbon dioxide are stored during the photosynthesis process.

MOYOGI

The Japanese term for informal upright-style Bonsai.

MYCORHIZZAE

This is a very beneficial fungus that is most often found in the soil around pine trees, helping the roots to absorb additional nutrients. It tends to look like white filaments each about 1/4 inch long.

NEAGARI

The Japanese term for a Bonsai having exposed roots, or created in the octopus-style.

NEBARI

The Japanese word for a Bonsai’s exposed surface roots that lead directly from the base of the Bonsai.

NEEDLE

A word to describe leaves often found on conifers, such as junipers or pine trees. They are very narrow leaves, quite stiff and often prickly.

NEGARI

The Japanese term for exposed root-style Bonsai.

NETSUNAGARI

The style of Bonsai that has connected roots.

NITROGEN

Nitrogen is an essential element that all plants require to develop foliage and new strong stem growth.

NODE

The area of a trunk or a branch where new leaf buds emerge.

NPK

An acronym for the three major bonsai nutrients each plant requires to remain healthy. ‘ N’ stands for nitrogen,’ P’ for phosphorus, and’ K’ for potassium.

OVERPOTTING

When a Bonsai is held in a large container – larger than is necessary to maintain it.

PENJING

The Chinese term for Bonsai, or landscape plantings.

PERLITE

When volcanic ash is exposed to extreme temperatures it expands to form granules – that is perlite. It is used by Bonsai enthusiasts as a soil enhancer. The granules are about the same size as gravel, they are extremely lightweight and also porous, therefore they help the soil retain moisture.

PH LEVEL

This is a measure of the soil’s acidity, helping the Bonsai grower to understand which type of soil is best for the particular tree in question. The pH scale ranges from 1 (highly acidic) through to 14 (extremely alkaline), with 7 being neutral.

PHLOEM

This is the layer of soft tissue located just inside the outermost layer of bark that aids the passage of food from the leaves down through the tree, eventually entering the stem and roots.

PHOSPHOROUS

Phosphorous is a chemical that helps encourage the development of roots and it also helps fruit ripen and seeds develop.

PHOTOSYNTHESIS

The process by which plants convert water and carbon dioxide into carbohydrates, using sunlight as the source of energy and the aid of chlorophyll.

PINCHING

A pruning technique to improve, control and stylise a Bonsai. It involves carefully pinching or pulling off individual small shoots with the fingers and thumb, or tweezers.

PINNATE

A leaf stem that comprises several ‘leaflets’ on separate stalks.

POT

The container in which a Bonsai is displayed and held. The word ‘Bon’ means tray or shallow pot.

POTASSIUM

Potassium is a crucial mineral that all plants require for strong development of flowers and fruits, and also for new growth.

POT-BOUND

This is where the roots of any potted plant become too overgrown – they begin to circle the circumference of the pot seeking water and nutrients as there is nowhere left for them to grow. When this happens the roots will have taken up all available space within the pot, therefore eliminating any crucial air spaces that the roots require. It is quite easy to spot when this problem occurs; the soil dries out faster than it used to because the roots have expelled all the soil, therefore the soil cannot retain moisture.

PRUNING

The process of controlling the shape and growth rate of a bonsai by cutting back the shoots, stems and branches.

PUMICE

Pumice is often used as an addition to Bonsai soil, to alter its density. It is derived from a volcanic rock, light in colour, containing thousands of trapped gas bubbles that were formed by the explosive eruption of magma.

RACEME

A long flower stem that has many separate flower stalks. A wisteria is a perfect example.

RAFFIA

This natural material – originating from the raffia palm – is used to wrap around branches to protect the bark from splitting when the branch is being bent. Raffia is a soft, pliable and non-shrinking material that is extremely forgiving and pliable – similar to a plaster we use on cuts and grazes.

RAFT STYLE

A style of Bonsai whereby numerous trunks grow vertically from a connecting base, often from a section of wood that mimics a fallen tree.

RAMIFICATION

This is the development of slender twig structures by carefully dividing branches to create new twigs, and then dividing the twigs into new twiglets.

REPOTTING

A very important task that all Bonsai growers must undertake. When a Bonsai becomes root bound within its pot (too many roots tightly packed) the tree should be removed, the roots pruned and the soil replaced with new. This is also an ideal time to change the pot for a larger or more suitable example.

RING-BARKING

Used when air-layering; a section of bark from right around the branch or trunk is removed to promote root growth at that selected point.

ROOTBALL

The mass of roots and soil at the base of a Bonsai, when removed from its pot.

ROOT PRUNING

The practice of cutting back and removing roots when a Bonsai is re-potted. In performing this task the grower will encourage new root growth that will, in turn, promote future growth upon the tree too.

ROOTING HORMONE

Can be either a powder or a liquid and is formulated to help plant cuttings to sprout roots at the base of the cut.

SABAMIKI

The Japanese term that describes a tree having a split or open trunk. A wounded tree.

SAIKEI

Tray-based display that features stones, trees and plants but without figurines.

SANKAN

The Japanese term for triple-trunk Bonsai style.

SEKJOJU

The Japanese phrase for a tree planted on rock that clearly shows the roots exposed and running down the rock.

SHAKAN

The Japanese term for slanting-style Bonsai.

SHARI

Shari is the Japanese word for any exposed dead wood on a trunk of a Bonsai. It is not exposed dead wood branches ; these are Jin. The exposed sections of dead wood on the trunk give the impression of a struggle against the elements, such as wind, ice or even lightning strikes.

SHIDARE-ZUKURI

The Japanese term for weeping branch Bonsai style.

SHOHIN

Bonsai that less than 10 inches from root to apex.

SIFTING

The act of sorting the soil to remove dust particles and larger stones.

SOIL SIEVE

An item used to sieve soil in order to remove fine particles that may prevent proper drainage, and also to grade the soil.

SOKAN

Japanese term for a twin-trunk style Bonsai.

SPHAGNUM MOSS

A spongy, water-retentive moss that Bonsai artists use to surround circular cuts made in new material when air-layering a tree or branch. It is also used for lining hanging baskets.

STRATIFY

The natural process where seeds are exposed to freezing temperatures throughout the Winter in order to ‘persuade’ the seeds to begin the germination process. This can be created artificially by leaving seeds in a freezer or refrigerator.

SUIBAN

A ceramic tray that has no drainage holes onto which water or gravel is poured to create displays using stones or rock plantings.

SUISEKI

Suiseki means water-stone, derived from Sui meaning water and Seki meaning stone. It is the art of displaying naturally-evolved rock or stones to show off their beauty. More often than not these stones or rocks are sourced from mountain streams, from the beach or from deserts, where the extreme conditions has naturally carved and eroded the rocks into pieces of beauty. They are then displayed in shallow trays, either sat on fine gravel or in water.

TACHIAGARI

A term that describes the shape, style and angle of the first section of a Bonsai’s trunk, from the root system to the lowest branch.

TANUKI

The Japanese term for the Bonsai style where the tree is attached to deadwood. Also known as Pheonix Graft.

TAP ROOT

A straight and tapering main root that tends to grow straight downwards, similar to the shape of a carrot.

TOKONOMA

An area indoors where three elements are neatly displayed upon a raised table or structure. The three elements are: a Bonsai tree (representing man), an accessory (earth) and a scroll (heaven).

TRANSPIRATION

Similar to sweating. It’s the process where a tree or plant loses water through its leaves and bark.

TUFA ROCK

Pronounced ‘toofa’. Tufa is a very soft limestone that is often used in rock landscape Bonsai as it is easily carved. The yellow/red colouration is created as the lime-rich water evaporates to leave a calcium carbonate deposit tainted by iron oxide impurities.

URO

The Japanese term for parts of a Bonsai that have been carved out to resemble aged weathering.

VARIEGATED

Two-tone leaves that are predominantly green but speckled with either olive, yellow or cream patches or spots.

VERMICULITE

A mineral, called mica, is heated until it expands to form sponge-like granules. Once altered into this state it is renamed Vermiculite and sold for adding to soil and compost as the particles are ideal for holding water and air, aiding the spread of nutrients within the soil.

WHETSTONE

The ideal implement to use for sharpening all your Bonsai cutting and pruning tools.

WHITEFLY

An aphid that sucks sap, often upon indoor Bonsai and plants. If not treated quickly using appropriate sprays, whitefly can increase in numbers rapidly, causing severe damage.

WIRE

The metallic material that is used by Bonsai growers to alter the way a branch points or hangs. It is wrapped around the branch, then bent into the desired position and left in place for many months until the branch sets into position.

WOUND SEALANT

A thick paste-like compound used to smear over new wounds and cuts made to Bonsai trees to prevent loss of moisture through the wound.

YAMADORI

A term for collected Bonsai stock – mainly trees collected in the wilds or mountains that has already been dwarfed by natural circumstances.

YOSE UE

The Japanese term for a forest or group planting, often comprising an odd number of trees.

ZEN

A form of Buddhism which developed in Japan, also meaning ‘meditation’.