The Best Indoor Bonsai Trees & How to Care for Them. Our bonsai care checklist
To begin with, if you’re a Bonsai enthusiast refusing to settle for anything less than extraordinary, add a new addition to your houseplant collection. This Bonsai care checklist is your ultimate guide to the finest indoor Bonsai trees and how to take care of them.
Are you ready to dig into our bonsai care checklist?
As a result, here is what we will cover in this Bonsai care checklist, so you know exactly what Bonsai to buy and how to take care of it. Best of all you can read all of this information in under 5 minutes!
Bonsai Care Checklist-Video
What to consider Before selecting which Bonsai tree to purchase, keep in mind these tips:
Size matters. Decide where you will place your Bonsai to allow enough space for it to grow.
- Variety. For this reason, before purchasing your Bonsai, research different varieties, the specific conditions each plant requires, and how high maintenance they are. Next then, double-check if you can provide the trees with the right environment, with enough light, warmth, placement, and humidity to keep your tree healthy, to avoid it nagging you for more attention.
Owner expertise. If you’re just starting, you might want a Bonsai that’s easy to maintain and adapt to a range of climates.
Choose a healthy plant. Therefore, the secret to growing a healthy Bonsai is buying a healthy one to begin with! Make sure its branches and leaves look healthy, its roots are slightly sticking out of the pot, and the trunk is smoother and thicker at the bottom.
Related Content: U.S.D.A Zone Map.
Best Indoor Bonsai Trees
Most Affordable
Straightaway, for budget-conscious Bonsai lovers who don’t wish to break the bank while indulging in their passion project, here are some affordable tree options for around $35 or under:
- Flowering Lavender Star Bonsai: Evergreen trees with roots in Africa and Australia. As they generate beautiful purple flowers during spring. Price: around $35.
- Juniper Bonsai: This trouble-free traditional Bonsai can give your space a different aura is the most popular evergreen tree bought in the US. Price: from $23.
- Ficus Retusa Bonsai: A tolerant, versatile, and risk-free Bonsai with dark green leaves. It usually comes with a heavy trunk and exposed aerial roots. Price: from $30.
- Flowering Brush Cherry Bonsai: Small evergreen leaves that are glossy and firm. This variety yields white flowers, and if exposed to too much light, it will develop red highlights, which is a fun addition. Price: from $30.
- Golden Hawaiian Umbrella Bonsai: Evergreen, trouble-free, and one of the easiest Bonsai to care for. Its leaves form tiny umbrellas, and it’s great for home, office, or other interiors. Price: from $25.
The ultimate bonsai care checklist: Beginners
If you're new to the Bonsai world, you might want to start with relatively easy-to-grow, prune, and maintain plants. Our Bonsai care checklist. Here are our top Bonsai recommendations for beginners:
- Ficus Bonsai: Unquestionably, very easy to manipulate and shape using wire due to its easy-to-bend branches. Extremely tolerant even after weeks without water!
- Chinese Elm Bonsai: Hugely popular for their affordability and naturally small leaves, which give the “mini-tree” look many newbie Bonsai owners seek.
The Chinese Elm are easy to prune, train, and can be turned into a completely different shape over time.
Consequently, they thrive even with a lack of water, so they are great if you travel or forget to water your plants. - Small Leaf Jade Bonsai: Though, also known as the Dwarf Jade Bonsai, this option is technically an evergreen succulent.
As long as it receives sufficient sunlight, it may survive in either an overly watered or under-watered environment.
To be sure, plus, it’s simple to train it to develop new leaves by cutting back older ones and rearranging them. Fukien Tea Bonsai: One of the prettiest options on our list, as it can grow mini white flowers and red fruits all year round.
Furthermore, while it is still young, it can be pruned and shaped using wire. Therefore, when it matures, it will be strong enough to keep its form for a very long time.
- Hawaiian Umbrella Bonsai: A handsome choice for its broad umbrella-like tiny leaves.
More so, despite some difficulty shaping with wire, it is very tolerant of dim lighting. so you may need a little patience if you are keen to do some shape manipulation with your tree.
Best for low-light apartments
Like all plants, Bonsai need adequate light to grow and remain healthy.
Therefore, if your location does not have adequate lighting, we recommend the following tolerant Bonsai from our bonsai care checklist:
First, Lucky Bamboo Bonsai: Highly tolerable in both high and low light conditions. It’s one of the easiest plants to grow.
Norfolk Island Pine Bonsai: For the patient Bonsai owners, this low-light beast will be your best choice.
Madagascar Dragon Tree Bonsai. Or a different great choice that doesn’t require a lot of light, but still looks great and is easy to care for. There is not much room for experiments, like other Bonsai on our Bonsai care checklist, but the tree can become a true spectacle with age and training.
Most popular
If you're looking for more traditional options for mini tree looking Bonsai to give that feng shui look in your space, here are the most popular Bonsai on the market.
- Ginseng Ficus. A gorgeous houseplant for beginners that thrives in indoor spaces and warm climates. If you’re looking for distinctive aerial roots and oval, glossy leaves, it will be the best fit for you.
Weeping Fig. This gorgeous tree takes its name from its unique shape. With its sturdy roots and umbrella-like leaves, this plant is perfect for novice gardeners.
Japanese Flowering Cherry Bonsai. Absolutely not a typical Bonsai specimen, but a wonderful ornamental tree nonetheless. With this in mind, its white and pink flowers are so vibrant that they’ll definitely catch your guests’ eyes.
Pine Trees. Pine trees are the easiest to shape into any style, and they are incredibly hardy and trainable. Japanese black, white pine or mountain pine are among the most popular varieties.
Cedar Trees. On the other hand, if you’re looking for something dramatic in your space, you should go for cedar trees, specifically Lebanon, Cyprus, or Himalayan cedar.
Their small needle clusters grow along with their roots, creating a one-of-a-kind spectacle.
How to Care for any Bonsai Tree
Therefore, although each Bonsai needs special care depending on its variety, here is our essential Bonsai care checklist of Bonsai care tips:
To begin with, Bonsai are generally tolerant to low light conditions. Secondly, however, to keep them in the best possible form, be sure to place them near an east, west, or south window, or even place a fluorescent high-intensity light near them to meet their lighting needs.
Simply put, Bonsai love being in the sun!
Depending on the variety of Bonsai you choose, you might get away even with weeks of not watering your Bonsai.
However, these trees are tropical plants. So make sure to water them enough and monitor your tree’s soil condition to avoid a soggy or bone dry bed.
If you’re using air conditioning or heating systems indoors, your Bonsai is going to have a hard time.
Try to keep them humid enough by misting the trees, placing them on humidity trays, and frequently refreshing the air by opening your windows.
Whereas generally, room temperature is adequate for your Bonsai’s growth. However, avoid placing your Bonsai near windows when temperatures drop below 50°F (10°C) during cold winter months.
As a general rule of thumb, warm rooms are best.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does the name "Bonsai" come from?
The word “Bon-sai” translates to “planted in a container”. It’s a Japanese term describing the ancient art of cultivating, growing, and shaping Bonsai with its roots back to Chinese horticultural practices.
Will I need to repot my Bonsai?
What tools do I need to prune my Bonsai?
The essential tools to take care of your Bonsai are a pair of scissors (stainless steel is preferable) for trimming and some concave branch cutters for removing branches.
Are all Bonsai pet-friendly?
While most bonsais will not injure your cat or dog, you should still use caution. Even non-toxic plants may be poisonous to cats and dogs if eaten, and severe poisoning can be lethal in rare cases.
For the most part, when in doubt, seek a handbook like this. Always research the bonsai trees you want to bring into your house.
How often should I water my Bonsai?
The watering frequency will depend on the Bonsai’s environment, variety, and even the time of the year.
And still, a common practice is watering Bonsai once a week. On the other hand, however, don’t just stick to this routine without paying attention to your plant’s needs. Place your finger into the soil, and if it’s as dry as the desert, it’s time for a bath!
Can you “Bonsai” any tree?
Indeed, yes you can! Straightaway, Bonsai is not a specific breed but a sum of cultivation techniques that recreate miniatures of trees inside small containers. In the long run, naturally there are some tree species that are preferred in the art of Bonsai, such as maple, pines, junipers, and cedar.
Check out this complete starter kit from Bonsai Boy of New York.
Spruce Up Your Home with Bonsai Today!
Bonsai are true interior design miracles that bring life into any room. They are living works of art that can be shaped with time and are popular with beginner houseplant lovers for being easy to grow and hard to kill.
Plus, they don’t require much maintenance and care to survive. With this bonsai care checklist, you’ll be able to create your beginner Bonsai collection and slowly make your way to Bonsai mastery.
Related: The incredible art of Bonsai Trees.
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