Bonsai – Exotic Choices
Are you looking for something more adventurous in the art of bonsai gardening? If so, you need not be content with the more traditional deciduous, coniferous or occasional fruit trees as the sole items in your collection. Your choices can range to the more exotic bonsai varieties which will help expand your skills.
An example of an exotic choice is Wisteria, a plant native to Japan, Korea, and China which can reach more than 30 feet in size in the wild. Not conforming to any of the traditional bonsai styles, Wisteria can make for an interesting challenge.
With both beautiful and aromatic flowers that come in a variety of colors, such as, pink, purple, blue, and white, Wisteria can be a great choice. Wisteria blossoms in the Spring at which time they need plenty of water but with adequate drainage. Wisteria does well in a wide range of lighting conditions, from partial shade to full sun. To maintain healthy plants, be sure to provide them with ample fertilizer just prior to they bloom in the spring and once again in late summer prior to losing their leaves.
If you love fragrant flowers, an excellent choice is Orange Jasmine which produces a bright red fruit and fragrant white blossoms, bringing both delight to the nose and beauty to the eye.
Feed Orange Jasmine every three to four weeks starting in early spring and continuing through mid-autumn. Only light watering is sufficient for most of the year, with slightly more required in the hotter summer season.
Because they generally do better in moderate shade or filtered sun, Orange Jasmine is one of the few bonsai that can, and should be raised indoors.
Mimosa, or silk trees as they are occasionally called owing to their long silky filaments, are as fragrant as either of the two choices above. Their lacy foliage and puffy flowers are also just as lovely.
Moderate water should be given to the Mimosa during the blooming season which is from late April to early July. However, care should be taken to avoid getting water on the flowers themselves, since the flowers will rapidly deteriorate when wet, much like a number of other flowering plants.
Expect to give your Mimosa plenty of room in your display area as the Mimosa will be one of the larger bonsai in your collection. Because they grow rapidly and have large leaves, they are difficult to sustain in a very small size.
Another non-traditional bonsai is the Desert Rose. The Desert Rose can turn what would be an ordinary bonsai collection into one full of color and excitement. It is a native of East Africa and in the wild can grow up to 10 feet tall, producing large, pink, trumpet-bowl flowers.
Very bushy, it makes an excellent design complement to the many trees in a standard bonsai set. They need lots of fresh air and ample sunshine, so keep them outside most of the year.
Since they are sensitive to cold, they need to be moved indoors during periods of cold weather below 50F (10C). They will lie dormant but healthy when temperatures are in the range of 50F-60F (10C-15C) and will require very little water at this time.
You should try your hand at some of these exotic beautiful and fragrant flowering plants to expand your horizon and further develop your bonsai gardening skills. They provide a nice contrast when placed among some of the more standard evergreens, such as, firs, junipers, and pines. Additionally, as they drop their leaves in the fall and flower in the spring, you’ll have an interesting ever-changing display.
George Dodge enjoys gardening and landscaping as a hobby. Bonsai gardening offers hours of enjoyment producing delightful miniture shrubs and trees as an art form. His Bonsai Tree Gardening site shares tips for the beginning bonsai gardener. Experiment with exotic bonsai choices to roundout your collection.
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