Bamboo BONSAI

Bamboo bonsai in Baihuatan Park, Chengdu, China. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Bamboo bonsai is an extremely popular, easy to care for bonsai that allows growers of all skill levels work with a fast growing, beautiful plant. The most common type of bamboo bonsai found in homes is the 'lucky' bamboo, which is believed to bring luck to their owners. This variety of bamboo is hardy and can be grown indoors or outdoors, provided that the bamboo is protected against frost. Like most species of bamboo, the plant does not thrive well in places where frost occurs.

Frost damages the bamboo and stops its growth, often shocking and killing the plant. It is for this reason that many bamboo species cannot thrive in northern climates unless they are kept indoors.

For beginners, bamboo bonsai is extremely rewarding due to the fact that the plants are so quick to grow. A new grower can start a plant and see a large amount of growth within the first year of owning the plant. This lets the beginners experiment with wiring and caring for bonsai without having to wait for five to ten years to see the results of their efforts.

There are many places that you can acquire bamboo. You can purchase it at many stores carrying plants, buy new shoots online that can be grown and transplanted into bonsai pots, or you can cut shoots from other bamboo plants and transplant them to begin your new plant. How quickly the bamboo bonsai will grow and take root is based on the species of bonsai you are growing. Also, some species of bamboo will not take root as well from cuttings as others.

Bamboo bonsai uses many of the techniques for care that more difficult bonsai trees use. You will need the same types of tools to maintain them, and you can use the same style of wire to help guide the trunk and branches of the bamboo. When you are pruning bamboo, like many other bonsai trees, there is a certain time of year that pruning is best done at. When you prune your bamboo is dependent on the type of bamboo that you have. Each species of bamboo is different and requires different care. As many people own the 'lucky' bamboo, you will most likely want to prune your bamboo bonsai in the fall and winter, removing all of the leaves. If you are working with a dwarf bamboo, you will need to prune in the early spring before the new growth has occurred.

You can purchase your bamboo bonsai online or through a local nursery.

---

---