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Here are some of the results of the survey to which the readers of 'The Bonsai Site' have contributed : This survey is now closed, but if you wish to contribute your views on our current survey, click here. If you want to see other past surveys, click here.
We received over 1000 answers to this survey which ran between October and November, 2000. It almost seemed an inevitability that the AZALEA would top the list of plants for the survey on the 'most attractive flowering plant for bonsai', although both the KURUME AZALEA and SATSUKI AZALEA were given a relatively equal amount of votes. This survey looked purely at the flowering nature of the plant, excluding other factors. Many bonsai 'traditionalists' have problems with using the Satsuki Azalea due to it's very large flowers, which can average 10cm (4in) in diameter. This raises the question whether a satsuki azalea is a genuine bonsai when flowering and is a justifiable species to use in bonsai according to traditional views that the bonsai's flowers and fruit should be in suitable proportions to the rest of the tree. Another frequently noted species was the SERISSA, which received the second-highest number of votes. Despite being a problem-plant for many enthusiasts, particularly beginners at bonsai, the pure white to pink flowers of the Serissa are undoubtedly quite beautiful - something that was commonly noted. Other plants highly mentioned were the FUKIEN TEA (Carmona), and FLOWERING CHERRY. A surprise absentee from the list of the top flowering plants was the FLOWERING QUINCE, which despite it's common use in bonsai, only received a few mentions. The recipient of the gift voucher from Amazon.com was Dan Waddell, a beginner at bonsai, with his comment on the SERISSA FOETIDA.
Question :
Opinions :
Harry Marsden from Euston, UK, says : Practicing bonsai for over 5 years. JAPANESE FLOWERING CHERRY. I love the beautiful, fragile flowers on the Japanese Cherry. They appear every year without fail and look spectacular against the bare branches of the bonsai. Seth from zone 6, Guilford, US, says : Practicing bonsai for over 2 years. SERISSA-FOETIDA. I think that the Serissa-foetida/Tree of a Thousand Stars is very pretty. They have many small flowering "stars" that are white and petite. Under a magnifing glass they are very amazing, each petal is small and nice. Randy from zone 9a, Houston, US, says : Practicing bonsai for over 15 years. FLOWERING QUINCE. The Quince has interesting flowering habits in that it can and will bloom at nearly any time of the year. All you have to do is put it under a little stress such as summer's extreme heat, (a given here) or hard pruning, and it will bud out in bloom within a couple weeks. It is also not unusual to have three or more colors of blooms on the same branch depending on the amount of light they are subjected to and the duration of the particular blooms on the branch. The fruit afterwards is an added bonus if not allowed to exceed the plants proportions. Fabricio from zone 7-8, VA, US, says : Practicing bonsai for over 2 years. PACHYPODIUM SANDERSONNII. They flower in the fall when many plants are going dormant and they have a very fragrant smell. Trevor from zone 8, Atlanta, US, says : Practicing bonsai for over 2 years. BARBADOS CHERRY. The small, fragrant, white, pink or red flowers, complement the small leaves and rough greyish-brown bark perfectly. Bob from zone 9, Los Angeles, US, says : Practicing bonsai for over 15 years. SATSUKI AZALEA. There are so many color varities to choose from. Relatively easy to care for and keep in the proper shape. Some varieties have very small flowers. Dennis McDermott from zone 4, Sydney, Australia, says : Practicing bonsai for over 20 years. |
