We received a great deal of answers for this survey, which we ran for four months, from December 2000 to March 2001. A large amount of versatile and interesting plants for bonsai were mentioned, however the top two plants that were voted as having the best proportions for bonsai were the CHINESE ELM (Ulmus Parvifolia) and JUNIPER (Juniperus).

The Chinese Elm was noted for its small, refined leaves and the fact that it is a resiliant, fast growing plant that can be trained into a variety of different styles. Its bark, which adds an increasingly aged appearance, was another noted feature.

Reasons that were given for selection of the Juniper as one of the plants with the best proportions for bonsai were its small, compact needle structure, ease of maintenance and abilty to be used in mini-bonsai arrangements to some of the larger bonsai styles without losing its 'tree-like' appearance.

The recipient of the gift voucher from Amazon.com was Lucy Wallbridge, involved in bonsai for over 10 years, who said the CHINESE ELM was the plant with the best proportions for bonsai.

Opinions :

Mark Tyrell from Belfast, Ireland, says :

Practicing bonsai for over 10 years.

CORKY-BARK ELM. I think that this plant is one of the perfect candidates for bonsai. It has an interesting trunk (the bark is old and gnarled) and the leaves are intricate, yet quite tiny, and thus in excellent proportion for bonsai. The elm is also deciduous, so its appearance changes year round and you can appreciate the fine branch structure in autumn.

Chippy from the Bahamas, says :

Practicing bonsai for over 25 years.

SERISSA FOETIDA. The bark on the Serissa tends to get lighter when it ages, making it look older than it is. The tiny leaves that cover up the beautifully shaped branches look stunning as they really compliment the light bark being such a dark shade of green. The flowers look magnificent and really bring the whole bonsai together. When it is fully blooming the Serissa truly is a sight to behold. It grows fairly fast and it seems perfectly in proportion. The Serissa really is a piece of art.

Paul from zone 3/4, Duluth, MN, US, says :

Practicing bonsai for over 10 years.

CHINESE ELM. The leaf size of the Chinese Elm give this tree a high rating on my list of well proportioned trees for bonsai purposes. The leaf is small, making it easy to bonsai to almost any size bonsai. It is also a hardy specimen and has many pleasing aesthetics. I have recently started with Chinese Elms and am very pleased with their results.

Randy from zone 9a, Houston, US, says :

Practicing bonsai for over 15 years.

CHINESE SWEET PLUM. I feel the Chinese Sweet Plum is a good candidate due to the small leaves and the deep redish brown of the bark. It has small blooms followed by small black fruits the size of a small pea. It takes readily to pruning, with excellent ramification in a short period of time as it buds back well on old wood.

Joseph Salvador from Honolulu, US, says :

Practicing bonsai for over 2 years.

JUNIPERUS CHINENSIS. Its needles form perfect little clouds on the trees very similar to the trees depicted on the old Japanese paintings.

Daryl Lenz from zone 5, Lincoln, US, says :

Practicing bonsai for over 2 years.

CHINESE ELM. In our area we have volunteer Chinese Elm that we are able to cultivate and easily work with and shape. They are resiliant and fast growing. The trimmed the leaves stay small and the bark will start to age. I have shaped them into everything from cascade to broom to informal uprights.

Fred Weaver from zone 5, Effort, US, says :

Beginner at bonsai.

JAPANESE JUNIPER. Small needles and the ability to grow a thick trunk in a short period make Japanese Junipers my favorite species.

KJF from Edinburgh, UK, says :

Practicing bonsai for over 5 years.

CHINESE ELM. The leaf of this tree is naturally small and can be reduced easily by repeated pruning. This also can create a fine branch structure. Even when grown as mame bonsai, the balance is easy to maintain, and balance is essential to creating good bonsai of all sizes. Although artistry is important in bonsai, when a tree looks natural and uncontrived, the beauty of the tree and the bonsai are even more evident.

Gary Jones from Durban, South Africa, says :

Practicing bonsai for over 2 years.

COTONEASTER. The Cotoneaster has a small leaf, flower and fruit which are all desirable qualities in a Bonsai. They also make excellent material for the beginner as they are hardy and take on a natural Bonsai form very quickly.

Lucy Wallbridge from Ames, US, says :

Practicing bonsai for over 10 years.

CHINESE ELM. The Chinese Elm has the best proportions for bonsai. Apart from it being a very attractive plant which is a worthly bonsai candidate for beginners to advanced, it has beautiful leaf structure. The leaves, which are about 1/2 to 2/3 of an inch across and about 1/4 to 1/3 of an inch wide really give this plant a fantastic sense of proportion - whether it is grown as mini bonsai or larger bonsai.

Duncan Wiles from South Africa, says :

Practicing bonsai for over 15 years.

FALSE OLIVE (Budleja saligna). This species grows throughout the year and can handle almost any temperature. It is a profuse grower and has to be pruned almost daily. The leaves reduce very well with pruning and the growth becomes compact. This is a very popular tree for Bonsai in South Africa. All of the trees trained into Bonsai are collected. They have some wonderful trunks.

Anonymous from zone 4, Lincoln, U.S., says :

Practicing bonsai for over 5 years.

FUKIEN TEA. It is a tree that everything about it is perfectly suited for bonsai. It has the small leaves and delicate flowers along with small fruit. Its overall proportions are perfectly suited and proportioned for bonsai. I can't think of a better choice for a tree with more perfect proportions.

J. Ricketts from zone 7, Baltimore, U.S., says :

Beginner at bonsai.

CHINESE ELM. I like the way they look. The Elm can easily look very old in just a few years and with very careful care.

'Indiana Gardener' from zone 5b, Rochester, IN, U.S., says :

Practicing bonsai for over 5 years.

JUNIPERUS CHINENSIS 'Shimpaku'. Shimpaku Junipers are great for bonsai because the needles are so small that they are in scale with the rest of the tree and form tight, neat patches of foliage. The trunks also don't take too long to thicken. They are also hardy in almost any zone, so they are very versatile and are great for any bonsai style.

DKH from zone 2-3, MN, U.S., says :

Practicing bonsai for over 5 years.

'Unanswerable Question'. In my opinion, ideal proportion varies based on what the artist is trying to accomplish. What is important is not the dimensions of the individual features, but rather how those features harmonize to give the viewer the desired impression. Each bonsai tells a story, be it of a sapling struggling to survive the harsh elements of a rocky cliff, or the serenity of an ancient maple on a grassy knoll. Just as there is no one ideal painting, one ideal novel, or one ideal song, there is no one ideal proportion for bonsai.

Jeff Armstrong from zone 9, Phoenix, U.S., says :

Practicing bonsai for over 2 years.

CRATAEGUS. My reason for choosing this plant is that it always has something magnificent to show each season. In Spring through Summer it has show-stopping pink flowers, then in fall its foliage is set ablaze with brilliant orange, red, and yellow. In winter it drops its leaves to show its intricate web of twigs and branches. That is why I think crataegus is the perfect plant and in the perfect proportion.

Tom from zone 5, Muskegon, U.S., says :

Beginner at bonsai.

JUNIPER. A Juniper's tiny needles make it look just right, whether it is only 5cm or as tall as a metre. With other bonsai that I have seen, they look nice until you see the leaves, which sometimes ruins the effect that is desired.

Shane MacIntyre from zone 5, Wyandotte, U.S., says :

Practicing bonsai for over 2 years.

CHINESE ELM. Good leaf size, has a naturally curved trunk, is forgiving for over or under watering and is hardy.

More entries will be posted within the next few days!

Scott Moorcroft from zone 3, Melbourne, Australia, says :

Practicing bonsai for over 10 years.

COROKIA COTONEASTER. Corokia species have very fine angular branches which can develop very short internodes. Both the star-shaped yellow flowers in spring and the petite heart-shaped leaves compliment the trees delicate framework. The dark bark empasises the negative space adding a beautiful sense of proportion.When viewed from afar, it represents an ancient specimen in true 'penjing' style. It has the best proportions for bonsai.

Bjorn Bjorholm from zone 7, Knoxville, U.S., says :

Practicing bonsai for over 2 years.

JAPANESE CHOJUBAI QUINCE. The Chojubai quince are very beautiful trees. Their flowers are in perfect harmony with the size of their leaves. They are a perfect species for planting on rocks due to their low branching habits and ability to keep a small form.

Chris from Cassleberry, U.S., says :

Beginner at bonsai.

JUNIPER. I think Junipers are the best because of their small needle size - making them believeable bonsai specimens no matter what size they are. They're have much better proportions than other species. The needles also grow closer together alowing for a more realistic appearance and they grow thick trunks which can be made to look gnarled from time/weather. Junipers are also suitable for many styles. I think this makes them one of the ultimate bonsai species.

Summer from zone 7, Austin, TX, U.S., says :

Beginner at bonsai.

MANZANITA (Dwarf Malphigia). It has naturally small leaves and very, very tiny flowers and fruit... it's believable as a tree even when it flowers. Plus, it does better in south and central Texas than a lot of the traditonal leafy trees.

Deon Arangies from Republic of South Africa, says :

Practicing bonsai for over 15 years.

JUNIPER. Scale leaf junipers are just the perfect species for scale in bonsai as they can be used for thimble sized bonsai up to the big ones. You just never have a problem making them look believable. As a bonus they produce an aged bark quickly.

 

 

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