Types of Bonsai
Trees of many species have the potential to be transformed into the living sculptures that are bonsai. The majority of these species, however, can be categorized into one of two main types: evergreens (shohaku) and shedding trees (zoki). These are then further subdivided into categories defined by both natural characteristics, such as whether the tree bears flowers (called hanamono) or fruit (mimono), and choices made by the artisan when creating a work, such as the direction that branches grow.
Shohaku bonsai make use of such trees as pines, junipers, and conifers for which the artisan envisions a single image throughout the year. These bonsai, with their deep green foliage and trunks displaying the powerful vitality of the trees, are of a type that have come to popularly symbolize the art in the collective imagination.
Zoki bonsai, on the other hand, use seasonally shedding trees including the Japanese maple, wisteria, and Chinese quince. The artisan creates work that encapsulates nature as it changes through the seasons, the wisteria putting out its elegant sprays of blooms in the spring and the maple’s foliage turning color in autumn.