Bonsai Terms and Definitions

Elle

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Many terms used in the art of bonsai are from the Japanese language or are scientific botanical terms. This page lists and defines some commonly used terms.

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z


A

Adventitious Bud 

A bud in an unusual place.

Apex 

The topmost point of the tree.

Apical

The most vigorous area of growth on the tree, usually at points furthest from the tree itself.

Ara-kawacho 

A tree with rough bark.


B

Backbudding 

The process of pruning apical growth.

Bankan

A coiled trunk tree.

Bleed

Weeping sap.

Broad-Leaved 

Trees with broad leaves, rather than needles or scaled leaves.

Budbreak 

The green tip of a newly opening bud.

Budburst

The point at which a bud unfurls.

Bunjingi 

Upright trunk with no branches except at the very top.

Buttressing

A trunk which widens at the base, giving the tree the appearance of age and power.


C

Callus

Tissue that forms over a wound on a branch or trunk as part of the healing process.

Cambium 

A formative one-cell-thick layer of tissue between xylem and phloem in most vascular plants that is responsible for secondary growth.

Chokkan 

A formal upright bonsai style, with a pyramid of branches in all direction.

Common name 

The commonly known name of a tree, as opposed to its Latin name.

Coniferous 

Any tree or shrub bearing cones; with a few exceptions, they are evergreen.

Cultivar

Any variety of a cultivated species.


D

Deciduous

The shedding foliage at the end of the growing season.

Defoliation

Removing, or partly removing, leaves to produce new, smaller, leaves.

Dieback

Death of growth beginning at tip from disease or injury.


E

Eda

Japanese terms fo branches.

Eda-jin

Artificially bleached branches.

Eda-nuki 

The process of removing unwanted branches.

Eda-urchi

The harmonizing effect of branch structure.

Eda-zashi

Pruning of branches.

Ericaceous 

Acid-loving plants.

Evergreen

A plant having foliage that persists and remains green throughout the year.


F

Form

The main direction of the trunk.

Fukinagashi

A windswept bonsai style, where the trunk is at an angle and the branches are ‘swept’ back in one direction.


G

Genus 

Taxonomic plant group containing one or more species, i.e. ACER Palmutum (see also ‘Species’, ‘Variety’).

Gobo-ne 

The tap root of a tree.

Gobo-tsuchi 

A coarse grained soil.

Grafting 

The process of joining the tissue of two living plants.


H

Ha-gari 

Pinching out leaves.

Ha-zashi 

Leaf pruning.

Hamizu 

Misting of leaves with water.

Han-Kengai 

A semi-cascade style, where the branches grow in one direction, without really weeping.

Hankan 

Tree with a very coiled trunk.

Hariganekake 

Wiring a tree to force branches to grow in certain directions.

Hokidachi 

A broom shaped bonsai style, with a straight trunk and domed crown.

Honbachi 

Bonsai dish.


I

Ikada 

A style where the trunk is buried horizontally, with branches growing out as if they are individual trees.

Indoor Bonsai 

Trees suitable for keeping indoors, normally tropical, or subtropical species.

Ishitsuki 

A tree which has roots growing around a rock.


J

Jin 

Deadwood effect on the branches of a tree.

Ju-sei 

Growth.

Ju-shin 

Top of the tree.


K

Kabudachi 

Multiple trunks growing from the same root.

Kanju 

Deciduous hardwood trees.

Kannuki-eda 

A branch which must be removed.

Kansui 

Watering.

Karikomi 

Pruning of leaves and branches.

Kengai 

A classic style, where the trunk hangs down below the pot.

Kesho-tuschi 

Decorative soil.

Keto-tsuchi 

Peat.

Kokejun 

A trunk which tapers toward the top.

Komochi 

Tree with twin trunks.

Kuro-tsuchi 

Black loam.


L

Layering 

A technique of taking a cutting, where rooting takes place without the cutting being separated from it’s parent.


M

Mame 

Small bonsai tree, less than 10cm tall.

Meiboku 

A very old bonsai tree.

Mi-momo 

A tree which bears fruit.

Misho 

Developing bonsai trees from seed.

Mizu-gire 

Too dry.

Mizu-goke 

Sphagnum moss.

Moyogi 

Informal, upright bonsai style.


N

Ne-zashi 

Pruning roots.

Neagari 

Exposed roots.

Nebari 

The lower trunk and exposed roots of the bonsai.

Nejikan 

Tree with a twisted trunk.

Node 

Point on a branch or trunk from which leaves, leaf buds and shoots arise.


O

Outdoor Bonsai 

Trees suitable for keeping outdoors.

Oyaki 

Parent tree with reference to air-layering grafting technique.


P

Phloem 

Area above the cambium in the trunk, the tissue that conducts synthesized food substances to parts where needed.

Potensia 

Potential bonsai tree.


R

Ramification 

The repeated division of branches.


S

Sabamiki 

Split trunk.

Saikei 

Landscapes with rocks and trees.

Sankan 

Tree with a triple trunk.

Sashi-ki 

Propagation by means of cuttings.

Seishi 

Training of bonsai trees.

Sentei 

Tree planting.

Shakan 

Variation of the formal upright style, but where the trunk is slanting.

Shari 

Deadwood effect on the trunk of a tree.

Sharimiki 

Bare sun bleached driftwood style, where the grain of the wood is visible.

Shohaku 

Softwood coniferous trees.

Shohin-bonsai 

Small bonsai tree, less than 15cm tall.

Shoki 

Bonsai tree from collected specimens in the wild.

Sokan 

Tree with a twin trunk.

Species 

The subdivision of ‘Genus’, i.e. Acer PALMUTUM (see also ‘Genus’, ‘Variety’).

Style 

The way a tree has been shaped to create an image of a fully grown counterpart.


T

Tangei 

Bonsai material.

Tekishin 

Removal of shoots.

Tocho-shi 

Branch that has grown too long.

Tokonoma 

Traditional display area for bonsai trees inside Japanese houses.

Toriki 

The technique of air-layering a bonsai tree.

Toriki-momo 

A tree created by air-layering technique.

Tree 

Bonsai keepers commonly refer to ‘trees’, rather than bonsai.

Tsugi-ki 

The technique of grafting a bonsai tree.


V

Variety

The sub-division of ‘species’, i.e. Acer Palmatum KATSURA (see also ‘Genus’, ‘Species’).


X

Xylem

Area below cambium in the trunk, the woody part of plants.


Y

Yamadori

Refers to trees collected from nature for use as bonsai.

Yose-ue 

Group planting of several trees in flat dish to give appearance of a forest.

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