Bonsai Terms and Definitions - Simple Bonsai Care

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’).