subject: Why Do People Love Bonsai Trees? [print this page] Growing and caring for bonsai trees has been a fascination for thousands of years now. Many, however, do not understand what the appeal is in spending hundreds or thousands of dollars, simply to grow a tiny tree. A few things may help such people in discovering the serenity and mystical appeal that many find in the bonsai tree.
A bonsai tree is the term Americans use to classify any miniaturized tree that can be grown and cultivated in a container. Bonsais are considered to be of Japanese origin, though they can really be cultivated from any small shrubbery. Some bonsai trees, if properly cared for, can survive for hundreds of years. This is part of the appeal that some find in bonsai trees. They are a project that can outlast your own life, with the right amount of care.
Caring for a bonsai tree involves both nurturing and aesthetic aspects. Most people prefer a mature looking bonsai, so often newer tree branches will be grafted in to older ones, helping them mature more quickly. The part that most people enjoy for the aesthetic aspect is trimming and shaping the bonsais. The trees can be cut and sculpted to fit the desires of the tree owner, but must be done with precision and care, as to not endanger the plants. This again, is part of the appeal, as these trees must be handled with skill, and cared for, in order to maintain a long life span. Special bonsai tools can be used to do this, which will help with the precision that must be used.
Some other techniques that are used in the care and shaping of bonsai trees are pruning, wiring, and defoliation. Pruning is necessary to maintain the general appearance that is desired of the tree. This process can involve carefully removing the top layer of the trunk. This step must be done carefully as this can weaken or even kill the tree if not done properly. The process of wiring a bonsai tree is where the designer will wrap copper or aluminum wire around branches or trunk in order to shape it to the form that is desired. Finally, defoliation is the process of trimming off nearly all of the leaves. The reason for doing this is that when the tree senses that its leaves have been trimmed off, it produces a fresh crop of leaves, which sparks growth in general.
Clearly there is a delicate process which must be followed in order to obtain the desired results from a bonsai tree. It is both a hobby of challenge and of aesthetics. This may help some understand why people are willing to pay the price they do to care for a bonsai tree.
