Okay…so I know virtually nothing about Bonsai. My aims for my adenium trees are to keep them compact, and continue growing them in containers; at the same time, I would like to be able to transform them into somewhat of an artistic, yet natural look.
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Bonsai [bänˈsī, ˈbänˌsī]
NOUN
An ornamental tree or shrub grown in a pot and artificially prevented from reaching its normal size.
The art of growing ornamental, artificially dwarfed trees or shrubs.
The art of growing dwarfed, ornamentally shaped trees or shrubs in small shallow pots or trays.
A tree or shrub grown by this method.
Excerpt from
http://www.bbg.org/gardening/a...:
Succulent Bonsai: Capturing the Spirit of the Desert
By Susan Amoy | December 1, 2014
Succulent plants are fascinating in their diversity of form. In the wild, they range from towering trees, such as Moringa ovalifolia, to inch-high "living stones," like Lithops karasmontana. Many succulents, such as aloes, sedums, and kalanchoes, have become staples in the American garden and home.
Now there is growing interest in applying bonsai techniques to succulents. Though it may seem like an odd matchup, bonsai practice can contribute much to our knowledge of succulent species, and succulents make interesting and unusual additions to bonsai collections.
Here is a list of succulent plants that can be used for bonsai. It is divided into three levels of difficulty based on the horticultural requirements of the plants. Species recommended for beginners can adapt to a fairly wide range of growing conditions. Plants listed as intermediate and advanced require higher levels of control.
Beginner:
• Adenium obesum (Desert rose)
• Brachychiton species (Australian bottle tree)
• Bursera fagaroides (Elephant tree)
• Cereus peruvianus var. monstruosus
• Chorisia speciosa (Floss silk tree)
• Crassula ovata (Jade plant)
• Erythrina species (Coral tree)
• Euphorbia francoisii
• Euphorbia milii (Crown of thorns)
• Jacaratia corumbenis (Dwarf papaya)
• Jatropha podagrica (Bottle plant)
• Mammillaria bocasana var. monstrosa (Snowball cactus)
• Moringa species
• Pachypodium saundersii (Madagascar palm tree)
• Plectranthus ernestii
• Portulacaria afra (Elephant bush)
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This is just some food for thought…I’ll be back soon with pictures of my Adenium “bonsai training.”
