Bamboo Bonsai

All That You Need To Know About This Unique Plant

Did you know that bamboo bonsai is not a tree at all?

It is a grass, and is one of the most preferable subjects for bonsai. It is a very weather hardy plant and develops a lot of roots. It also reproduces through its roots, with new shoots coming out of it once the plant grown a little older.

Bamboo tree provides a large number of species which are suitable for bonsai. The most common of them being species like:

• Lotus Bamboo

  The Lotus bamboo bonsai is considered to bring a good luck charm for the owner. It is generally grown as a single stalk or a group of 40 stalks grouped together to form a bundle.

• Arundinaria Bamboo

  This species is native to the American Continent and can grow up to 20ft in height and 1 inch in diameter. It generally grows in swampy areas.

• Psuedosasa Bamboo

  This type of bamboo is mostly grown in China, and is used for cane production, used in things like furniture, fishing rods or other kind of sports equipments.

• Sasa Bamboo

  This bamboo is different from other kinds as it is very tropical in nature and has very big leaves which are generally arranged like a palm like shape. This species of bamboo is very cold hardy and can be considered for bonsai in regions which experience cold weather.

• Phyllostachys Bamboo

  This is also a very large and cold hardy bamboo species and commonly used for bonsai.

This bonsai can be propagated very easily by cutting down the clumps from an existing bonsai, just before the new growth appears in the early spring season. You should also consider repotting it every one to two years. Use a good insecticide to protect the bonsai against slug.

Bamboo needs to be repotted pretty regularly as the roots grow pretty fast. While repotting ensure you cut about 2/3rd of the root ball. The new pot should ideally be cleaned properly and should have good number of drainage holes.

The pot could be a shallow one but should have a decent length. Fill the pot with a layer of sphagnum moss, the sphagnum should be already soaked in water. Then place the root worked bamboo in to the new pot and then put another layer of soaked sphagnum pot to cover the roots completely fill any hollow space in the pot with soaked sphagnum moss.

It is of utmost importance that the pot has good drainage system as the presence of excessive water would be detrimental to the plants growth.

It is preferable to have the bamboo bonsai not exposed to direct sunlight. What you could do is keep it under the shade of a big tree so that it is not exposed to direct sunlight.

Watering for bamboo bonsai should generally be carried out daily during the summer seasons. You should check out the dry ness in the sphagnum moss by touch and sight, if necessary you could also pull the plant out to see if the roots are dry or not, and then decide if you want to water your bamboo bonsai.

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