However, bonsai is a complex art, and sometimes it is difficult to know how to choose the best bonsai plant for you. Choosing bonsai trees breaks down into three basic components – tree type, age of tree, and how much time you can spend on your bonsai plants.

When deciding on the type of tree, you will be able to choose between a deciduous tree (one that loses its leaves), or an evergreen. Evergreens are a popular choice because they give a consistent green look that is reminiscent of the ancient Orient. They often grow tiny cones and can be fascinating to look at. White pine, juniper and spruce are common choices because the species are both hardy and lovely. But when choosing bonsai trees, try not to neglect the deciduous tree! While these trees will lose their leaves in the fall and winter, the foliage in fall can be spectacular. Maples of all sorts are a popular bonsai tree choice, as do oaks, beeches and ashes. Anyone who has seen a weeping willow tree in bonsai cannot help but be impressed by its beauty. Even trees that have fruit and flowers can make excellent bonsai plants, but these are not for the novice. It is better to become experienced on a pine or plain deciduous tree in bonsai.

The older and healthier the tree, the more expensive it is. But don’t go for the most expensive tree you can find when choosing a bonsai tree. Plenty of younger specimens are hardy and healthy. The best thing to do when choosing a bonsai tree is go to a nursery that has some experience in bonsai trees and explain that you are a beginner, so want a hardy plant. You can find many trees in bonsai that will suit your needs and the nursery workers will be able to help you. Avoid getting an antique specimen (and these trees can be as much as 100 years old!) until you are experienced in caring for bonsai plants. You want a tree that is a few years old and established, so that you will not have to do anything too complex for its care, but you do not want one that is so old that it requires special care.

A tree in bonsai actually does require more care than most houseplants. During the hot season, a bonsai plant must be watered at least daily and often twice daily. It is better to choose a drought-resistant bonsai plant if you intend to be away from home for more than a day or two during the growing season. These bonsai plants would include most of the evergreen bonsai plants. Evergreens also require less trimming and fertilizing than the deciduous, flowering or fruit-bearing varieties, making it the best choice for a beginner bonsai plant.

But, whatever you decide when choosing a bonsai plant, rest assured you will get a unique and lovely plant for years to come.

Except trimming the bonsai.

A tree in bonsai is a living thing. Like any living thing, it has a cycle of growth. The thing is, the point of bonsai is to ensure that the growth is such that it simulates the appearance of a full-grown tree in miniature.

How do you do this without killing the plant? For a beautiful plant, you want to ensure that you’re keeping your bonsai healthy. Since it is a tree, if you care for it properly, it can live a long time. Ensuring bonsai longevity includes trimming your bonsai properly.

Don’t be afraid to trim your bonsai plant. Many beginners are afraid they will kill their bonsai tree by trimming it. That’s not the problem. To keep a bonsai healthy and beautiful, you must trim the tree. The important first step is to know where and when to trim the bonsai plant. This depends on what sort of bonsai tree you have. A general rule is to make sure you do not trim a bonsai plant when the sap is rising. A bonsai is a tree and sap rises in it just like any other tree in a forest or orchard. So, never trim your bonsai plant in the spring! If your bonsai plant is a deciduous tree (meaning, it loses its leaves in the autumn), late fall is the ideal time to trim your bonsai plant. If you have an evergreen, trim your bonsai plant in late winter.

Before you trim your bonsai tree, look at it carefully. Are there branches that look ill? Are you looking for a specific shape and effect? Bonsai is a combination of art and science. While you want to trim your bonsai for health and longevity, you want it to be beautiful, too! The first branches to choose when you trim your bonsai tree are certainly any sick or dead branches that seem to be threatening the health of the plant. While a certain amount of “driftwood” effect is fine for an esthetic effect, make sure that it is not interfering with the health of the bonsai plant. If you have been observing your bonsai plant carefully, you will have noticed what branches have been producing good leaves or needles, as well as the ones that seem to have been struggling. It is best for the bonsai longevity to trim struggling branches and allow the next season’s sap to rise into the healthy branches for maximum health.

When you have decided what branches to trim, take your sharp shears and cut the branches cleanly. After you have trimmed away everything you want, make sure to seal the cuts on the bonsai plant with a good tree sealant. If you have a deciduous tree, try a tar-based tree paint. If you have an evergreen, it is better to use grafting wax. You can get both items at any good gardening center.

Next fall or winter, make sure to sharpen your cutting shears and get everything ready so that you can trim your bonsai for the ultimate growth and longevity.