| Bonsai Styles Bonsai are often classified into styles. These styles are inspired from trees growing from nature. When styling a tree for the first time be led by its natural inclination and growth. Don't try to make it conform to a style that it is no suited for such as a weeping style pine or a cascading poplar. The tree should tell you which direction it wants to go in. The Five Main Styles |
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| Taken from "Bonsai Basics" by John Armitage |
| Bunjin-ji - Literati. A style derived from the pictures of Chinese scholars. A light, elegant style with simplistic flowing lines. Very similar to our native Scots pine image. |
| Sabamiki - Split trunk. Inspired by old deciduous trees like the English Oaks whose core is hollow. |
| Sharimiki - Driftwood. The tree has many areas of deadwood due to its harsh environment. The trunks still has live veins supporting is branches and foliage but the main section of the trunk resembles driftwood found on the beach. |
| Hokidachi - Broom. This is the formal upright style for deciduous Trees. An elegant, simple style best appreciated In its winter state when the fine branched can be seen. |
| Ishitizuki - Tree on rock. Like the root over rock style but the whole tree is confined to the rock. The roots grow in pockets of soil. |
| Sekijoju - Root over rock. Derived from trees that grow in rocky Situations where the soil has been eroded leaving to roots exposed, firmly clasping the rock. |
| Fukinagaeshi - Windswept. A variant of he slanting style. Pretty self- explanatory. |
| The rest of the styles in bonsai are based on these five. Some styles are simply features of the tree and can still be categorised as one of the main five styles. In some cases the style is an idiosyncrasy of the species. |
| Kengai - Cascade. This style is similar to the semi-cascade, only these trees grow in harsher yet environments.The tip of the branch must fall below the foot of the pot. |
| Han Kengai - Semi-cascade. A style derived fro trees that grow on the slopes of mountains. Dipping down to find light. To be a semi-cascade, a part of the tree must Fall below the rim of the pot. |
| Shakan - Slanting. A style derived from those trees that grow In unstable, rocky environments. The tree has lost its anchorage at some point but still clings on. From a bonsai point of view, the tree should have strong surface roots to give visual stability. |
| Moyogi - Informal Upright. A gently curving tree without any jarring or unnatural lines. A very popular style as most trees can be trained in this manner. |
| Chokkan - Formal Upright. Inspired from large, stately conifers that grow Unhindered, not competing with other trees For light or space. |
| Multiple trunk styles |
| Yose-ue -Group style. A multiple planting of the same specie. Apart from two tree groups, they usually consist of uneven numbers. |
| Sokan -Twin trunk. This style is distinguished by having one major trunk and a minor one. The smaller trunk must mirror the larger. The point where the two trunks separate must be as close to the roots as possible for the style to be successful. |
| Sankan -Triple trunk As with the twin trunk style but with three trunks of varying sizes. Other than with the twin trunk style, it is far easier to achieve a natural result if uneven numbers of trunks are used. |
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| Kabudachi -Clump style. A large number of trunks rising from a single root mass. When there is a high number of trunks it is less important to use odd numbers as the eye will be unable to discern the actual number of trunks. |
| Ikadabuki -Raft style Similar in many respect to the clump style but The trunks are actual branches growing from a Horizontal trunk. This phenomena is found in nature when a tree falls and sends out new roots along the length of the once vertical trunk. |
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