In this segment you will learn how to pick out stock from your local nursery to make into all bonsai styles.

Getting started is easy, you can go to your closest nursery buy a plant and make it into art . For this you will need the right tools,wire,and pots. Go to the links and find Dallas Bonsai for good, reliable, and high quality ones. Almost all varieties of trees are good for bonsai these are some of them. Chinese elm, maple, crape myrte, zelcova,pomegrante,ebony,holly,boxwood,cottoneaster,juniper,pine,azalea camelia,birch,wisteria,lantena and many more.The way we transform bonsai is easy.When picking good stock you must remmember to pick stock with heavy trunks and nice branches. It is extremely important to remember that you should have the end result in mind. Like in the picture above all of  those bonsai stlyes can be achieved. You should be able to pick stock with the charecteristics of the tree style you want to make.

Chokan or formal upright - You should look for stock with a complety staight trunk and many branches.

Bankan or informal upright - Find stock with a zigzaged trunk and more branches coming from the sides of your future tree.

Han kengai or semi cascade- look for stock with a limb thats slowly discending down to the side but not completly down.

Kengai or cascade- Look for stock with a limb dicending staight down or that can be bent down and not to far up the trunk that it may snap. 

Shakkan or slanted- Look for stock with a trunk leaning to one side or even a straight trunk will due you can adjust it to a slant when you pot it.

Hokidachi or broom- Look for trunks with branches going upwards from the trunk or for diciduous trees you can chop the trunk too due this in Winter and it will bud out by summer.

Sekijoju or exposed root- You wont find too many exposed root stock youll have to do it yourself. Its fairly easy do this in winter. While you repot or even root prune take the root ball and wrap it around a rock from here keep the rootball a little moist for a week. After a week they should do well without needing spraying water on them. In a year remove the rock or leave it on for root over rock style.

Bunjin or free style- This is when you can have your creativity. Look for very interesting grooved tunks with lots of branches at the top of the tree. Then you can Bend the branches to your will with lots of jins or deadwood its your choice. This is one of the funest styles because it offers individual exspression. So have fun with it!!!

If you have any questions email me at thebonsaischool@zoomshare.com