Is Bamboo A Good Tree For Bonsai?

Let’s start with the obvious fact that bamboo isn’t a tree, it is part of the grass family.

However, it does have strong links to Asia, even if it can be found growing in a lot of other places around the world and when we think of bonsai displays or Japanese gardens, there is usually bamboo involved somewhere.

While it can’t really be grown as a bonsai, it can be grown in a pot and it can be used as an accent planting, or almost as a sort of “bamboo forest”. It is a grass that basically has lots of small woody trunks, so it actually suits this style very well.

It is a bit strange calling it a “bonsai” as having one is very different to owning any other tree, but you can put them in a bonsai pot and they stay small, so I guess we can use that term very loosely.

Anyway, it doesn’t really matter what we call it, all you need to know is that it’s cool and that you can grow it in a pot.

Is Bamboo A Good Species for Bonsai?

Bamboo is maybe one of the fasters growing plants on the planet, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be used for bonsai. It actually responds very well to being grown in a pot.

There are a large number of varieties, so you will need to use one that is more suited for a pot. You can find some smaller and slower growing versions, which work perfectly.

Overall they are very easy to care for and do not need much work. When it comes to bonsai, these are one of the easiest plants you can grow. They are more like house plants than bonsai, so they would suit even a beginner.

Bamboo may not be a tree, but it is a really cool addition to any collection.

Is Bamboo Foliage Good For Bonsai?

The foliage on bamboo can be long and thin, but it isn’t too big and it looks really nice. Bamboo just is what it is. It’s not trying to look like any sort of tree so its leaf size and internode length isn’t really something we need to worry about too much. It just naturally looks small and skinny and we have to enjoy it for what it is.

Is A Bamboos Growth Rate Good For Bonsai?

In the ground bamboo is one of the fastest growing plants on the plant. In pots it is a little slower. I have some sort of miniature bamboo and it actually grows very slowly.

Some varieties you may need to prune more often, but this is very easy to do. You just have to trim it down to size and it will just keep growing and getting denser, which is exactly what you want form this. 

Is A Bamboos Styling Ability Good For Bonsai?

Really the only style you can go for is the clump / forest style. This just looks nice and naturally and like a bunch of bamboo growing in the wild. You can use your imagination to pretend it’s one of the giant bamboo forests of Japan.

I have seen people use one thick kane of bamboo, then try and grow more shoots from this, as if it was a trunk with branches, but I think this looks awkward and unnaturally. Bamboo is much more suited to a little clump of slim trunks.

Wiring

You do not need to wire bamboo. This should not even be considered. It is fine for all the trunks to be straight and you will get more interest and a denser clump from just pruning and letting it look natural. 

Is A Bamboos Fall Colours Good For Bonsai?

Bamboo is evergreen, so you will not get a change in the autumn and there will be no winter silhouette. It will remain the same throughout the year, which means it is always on hand to look awesome whenever you need it.

Is Bamboo Bark Good For Bonsai?

There isn’t exactly bark on bamboo, but I guess the stems are woody and often have that classic yellow colour that contrasts so well with its leaves.  

This is a huge feature of the plant an why it works so well as a bonsai planting.

Deadwood Opportunities

Deadwood isn’t going to work with bamboo. Although you may find some shoots in the clump do die. As they are quite densely packed together you will probably not notice that it’s died, but if there is an obviously dead shoot, you should remove it.

Are Bamboo Roots Good For Bonsai?

The roots of a bamboo are perfect for planting in a pot. They can handle a lot of pruning and are also naturally very shallow. Putting them into any sort of bonsai pot is not a problem for them. They are probably easier to repot that any actual tree.

You may find that out grow the pot very quickly, so you will need to repot them often and maybe even thin your clump down to size by breaking it up.

The good thing is that if you do remove a chunk of your clump, you can plant it up and it will just keep growing. You can very quickly become swamped with extra bamboo plants, which is always a good problem to have.

Is Bamboo Easy To Care For As Bonsai?

Bamboo care is very simple. They just need water and light and they will be more than happy. You just need to treat them like a house plant and you can’t go wrong, although, you shouldn’t be keeping them inside, they are not actually a house plant.

Conclusion

I don’t think it’s really right to call bamboo bonsai, it is very different to a tree, but it is very cool.

They are easy to grow and look awesome. They work really well as accent plant, or just as a bit of a strange and unique planting. 

They really just add a nice feel to any bonsai collection and there is pretty much zero downside to owning some, so really you should get some bamboo and get it planted up in a nice bonsai pot and sit back and enjoy it.