Terms & glossary
163 terms found ...
| Term |
Definition |
| Akadama (Aka dama tsuchi) |
Type of soil normally used for bonsai. It is very porous with excellent moisture retention. |
| Ara kawa sho |
A tree showing a rough bark. |
| Ara ki or ara gi |
A tree that is potted the first time to be trained. |
| Atama / [ Ju ] Shin |
The top or apex of a tree. |
| Bankan |
The "coiled trunk" bonsai style. The trunk slants to all sides and normally has only branches at the top. |
| Bon |
Ceramic container or pot in which bonsai is planted. |
| Bon kei |
Natural landscapes in a pot. |
| Bunjingi or Bunjin |
The "literati" bonsai style. One of the basic styles. The idea behind Bunjingi is that in nature the tree, under adverse environmental conditions, has found its way to survive, being forced to contortions and unnormal shapes. (See also section Bonsai styles in Encyclopedia). |
| Chiu |
Tree up to 12" - 24" tall. |
| Chokkan |
The "formal upright" bonsai style. One of the basic styles. Branch style. Essential for this style is a straight trunk with a naturally balanced branch structure. (See also section Bonsai styles in Encyclopedia). |
| Chokkon |
The main root that grows straight down from the center of the trunk. |
| Dai |
The table on which the bonsai is positioned. |
| Dai ki (Oya ki) |
The parent plant. Parent tree. |
| Dou buki |
New growth on trunk or branch caused by pruning. |
| Eda bone |
The branch structure on a tree. (See also Mae eda, Ushiro eda, Uke eda, Kuitsuki eda, Sashi eda). |
| Eda jun |
The subsequent sequence of the branching. |
| Eda tanya |
Branch extending from the trunk with subsequent ramification to form a horizontal pad. (See also Eda-wari). |
| Eda tsugi |
Branch craft. |
| Eda uchi |
The harmonizing effect of the branches. |
| Eda-nuki |
The process of removing unwanted branches. |
| Eda-wari |
Tree showing various Eda tanya branch pads. (See also Eda tanya). |
| Eda-zashi |
The proces of branch pruning. |
| Fukinagashi |
The "windswept" bonsai style. One of the basic styles. This windswept style simulates the effect of extreme exposure to strong winds. (See also section Bonsai styles in Encyclopedia). |
| Gi sei shi (Gi sei eda) |
A branch left to grow only for overall growth of the tree. Also called "Sacrifice branch". |
| Gobo-ne |
The tap root. |
| Gokan |
The "five-trunk" bonsai style. |
| Goro tsuchi |
Course soil that is used at the bottom of the pot for good drainage. |
| Ha gari |
Leaf pinching. |
| Ha mizu |
Moistening the leafs with water. |
| Ha zashi |
Leaf pruning. |
| Hachi |
See Bon. |
| Han-Kengai |
The "semi-cascade" bonsai style. One of the basic styles. The trunk grows straight for a while and then cascades down at a slight angle, not as dramatic as in the cascade style. (See also section Bonsai styles in Encyclopedia). |
| Hari gane kake |
The wiring of a tree. |
| Hinoki |
False cypress |
| Hokidachi |
The "broom" bonsai style. Branch style. The branch formation on the top of the tree look like an upside down broom. |
| Hon bachi |
Bonsai dish. |
| Hon bachi age |
Tree that is shown at exhibition with special high-class pot. |
| Ikada buki |
The "raft" bonsai style. The plant is planted sideways with some of the branches showing out of the soil. These branches are the future trees. Special form of the Yosu-Ue (wood) style. |
| Iki michi |
The live part of the trunk. (See also Jin and Shari). |
| Is sai sho |
For a bonsai it is the first year it blooms, unites or roots. |
| Ishi tsuki (ishi duke) |
The "clinging to a rock" or "rock grown" bonsai style. Composition style. Tree is planted partially on a rock with the root involving part of the stone. |
| Ji dai |
Age. Basic for bonsai, you talk about a "good Jidai". |
| Jin (Eda-jin) |
One of the "dead wood" techniques. The intention is to give the tree an old and lightly damaged look. Most seen on conifers. Jins are applied on a branch or the top of the tree. (See also Shari, Sabamiki). |
| Ju sei |
The vigor of growth. The character of the tree. |
| Ju shin |
Top of the tree, includes apex and top branches. |
| Ka numa tsuchi |
Kanuma soil. High moisture retention and very good drainage. |
| Kabu wake |
The separation of the roots. |
| Kabudachi |
The "clump" bonsai style. |
| Kan nuki eda (Kuruma eda) |
A branch that must be cut off. |
| Kan rei sha |
Cloth used for frost protection in winter as well as sun protection in summer. |
| Kan sui |
Watering. |
| Kanju |
Deciduos tree. |
| Kann jou hakuhi |
The process of developing roots by peeling bark off a branch at width of and covering it with sphagnum moss. |
| Karai [Mizu ga] |
Sparingly appliance of water. |
| Karami nei |
Tangled and intertwining roots that should not appear at the surface. |
| Kari komi |
The pruning of leaves and branches. |
| Karusu |
Callous. The healing process of a wound. |
| Kata eda |
A tree with branches appearing only on one side of the trunk. |
| Kata ne |
A tree with roots appearing only on one side of the trunk. |
| Katamaru (Sekka sho) |
The hardening of a new growth into a branch. Hardening characteristic. |
| Ke sho tsuchi |
Decorative soil. |
| Kei sei sou |
Cambium. |
| Kengai (Ken gai ju kei) |
The "cascade" bonsai style. One of the basic styles. The trunk starts growing upward, but then turns downward and reaches a point below the base of the pot. (See also section Bonsai styles in Encyclopedia). |
| Keto tsuchi |
Peat. |
| Kiki eda |
Point of tree to focus on. Can be the primer branch. (See also Ushiro Eda, Uke Eda, Kuitsuki Eda, Sashi Eda, Mae Eda). |
| Kiri komi |
Trimming. Pruning. |
| Kiri modoshi |
Cutting back. |
| Ko eda |
Very elegant branch. |
| Koke jun |
A tree with a large trunk base which narrows as it extends to the apex. |
| Komochi |
See Sokan. |
| Koshi daka |
Tree with high waist. The distance between the base of the tree and the first branch is too long. |
| Koshi mizu |
Bonsai pot placed in a large container of water with the water seeping into the soil through the drainage holes. |
| Kuitsuki eda |
Short complementary branch, smaller than the rest of the branches, gives the tree naturalism. (See also Ushiro eda, Uke eda, Mae eda, Sashi eda). |
| Kuro tsuchi |
Black loam. |
| Kyoku duke |
Wiring to bend trunk and branches. |
| Mae eda |
Front branch, always positioned upon the lower half of the tree. (See also Ushiro eda, Uke eda, Kuitsuki eda, Sashi eda). |
| Mame |
Tree up to 6" tall. |
| Me tsumi |
Pinching of leaves. |
| Mei boku (Rou boku) |
Very old and elegant bonsai. |
| Mi mono |
Tree that bears fruits. |
| Mi sho |
Plant grown from seed. |
| Mi sho mono |
Bonsai raised from seed. |
| Mizu gire |
Too dry. |
| Mizu goe |
In water dissolved fertilizer. |
| Mizu goke |
Sphagnum moss. |
| Mizu sui |
(See also Iki michi). |
| Moyogi |
The "informal upright" bonsai style. One of the basic styles. Similar to the formal upright style, but the top of the trunk instead of growing straight bends slightly to the front. (See also section Bonsai styles in Encyclopedia). |
| Ne bari |
Part of the spread root formation of the tree that is visible. |
| Ne buse (Ne zashi) |
Root pruning. |
| Ne Tsugi |
Root grafting. |
| Ne Tsunagari |
The "connected root" bonsai style. |
| Ne-Agari |
The "exposed root" bonsai style. |
| Nejikan |
The "twisted trunk" bonsai style. |
| Oi komi |
Shortening back close to the trunk. |
| Oki goe |
Fertiliser, normally in powder form. |
| Saba miki |
One of the "dead wood" techniques. The intention is to give the tree an old and lightning damaged look. Most seen on conifers. Sabamiki is the denomination for hollow trunks. (See also Jin, Shari). |
| Sai kei |
Landscape with rocks and trees. |
| Saku |
The process of "composing" a tree. |
| Sankan |
The "triple trunk" bonsai style. |
| Sashi eda (Ishi no eda) |
Primer branch which marks direction and movement of the tree. (See also Ushiro eda, Uke eda, Kuitsuki eda, Mae eda). |
| Sashi ho |
Cutting. |
| Sashi kan |
The main tree or trunk. |
| Sashi ki |
Propagation with cuttings. |
| Sashiki |
Plant grown from cuttings. |
| Sei shi |
The training of bonsai. |
| Seki |
Straw mat, tatami. |
| Seki kazari |
The form a bonsai is displayed. |
| Sekijoju |
The "tree planted on rock" bonsai style. Tree is planted on a well formed rock (simulating mountain, slope etc.) |
| Sekkai iou gouzai |
Lime sulfure mix used to control insects and mites. |
| Sekkan (Setsu kan) |
Distance between two nodes. |
| Sekkan ga tobu |
Too long distance between buds or branches. |
| Sen tei |
The planning and trimming of a tree. |
| Shakkan |
The "slanting" bonsai style. One of the basic styles. Shakkan style can be considered the intermediate stadium between the informal upright and cascade styles as the tree still grows up, but tends to bend down. (See also section Bonsai styles in Encyclopedia). |
| Shari |
One of the "dead wood" techniques. The intention is to give the tree an old and lightning damaged look. Most seen on conifers. In contrast to Jins Shari is a dead part on the trunk. (See also Jin, Sabamiki). |
| Sharimiki |
The "driftwood" bonsai style. |
| Shidare-Zukuri |
The "weeping branches" bonsai style. |
| Shime komu |
The process to maintain compact ramification. |
| Shin sho |
New branch growth during the ongoing year. |
| Shita eda |
Single or group of lower branches. |
| Shito |
Tree up to 3" tall. |
| Sho |
The special quality of an individual characeristic of the tree. |
| Sho haku |
Conifers. |
| Shohin |
Tree up to 10" tall. |
| Shoki |
Bonsai made of recollected specimen. |
| Shu boku |
The main tree of a display. |
| Soe |
Ornamentary complement to a tree. |
| Sokan (Sou kan) |
The "twin trunk" bonsai style. |
| Soko ne |
Bottom part of the root appearing directly under the trunk. |
| Sui ban |
A water basin. Pot without water drainage hole. |
| Sui seki |
Rocky landscape set up on sui ban (pot without water drainage hole). |
| Sukasu |
Thinning of the leaves' volume. |
| Tachi agari |
Part of the trunk from the base of the tree up to the first branch. |
| Taka ue |
Planting the tree at a soil level that is higher than the rim of the pot. |
| Tama hi |
Round organic fertilizer balls. |
| Tan gei |
Bonsai material. |
| Tan shi |
Short branch grown during one year. |
| Tan yo hou |
Short leaf method. (See also Mekiri). |
| Tana kazari |
Bonsai tree displayed in a shelf. |
| Tana wari |
Distance between root shelfs. (See also Eda tanya, Eda wari). |
| Tankan |
The "single trunk" bonsai style. |
| Tatekae |
Reshaping of the tree structure. |
| Teki shin |
Removal of shoots. |
| Ten |
Apex or top of the tree. |
| To cho shi |
A branch that has grown to long only used to thicken branches or trunk. |
| Tori ki |
The process of developing roots by peeling bark off a trunk. Upper part of the trunk is cut off to develop another tree. |
| Tori ki mono |
Bonsai developed with Tori ki layering technique. |
| Toushi tsugi |
Grafting method by threading the scion through a hole drilled through the trunk or branch. |
| Tsugi ho |
Scion. A small piece of plant tissue (the scion) that is made to unite with an established plant (the stock - Dai ki) |
| Tsugi ki |
The process of grafting trees. |
| Tsugi ki mono |
The process of grafting bonsai. |
| Tsukami yose |
Clustered bonsai style. Many seedlings placed with roots intertwined which will fuse together and appear as a single multi-trunk tree or group. |
| Ue tsuchi |
Planting soil. |
| Ue tsuke kaku do |
Angle in which a bonsai is planted. |
| Uke eda |
Counterweight to Sashi eda branch placed at opposite side of the tree. Gives the tree its balance. (See also Ushiro eda, Sashi eda, Kuitsuki eda, Mae eda). |
| Ushiro eda |
Back branch, improves the perspective of the tree. (See also Uke eda, Sashi eda, Kuitsuki eda, Mae eda). |
| Uwa ne |
Surface roots. |
| Uwa tsuchi |
Surface soil. |
| Waka gi |
Young tree which is a good material for a bonsai. |
| Yama dori |
Collecting plants directly from nature. |
| Yama dori mono |
Collecting bonsai directly from nature. |
| Yobi tsugi |
Approach graft. Use a live branch of parent tree to fill a void. |
| Yosu-Ue |
The "wood" bonsai style. Group planting composition style. Various trees are planted in the same pot forming a little "wood". |
| Za |
Seat or base. Artistic presentation of base of the tree and nebari. |
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