Overview of Bonsai species

Trees with naturally small leafs are particularly suitable for Bonsai purposes. On this page a complete list of tree species used for Bonsai purposes has been described. The most popular ones are described in more detail under the tree species section.



Botanical name

English name

Abies

Fir

Acer buergerianum

Trident Maple

Acer campestre

Field Maple, Hedge Maple

Acer circinatum

Vine Maple

Acer ginnala

Amur Maple

Acer monspessulanum

Montpelier Maple

Acer palmatum

Japanese Maple

Acer rubrum

Red Maple

Adenium obesum

Desert rose

Alnus

Alder

Amelanchier canadensis

Amelanchier

Arbutus

Strawberry tree

Berberis

Barberry

Betula

Birch

Betula nigra

River Birch

Bougainvillea

Bougainvillea

Breynia disticha

Snowbush

Buxus

Box, Boxwood

Camellia

Camellia

Carmona microphylla

Fukien tea tree

Carpinus

Hornbeam

Cedrus

Cedar

Cedrus libani

Lebanon Cedar, Blue Atlas Cedar

Celtis sinensis

Chinese Hackberry

Chaenomeles

Flowering Quince

Chamaecyparis

Cypress

Chamaecyparis obtusa

Hinoki Cypress

Chamaecyparis pisifera

Sawara Cypress

Cissus antartica

Australian grape vine

Cornus

Dogwood

Cotinus coggygria

Smoke Tree

Cotoneaster

Cotoneaster

Crassula

Jades

Crataegus

Hawthorn

Cryptomeria

Sugi

Cupressus

Cupressus

Cydonia oblonga

Common Quince

Dasiphora fruticosa

Shrubby Cinquefoil

Dracena sanderiana

Bamboo

Elaeagnus

Elaeagnus

Enkianthus

Enkianthus

Eugenia

Brush cherries

Euonymus

Spindle

Fagus

Beech

Ficus benjamina

Weeping Fig

Ficus microcarpa

Chinese Banyan Fig

Ficus neriifolia

Willow-leaved Fig

Ficus retusa

Ash / fig tree

 

Fuchsia

Fuchsia Flower

Gardenia

Gardenia

Ginkgo biloba

Ginkgo

Grewia occidentalis

Lavender

Hedera helix

Ivy

Gledista triacanthos

Honey Locust

Hibiscus syriacus

Hibiscus

Ilex

Holly

Jacaranda mimosifolia

Blue jacaranda

Japonica

Camellia

Jasminum nudiflorum

Winter Jasmine

Juniperus procumbens

Dwarf Japanese Garden Juniper

Juniperus chinensis

Chinese Juniper, Shimpaku

Juniperus squamata

Blue Juniper

Juniperus virginiana

Eastern Juniper

Lagerstroemia

Crape myrtle

Larix

Japanese Larch, American Larch

Ligustrum

Privet

Liquidambar

Sweetgum

Lonicera

Shrubby Honeysuckles

Magnolia stellata

Star Magnolia

Malphigia coccigera

Okinawa Holly

Malus

Apple/Crabapple

Metasequoia

Dawn Redwood

Murraya paniculata

Orange Jasmine, Satinwood

Myrciaria cauliflora

Jaboticaba

Myrtus

Myrtle

Nandina domestica

Sacred or Heavenly Bamboo

Nashia inaguensis

Bahama berry

Nothofagus

Southern beeches

Olea europaea

Olive, European olive

Parthenocissus

Creeper, Boston Ivy

Phyllostachys

Bamboo

Picea

Spruce

Pieris

Andromeda

Pinus clausa

Sand Pine

Pinus mugo

Mugo Pine, Mountain Pine

Pinus parviflora

Japanese White Pine

Pinus thunbergii

Japanese Black Pine

Pinus virginiana

Virginia Pine

Pinus ponderosa

Western Yellow Pine

Pittosporum

Pittosporum

Podocarpus

Podocarpus

Portulacaria afra

Dwarf jade

Prunus serrulata

Japanese Flowering Cherry

Prunus mume

Flowering Apricot

Pseudosasa

Bamboo

Punica granatum

Pomegranate

Pyracantha

Firethorn

Quercus

Oak

Rhaphiolepis indica

Indian Hawthorn

Rhododendron indicum

Satsuki azalea

Rhododendron obtusum amoenum

Kurume azalea

Robinia pseudoacacia

Black Locust

Sageretia

Chinese Sweet Plum

Sasa

Bamboo

Serissa foetida

Snow Rose

Sorbus

Rowan and Whitebeam

Syzygium

Brush cherry

Syzygium smithii

Brush cherry

Tamarix

Tamarisk

Taxodium ascendens

Pondcypress

Taxodium distichum

Baldcypress

Taxus

Yew

Thymus

Thyme

Tsuga

Hemlock

Ulmus alata

Winged Elm

Ulmus crassifolia

Cedar Elm

Ulmus minor

Field Elm

Ulmus parvifolia

Chinese Elm

Wisteria floribunda

Japanese Wisteria

Wisteria sinensis

Chinese Wisteria

Zelkova serrata

Japanese Elm

Zanthoxylum

Chinese Pepper



More information
For tree identification see the Bonsai care forum. General guidelines can be found in our Bonsai care section.