What bonsai species are semi-common in Japan and not in the USA

Njyamadori said:

So I wanted to know if anyone knows a plant that’s used for bonsai in Japan and not the USA and if they think the US should have that plant ?

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It's easier to make a list of plants that are commonly used in North America and Japan -- just going by my website's search & sales stats:
Japanese Maples
Trident Maples
Pines
Junipers
Azaleas

Of course we use other species, but they are more rare among hobbyists especially in nice form, and there are very few nurseries are producing them at scale (has anyone made a table with a list of bonsai species and the nurseries in North America that carry them? )

The list of plants that are at least 'semi-common' in Japan and which are barely used in North America is very long. One thing to keep in mind is that there is a whole world of bonsai in Japan outside of the Gafu/Kokufu/Taikan shows. For example, if you walk into any bonsai nursery they're like to have a bench with a hundred of species X (e.g. berchemia racemosa) which you'd see at Kokufu twice in a hundreds years but which tons of hobbyists work with.

Below is an incomplete list of species are 'common enough' in the Japanese bonsai world such that if you wanted one today you could have one. There are a bunch of other species that I did not include, which appear in bonsai but are very very difficult to find in Japan: actinidia arguta (Sarunashi), Amelanchier (zaifukriboku), Arbutus (unedo), celastus (oriental bittersweet), Chimonanthus praecox (japanese allspice, roubai), Daphne Genkwa (Fujimodoki or Chouiuzakura, I've seen both names used) , Helwingia japonica (Hana Ikada), Lespedeza (hagi), Morus (Hime Kuwa), Photinia Vilosa (Kamatsuka), Stachyrus praecox (Kibushi)

Akebia Quinta and Trifoliata - Chocolate Vine
Berchemia Racemosa - Kumayanagi
Camellia sinensis - Chanoki
Carpinus turczaninowii - Korean Hornbeam - Iwashide
Celtis - Hackberry - Enoki
Cercidiphyllum japonicum - katsura
Corylopsis Spicata - Winter Hazel - Tosa Mizuki
Cocculus orbiculatus - Ao Tsuzurafuji
Crataegus - Hawthorn - Sanzashi
Diospyros rhombifolia - Princess Persimmon - Roya Kaki
Eleagnus - Kangumi
Euonymus - mayuki and komayumi
Fagus crenata - Japanese Beech - Buna
Fortunella hindsii - hong kong kumquat - Kinzu
Ilex serrata - Winterberry - Ume Modoki
Itea japonica - Kobanozuina
Katsura japonica - Binankadzura
Ligustrum - ibota privet
Lindera glauca - Asian Spicebush - Yamakobashi
Lonicera graciripes - Honeysuckle
Lyceum chinense - Goji Berry
Magnolia - Mokuren
Malus - crabapple, few varieties
Premna Japonica - Musk Maple
Prunus - all japanese cherries
Prunus mume - Flowering Apricot
Pseudocydonia sinensis - Chinese Quince - Karin
Punica granatum - Pomegranate
Pyracantha - Firethorn
Quercus serrata - Konara Oak
Rosa - Roses
Stewartia monadelpha - Hime Shara
Stewartia pseudocamelia - Natsubaski
Styrax japonica - Ego Noki
Wisteria - Fuji
Zelkova serrata - Keyaki

Canada Bonsai said:

The list of plants that are at least 'semi-common' in Japan and which are barely used in North America is very long. One thing to keep in mind is that there is a whole world of bonsai in Japan outside of the Gafu/Kokufu/Taikan shows. For example, if you walk into any bonsai nursery they're like to have a bench with a hundred of species X (e.g. berchemia racemosa) which you'd see at Kokufu twice in a hundreds years but which tons of hobbyists work with.

Below is an incomplete list of species are 'common enough' in the Japanese bonsai world such that if you wanted one today you could have one. There are a bunch of other species that I did not include, which appear in bonsai but are very very difficult to find in Japan: actinidia arguta (Sarunashi), Amelanchier (zaifukriboku), Arbutus (unedo), celastus (oriental bittersweet), Chimonanthus praecox (japanese allspice, roubai), Daphne Genkwa (Fujimodoki or Chouiuzakura, I've seen both names used) , Helwingia japonica (Hana Ikada), Lespedeza (hagi), Morus (Hime Kuwa), Photinia Vilosa (Kamatsuka), Stachyrus praecox (Kibushi)

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Scanning this list quickly, I wanted to point out that there are big regional differences in the US in terms of what is available where. For example, arbutus was quite common on the west coast and was very popular in landscape there - being sold commonly in big box retailers - while I have yet to see one here on the east coast, even though the climate is well-suited for them in my area.

Bonsai Nut said:

there are big regional differences in the US in terms of what is available where

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Yes, for sure

While making the list certain species came to mind, like Pomegranates and Chinese Quince for example, which I know are more common on the west coast than the east coast. But that said, they're still very 'uncommon' in the sense that I can't buy one today if I wanted one, and the number of high-level examples is terribly small.

Canada Bonsai said:

Yes, for sure

While making the list certain species came to mind, like Pomegranates and Chinese Quince for example, which I know are more common on the west coast than the east coast. But that said, they're still very 'uncommon' in the sense that I can't buy one today if I wanted one, and the number of high-level examples is terribly small.

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Yes... in general, I will say the selection on the East Coast is much more limited than what I saw on the West Coast, even with my living in the SW corner of the West Coast. We had quite extensive selections of citrus and tropicals - and if we wanted Japanese maples or ornamental conifers, Washington and Oregon had the big national commercial nurseries (though JM was almost impossible to keep alive in Southern California).

We are starting to get a better selection in NC, but ironically many of the nurseries are bringing their stock in from Oregon

I think some folks get hung up on specific names and species and overlook great alternatives sources that might be staring them in the face. For instance Beautyberry (callicarpa) is native to the southern US. You can find it if you look for it. Porcelain berry is another bonsai subject. It is incredibly invasive in the U S. And easily collectible. Wisteria is a weed her in the Middle Atlantic states. You can collect pretty awesome trunks if you look around. Some states parks have wisteria eradication programs. Ask around. same for oriental bittersweet (which is another obnoxious local weed here and almost as common as wisteria)

Hime ringo is an excellent bonsai subject but so is just about every other cultivar of crab apple. Crab apples of a wide variety of cultivars have been landscape species for literally hundreds of years here. Regular apples too. Old orchards and “escaped” apples trees are out there.

Canada Bonsai said:

Below is an incomplete list of species are 'common enough' in the Japanese bonsai world such that if you wanted one today you could have one. There are a bunch of other species that I did not include, which appear in bonsai but are very very difficult to find in Japan: actinidia arguta (Sarunashi), Amelanchier (zaifukriboku), Arbutus (unedo), celastus (oriental bittersweet), Chimonanthus praecox (japanese allspice, roubai), Daphne Genkwa (Fujimodoki or Chouiuzakura, I've seen both names used) , Helwingia japonica (Hana Ikada), Lespedeza (hagi), Morus (Hime Kuwa), Photinia Vilosa (Kamatsuka), Stachyrus praecox (Kibushi)

Akebia Quinta and Trifoliata - Chocolate Vine
Berchemia Racemosa - Kumayanagi
Camellia sinensis - Chanoki
Carpinus turczaninowii - Korean Hornbeam - Iwashide
Celtis - Hackberry - Enoki
Cercidiphyllum japonicum - katsura
Corylopsis Spicata - Winter Hazel - Tosa Mizuki
Cocculus orbiculatus - Ao Tsuzurafuji
Crataegus - Hawthorn - Sanzashi
Diospyros rhombifolia - Princess Persimmon - Roya Kaki
Eleagnus - Kangumi
Euonymus - mayuki and komayumi
Fagus crenata - Japanese Beech - Buna
Fortunella hindsii - hong kong kumquat - Kinzu
Ilex serrata - Winterberry - Ume Modoki
Itea japonica - Kobanozuina
Katsura japonica - Binankadzura
Ligustrum - ibota privet
Lindera glauca - Asian Spicebush - Yamakobashi
Lonicera graciripes - Honeysuckle
Lyceum chinense - Goji Berry
Magnolia - Mokuren
Malus - crabapple, few varieties
Premna Japonica - Musk Maple
Prunus - all japanese cherries
Prunus mume - Flowering Apricot
Pseudocydonia sinensis - Chinese Quince - Karin
Punica granatum - Pomegranate
Pyracantha - Firethorn
Quercus serrata - Konara Oak
Rosa - Roses
Stewartia monadelpha - Hime Shara
Stewartia pseudocamelia - Natsubaski
Styrax japonica - Ego Noki
Wisteria - Fuji
Zelkova serrata - Keyaki

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While the vast majority of mine are still ‘sticks-in-pots’, I am growing over 70% of these so, I’m guessing there are probably more amateurs like me than anyone realizes attempting to bonsai this list here in the U.S..