Desert O'Piñon
Omono
I've unsuccefully searched for a thread covering this, and I'm not sure if this is the right forum for this topic, but for newbies like myself, it would be helpful to have a single thread with bonsai terms and their definitions. In my few months here, I've learned a lot from perusing these pages of wisdom. I still have a long way to go before I feel proficient in the lingo. I didn't know whether to put this here or in "New to bonsai."
So, please add any definitions you feel are important to our craft, especially for beginners like me. Also, any "Americanized" terms from the original Japanese or Chinese could be very helpful.
Here are a few terms I know and some very rough definitions.
Substrate: This is the material in which the bonsai grows. It anchors the tree and provides water, air and nutrients to the roots, and therefore to the entire tree. Substrate can be inorganic or it can be organic, or very often in bonsai, it is a specific ratio of both. Substrate can also cause passionate division within the bonsai community.
Aggregate: This is more specifically referring to the type of particles that make up the substrate. Aggregates are basically the building blocks. They can include many organic materials such as coco coir, and various conifer barks. They also include inorganic materials like large particle diatomaceous earth, akadama, course sand/fine gravel, lava stone, and perlite, to name a few. Typically, a largely or entirely inorganic mix is used in bonsai.
Nebari: This is the "root flare" at soil level where the roots transition into the trunk. A radially complete nebari is desirable.
Trunk movement: This describes the bends and twists in the trunk. It can be gentle, graceful curves or dramatic, even giving the appearance of a traumatic event in the tree's story.
Bar branch: This refers to a point on the trunk where two branches grow exactly opposite from one another, and is an undesirable trait in bonsai.
I think this is a good start. Please, veterans, feel free to add other terms to this list. There is a plethora of names, terms, and general knowledge out there, and I have (hopefully correctly) scratched the surface.
Also feel free to correct my definitions if I'm off the mark. I'm still learning, so I don't want to throw off other learners.
So, please add any definitions you feel are important to our craft, especially for beginners like me. Also, any "Americanized" terms from the original Japanese or Chinese could be very helpful.
Here are a few terms I know and some very rough definitions.
Substrate: This is the material in which the bonsai grows. It anchors the tree and provides water, air and nutrients to the roots, and therefore to the entire tree. Substrate can be inorganic or it can be organic, or very often in bonsai, it is a specific ratio of both. Substrate can also cause passionate division within the bonsai community.
Aggregate: This is more specifically referring to the type of particles that make up the substrate. Aggregates are basically the building blocks. They can include many organic materials such as coco coir, and various conifer barks. They also include inorganic materials like large particle diatomaceous earth, akadama, course sand/fine gravel, lava stone, and perlite, to name a few. Typically, a largely or entirely inorganic mix is used in bonsai.
Nebari: This is the "root flare" at soil level where the roots transition into the trunk. A radially complete nebari is desirable.
Trunk movement: This describes the bends and twists in the trunk. It can be gentle, graceful curves or dramatic, even giving the appearance of a traumatic event in the tree's story.
Bar branch: This refers to a point on the trunk where two branches grow exactly opposite from one another, and is an undesirable trait in bonsai.
I think this is a good start. Please, veterans, feel free to add other terms to this list. There is a plethora of names, terms, and general knowledge out there, and I have (hopefully correctly) scratched the surface.
Also feel free to correct my definitions if I'm off the mark. I'm still learning, so I don't want to throw off other learners.
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