Non-Asian Species

[rockm]

Various North American Oak species, some not tried yet, are superior to the oaks in Japan for bonsai, BUT North America is the center of oak evolution on the planet--There are 90 species of native Oak in the U.S. Mexico has 160. 22 in Europe. Japan has 15. It's not a fair comparison because there aren't really comparable oak species in Japan (or Europe for that matter). Same for Bald cypress, redwood. etc. Japan and Europe have their own species. Comparing them as superior is a little misleading.

 

[Wood]

I wonder if European beech is better than Japanese beech is for bonsai. I don't have direct experience with both, but I know some people consider Japanese beech to be finicky and particular. European beech is supposed to be a little hardier and vigorous. Both species reduce and ramify excellently though

 

[Wood]

Buttonwood is another species that might not have a good equivalent in Asian species. Broadleaf, wonderful wild trunks to collect, durable deadwood, ramifies and reduces well. The only complication is that it's tropical, but it combines the artistic abstract aspects of a nice juniper with broad leaves

 

[Gabler]

I wonder if European beech is better than Japanese beech is for bonsai. I don't have direct experience with both, but I know some people consider Japanese beech to be finicky and particular. European beech is supposed to be a little hardier and vigorous. Both species reduce and ramify excellently though

I would gave thought the opposite. Japanese beech has smaller leaves. American and European beech both have somewhat large leaves. Hardiness is a big bonus, though.

 

[caffeinated]

I thought of the Mediterranean cedars. Blue Atlas and Cedar of Lebanon... I'm not sure what the Asian counterpart would be, cryptomeria?

 

[Glaucus]

It is just coincidence that bonsai happened in Japan (actually it started in China of course). So of course the Japanese used their native species and that set the standard.
I don't think it is really true that species were bred to be more suitable for bonsai. You either need a long time. Or very dedicated breeding.
And in general, people use species for bonsai, not cultivars.
Also, what it means to be 'good for bonsai' kinda depends. Cultivar traits that would be good for developing a plant into a prebonsai commercially would often be the opposite traits that one wants for a old specimen show piece.
Leaf reduction is probably a key trait, though. But are there really very specific species that have cultivar where you can only really use the cultivar for bonsai? Because of leaf reduction? Not aware of all species and cultivar, though.

There could be something interesting with Japan's geography and their diversity of species and their horticultural value. Because it does seem that quite a few Japanese species became garden regulars all across the world.

 

[Shibui]

I've always considered Ficus rubiginosa as one of the best species for bonsai. It's an Australian native but I'd bet if the Japanese had access to it originally they would have hundreds of great Ficus bonsai now.
Ficus rubiginosa: grows fast; thickens quickly; is drought tolerant; leaves reduce very well; back buds extremely well; buds on bare wood easily after pruning; trunks continue to thicken even in small pots; survives years without added fertiliser; can tolerate severe root reduction; roots are great for Root over Rock projects; grows well in the smallest of pots; grows happily indoors all year round; strikes very easily as cuttings.
The only downside I have found is they don't like temperatures below freezing.

We are also finding some other Aussie native species make very good bonsai - Banksia integrifolia, Banksia serrata; Melaleuca sp, Callistemon sp

Some of the bias toward Asian species for bonsai appears to be just tradition. I could sell more Japanese maples to beginners than any other species despite them being quite difficult to develop and maintain as bonsai. Relatively few beginners initially consider trident maple despite them being far easier to grow and train. I suspect because it does not have the word 'Japan' in the name.

 

[Gabler]

There could be something interesting with Japan's geography and their diversity of species and their horticultural value. Because it does seem that quite a few Japanese species became garden regulars all across the world.

I had been wondering the same thing, but I thought it might just be confirmation bias.

 

[Glaucus]

I had been wondering the same thing, but I thought it might just be confirmation bias.

I was thinking along the lines of Japan being an island with temperate climate with lots of rain. Not all of the world is like that. There is a reason why most of our garden plants don't come from Siberia or Chile.
But many places are similar to Japan. And some species that we think of as being Japanese, also occur in other parts of Asia.
Someone must have written on this at some point, somewhere. But it is above my pay grade. I don't even know most of the species in the gardens. And, we have gardens where humans live all over the world, in many different climates anyway. But in terms of plant evolution, some places are just going to be different or more diverse than other places. Besides climate, also thinks like large herbivores could play a role.
There must be certain types of biomes that are rich in species with more ornamental value than others. And being an island means you generally are a bit different than other areas, because of the disconnect. Though plants seem to find a way to travel across the seas. And maybe Japan being elongated north to south, plus strong differences in elevation, also promote diversity.

Something like this:

October 22, 2024 | Japan’s floriculture and its genetic resources have been and will continue to be globally important | Meiji.net:Meiji University

From March through September 2027, the International Horticultural Expo 2027, Yokohama, Japan (GREEN × EXPO 2027) will be held at the site (about 100 ha) of the former Kamiseya Communications Facility in Yokohama City. This exposition falls under the A1 class approved by the International...

english-meiji.net

But it doesn't fully hit the mark, as it also discusses culture.

 

[rockm]

I was thinking along the lines of Japan being an island with temperate climate with lots of rain. Not all of the world is like that. There is a reason why most of our garden plants don't come from Siberia or Chile.
But many places are similar to Japan. And some species that we think of as being Japanese, also occur in other parts of Asia.
Someone must have written on this at some point, somewhere. But it is above my pay grade. I don't even know most of the species in the gardens. And, we have gardens where humans live all over the world, in many different climates anyway. But in terms of plant evolution, some places are just going to be different or more diverse than other places. Besides climate, also thinks like large herbivores could play a role.
There must be certain types of biomes that are rich in species with more ornamental value than others. And being an island means you generally are a bit different than other areas, because of the disconnect. Though plants seem to find a way to travel across the seas. And maybe Japan being elongated north to south, plus strong differences in elevation, also promote diversity.

Something like this:

October 22, 2024 | Japan’s floriculture and its genetic resources have been and will continue to be globally important | Meiji.net:Meiji University

From March through September 2027, the International Horticultural Expo 2027, Yokohama, Japan (GREEN × EXPO 2027) will be held at the site (about 100 ha) of the former Kamiseya Communications Facility in Yokohama City. This exposition falls under the A1 class approved by the International...

english-meiji.net

But it doesn't fully hit the mark, as it also discusses culture.

Likely it’s a combination of specialized species and the soil on the island chain and a lot of coastal China. In Japan the soils are pretty much all of volcanic origin since the island are mostly birthed from volcanic activity. That alone made container culture easier for collection and adaptation since volcanic soils pumice (name a Japanese bonsai soil-akadama. Kiryu etc)

 

[Michael P]

Our climate has hellish summers and warm winters with occasional plunges into the single digits Fahrenheit. We use anything that will survive and respond well to bonsai techniques. Any other criteria are pointless. Some of those species are Asian, many are not.

 

[rockm]

It’s very interesting to me that MANY southern Appalachian tree species are closely related to Chinese species. The southeast Appalachian “cove forests” are amongthe most biologically diverse places on the planet

Many Trees in Southeast U.S. Closely Related to Tree Species in Asia

e360.yale.edu

‘Big Ice’ links flora and fauna here and in Asia

When walking a trail in the Smokies (or Nantahalas or Great Balsams or wherever) here in the southern Blue Ridge, I sometimes pause to observe the landscapes and flora and imagine that I’m in the mountains of northern Japan or eastern China. Botanists are familiar with a concept sometimes known...

smokymountainnews.com

 

[Melospiza]

A point in favor of the argument that there are many Asian species selected for bonsai because of the long tradition in Japan: Asian species that are highly unsuited for bonsai yet are traditional bonsai subjects, such as Asian magnolias.

 

[Gabler]

A point in favor of the argument that there are many Asian species selected for bonsai because of the long tradition in Japan: Asian species that are highly unsuited for bonsai yet are traditional bonsai subjects, such as Asian magnolias.

My mind just went to ginkgo.