15 Best Bonsai Trees for Beginners

Which bonsai tree is best for beginners?

This question is frequently asked by newcomers to bonsai trees.

Well, if you are a beginner, you will be amazed to know that bonsai trees aren’t difficult to grow if you have enough dedication towards your bonsai tree and choose the right bonsai tree and size.

If you’re interested, this article will help you choose bonsai trees for beginners that can survive even if you’re starting from scratch.

The Success of the Bonsai tree mainly depends on two factors: location and watering. Having said that, there are some bonsai species that are easy to care so let us learn more about such bonsai species in detail,

Best Bonsai Trees for Beginners

1. Juniper

Juniper belongs to the conifers category and they are popular for two reasons,

• Their small foliage fits nicely in a miniature aesthetic of bonsai
• They can withstand heavy pruning.

Juniper is often recognized as the easiest of all bonsai trees for beginners because they are durable in the sunlight and also versatile. 

The good thing about juniper is that it can be raised in two ways, either outdoor or indoor, the choice is yours!

But it is believed that juniper grows better outdoors.

Another good reason to grow a juniper tree is that the bonsai tree is very forgiving. The plant can be left all alone and neglected. But, the only thing that can kill your juniper bonsai tree is overfeeding and under-feeding.

Just like most bonsai trees, they are in hibernation in the winter months, and sometimes they do not need fertilizer or water in winter.

2. Chinese Elm Bonsai tree

Next on our list of best bonsai trees for beginners is the Chinese Elm Bonsai tree. This bonsai tree is suited for both indoor and outdoor conditions. 

This slow-growing bonsai is a great pick for beginners since it can tolerate various environments and does not need much care.

You just need to place it under the bright morning sunlight for a few hours and then return it to shade in the afternoon.

Also, its beautiful brown bark that develops fissures as it grows is eye-catching. In addition, its branches have quite elegant and small oval leaves that are fresh green in color. The overall appearance of the Chinese elm bonsai makes it a great stylish home decor.

Thankfully, it does not attract pests except spider mites. Additionally, it is easy to trim and shape Chinese elm bonsai.

3. Ginseng Ficus

It is an excellent bonsai tree for beginners because it is a very hardy as well as a forgiving plant. It is a broadleaf evergreen tree and has unique-looking aerial roots and oval-shaped green leaves.

The trunk of this ficus bonsai is grey and thick, which gives it a sturdy appearance. The beginners can enjoy watching Ficus ginseng grow since it does not have high maintenance requirements.

Also, you can place this indoor ficus bonsai tree in the office, kitchen table, or window. Safe to say that Ficus ginseng is an ideal choice for beginners because of its ability to thrive in low light conditions.

Moreover, with some bonsai tools, you can do pruning to maintain the shape of the bonsai tree as you desire.

4. Dwarf Jade bonsai plant

The Dwarf jade bonsai is another great choice for beginners who don’t want a tree that requires constant attention and care. The bonsai tree is considered a symbol of good fortune and unity.

It is a preferable choice because of its softwood semi-evergreen shrubs. Dwarf jade looks similar to the common jade variety. But the smaller foliage of dwarf jade makes it an excellent bonsai tree for beginners.

Also, they thrive well without frequent watering, which means you can allow the soil to dry up before adding water to dwarf jade.

This semi-evergreen tree has dark-green leaves that retain moisture for a long time. So even if you forget to water the jade plant, it won’t die immediately.

Also, it produces pink flowers that add a sense of beauty to your place.

The dwarf jade is also called the elephant bush, and they are easy to train and maintain for any beginner. It can grow to a low height which makes it convenient to shape.

5. Schefflera Bonsai

Schefflera bonsai is also known as Hawaiian Umbrella bonsai. This plant thrives well in indoor conditions without hassle, that’s why it is a great pick for beginners.

You can position Schefflera anywhere around the house, including the kitchen table, window, or on your deck. This bonsai plant is native to subtropical environments and has low maintenance requirements. 

Its umbrella-shaped leaves form a dense green canopy that makes the tree look healthy and elegant. In addition, the prolific root growth has a unique appearance that any eye would appreciate. 

The thin trunk on Schefflera bonsai does not branch out as in other bonsai trees, which makes the Schefflera bonsai an out-of-the-box selection.

6. Cotoneaster

Cotoneaster has a small dark and glossy green leaves with attractive tiny white flowers. In autumn the plant produces red, yellow, or orange, apple-shaped fruit.

In the growing period, you need to place the plant under full sun. But in the hottest summer cotoneaster needs semi-shade. Also, it requires a lot of water but it can survive a short period of drought.

The good thing about cotoneaster is that trees whose leaves have died due to lack of water can recover and produce new leaves.

There are seventy to three hundred different species of cotoneaster. As Cotoneaster comes in a variety, you can choose to create bonsai plants as per your choice. 

You can try to grow the deciduous variety that sheds the leaves during winter but produces berries during spring. You can also select the evergreen variety that does not shed leaves if you keep it in warmer climates during winter.

7. Ficus Benjamina

This bonsai tree is one of the most popular domesticated species. Also known as benjamin fig or weeping fig.

Ficus Benjamina is a dwarf, subtropical tree, having smooth gray bark, broad leaves, and a canopy of delicate branches.

Beginners are well-suited to Ficus Benjamina mainly because it adapts quickly to changes in its environment.

Their leaves are small and easy to prune, and their roots grow stronger over time. Additionally, their vibrant foliage makes them look like living works of art.

Also, the weeping fig is easy to grow and it tolerates indoor conditions, so it is a good plant for beginners. There are many varieties of the plant and also they vary in the size of their leaves.

The bonsai plant is most suitable for Japanese styles such as formal upright, informal upright, slanting, cascade, semi-cascade, broom, and group planting. Because of the relatively large size of the leaves, the weeping fig should be allowed to grow about twenty inches tall to create pleasing proportions.

8. Pomegranate

As a bonsai tree pomegranate is very popular. Pomegranate is a deciduous tree that drops all of its leaves during winter. The attractive feature of the pomegranate is its striking flowers that bear fruit and a trunk with attractive bark.

Its trunk has a natural twist that gives the bonsai tree a gnarled and ancient appearance which is very appreciated in bonsai. You can find many varieties of pomegranates with different colors, shapes, and sizes of flowers and fruit.

The tree is native to the Middle East and Southeast Asia but today the pomegranate tree grows in different countries worldwide.

Pomegranate bonsai can be grown outside year-round in warm temperatures and it can also be grown indoors for part of the year. But they should be protected from freezing temperatures and frost.

 If you are thinking of growing a pomegranate bonsai tree, you have made a wonderful choice!

9. Carmona Retusa

The Carmona Retusa is also known as the Fukien Tea. It was named after the province Fukien in Chinese Fujian. These are indigenous to China, Japan, Taiwan, Indonesia, and Australia. But recently these trees have become popular bonsai trees in western countries.

Carmona Plant is popularly cultivated by beginners as a bonsai tree indoors. As it is a fast-growing indoor plant that displays glossy foliage, textured leaves around the smooth and attractive-looking bark.

In the growing season, you can see the plant blooming with snowy blossoms. Moreover, these flowers transform into red-colored berries, which makes growing the Carmona bonsai plant a more rewarding experience.

 10. Japanese Maple

Japanese maples are some of the most extravagant trees for bonsai due to their vibrantly colored leaves and ease of care.

In their younger stages, Japanese Maple trees have green or reddish bark that eventually turns light gray or grayish brown. In May and June, the greenish-yellow flowers bloom in clusters. 

Once they are mature, maple seeds resemble paired winged nuts that float like propellers to the ground when they drop. There are numerous varieties of Japanese Maple trees with different leaf colors, shapes, and sizes.

It takes less care and skill to maintain Japanese maple bonsai compared to other bonsai specimens, and they are a great place to start for beginners.

In addition to not requiring too much sunlight, the Japanese maple bonsai is also a shade-tolerant variety. In bonsai training, it lends itself well to the techniques involved in shaping fine, delicate branches

11. Banyan

Banyan Bonsai is also known as the common Fig and Chinese Banyan. There are hundreds of species and most of them are tropical and evergreen, some are deciduous too. Also, many varieties are naturally dwarfed.

Banyan bonsai is popularly grown as indoor bonsai. It is an excellent tree for beginners as they tolerate the low light and humidity of the heated or air-conditioned house. 

A distinctive feature of these trees is that they develop aerial roots. Often, they are trained to grow over rocks, and as they grow older, aerial roots may hang down from the branches, which gives the tree a unique appearance.

Generally, these trees require a great deal of moisture, but established trees are drought tolerant. Both sun and partial shade are good for them. It is best to grow banyan trees in warmer climates since they are easily damaged by frost.

12. Adenium

Adenium bonsai is also known as Desert Rose.

This pretty bonsai plant is a small, hardy, and easy to grow succulent tree which makes it a perfect choice for beginners. Also, due to its appearance, the Adenium is a popular ornamental plant.

The Adenium bonsai plant can reach up to the height of 3-5 feet tall with lovely pink, white, red, or black trumpet-shaped flowers (sometimes fragrant) and glossy leaves along with a bulbous base.

Another reason to grow Adenium is that it is a fast-growing plant as well as grows well in a small container.

13. Rosemary

Consider choosing a rosemary plant for your bonsai hobby to make edible art. 

And best of all, when you prune your rosemary bonsai, you will not only maintain its shape but also harvest herbs for dinner. 

For rosemary plants to thrive, they need frequent watering, but they’re susceptible to root rot, so make sure you plant them in pots that have adequate drainage.

To keep the plant at its miniature size, remove new growth after its first set of leaves. You can prevent a plant from outgrowing its pot by trimming the roots by at least 25 percent. As long as the branches are young and supple enough, they can be shaped using the wiring.

Another reason to choose rosemary as your tiny “tree” is that you can quickly start it from seed. You can grow this herb in containers and bring it in before the first frost.

14. Norfolk Island Pine

Norfolk Island pine is native only to Norfolk Island, located in the South Pacific Ocean between Australia and New Zealand. However, Norfolk Island pine is a very popular houseplant around the world despite its obscure origins. 

Because Norfolk Island pine is a semi-tropical species, it grows best at temperatures over 50 degrees F and in full sunlight. You should place your bonsai tree on a sunny, south-facing windowsill in a warm room. 

Despite its natural height reaching up to 200 feet, the Norfolk Island pine grows at a slow rate of 3 to 6 inches per year.

It boasts a captivating scent, like those of a Christmas tree, and is suitable for a wide variety of styles.

 Norfolk Pine trees are not pine trees, but they do require some sunlight each day to sustain themselves. 

Unlike most Bonsai types, Norfolk Island Bonsais prefer soil that is almost dry, but not quite arid. As a result, they need more water in summer and less in winter.

Beginner bonsai gardeners can easily keep up with the necessary trimming and repotting to keep this tree in miniature.

15. Common Boxwood Bonsai

It is one of the most common European trees used for landscaping. Common Boxwoods are favored as bonsai trees for their naturally curling trunks and ability to grow rapidly.

The common boxwood bonsai has a pale wood color trunk and is great for creating bonsai shapes. It is easy to train them when wiring is done while the bark is soft.

Also, Common Boxwood bonsai grow small leaf clusters and they can be trained to cover the tree like a pom-pom. Moreover, they thrive well in a lot of water, making it a great choice for those who overwater their plants and are ideal bonsai plants for beginners who are excited to learn about shaping the bonsai.

 If you decide to give these trees a new home, please ensure there are at least 2-3 years between new pots! You can encourage their growth by re-potting them frequently.

FAQ

1. Which is the easiest bonsai tree to take care of?

Ficus bonsai is the most common and the easiest bonsai to take care of. Other plant includes Carmona bonsai, dwarf jade, and Schefflera bonsai.

2. What temperature is too cold for bonsai?

Most tropical bonsai plant does not tolerate temperature below 40-45 degree Fahrenheit. During such time, it is ideal to place your bonsai tree inside.

3. How do I keep my Bonsai tree warm?

A greenhouse is the best place to store them. A bonsai tree’s roots can only remain warm if it receives light and is in a warm environment.

4. When can I place my bonsai Outside?

Throughout spring, summer, and fall you can place your bonsai outside.

5. Why does my bonsai have brown leaves?

The bonsai tree needs proper nutrients to grow. The lack of nutrients such as iron, magnesium, and nitrogen may turn the leaves brown.

6. How do I know when my bonsai tree needs repotting?

The key indicator is to look at the roots, if the roots are pot-bounded then repotting is needed.

7. How do I know if I am overwatering my bonsai tree?

Yellowing of leaves and shriveling of small branches are the symptoms of overwatering.

Conclusion

In the beginning growing bonsai might look like a challenge but with growing and learning experience you will fall in love with your bonsai tree. Also, the bonsai tree may become older but it will still look young and beautiful with the proper care.

The beauty of bonsai plants is that once you grow them, they will be with you for years. Some bonsai even last for 15 to 30 years. And under the right conditions, they can outlive you!

So, Which bonsai tree are you planning to grow? Let me know in the comment section.

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