Knowing Your Bonsai Zone

Bonsai, from the Japanese pen zai meaning “tray planting,” is the art of growing and training dwarf trees in containers. The practice originated in China, but was refined and developed primarily by the Japanese. In contrast to the more naturalistic scenes of Chinese penjing, bonsai focuses on individual dwarfed trees. Bonsai cultivators prune roots and branches, and shape the trunk by trimming and binding branches with wire. The process can take a century or more, as the tree is grown, pruned, and trained from one generation to the next.

Bonsai growers need to know their climate zone in order to select and protect the right bonsai species for their area. Climate zones are based on the average annual minimum winter temperature and help to determine if a particular tree is able to survive in a given environment.

Knowing a bonsai’s climate zone is vital for understanding the tree’s temperature requirements and limits. For instance, tropical species need to be kept indoors to avoid climatic conditions too harsh for their growth habits. But temperate plants are more flexible, tolerating a wider range of temperatures than their native environment.

During winter, bonsai need protection from freezing cold temperatures. This protection can vary depending on the species of the plant and how severe your region’s winter is. In general, however, it is a good idea to bring your bonsai inside before temperatures drop below the zone rating for your area. This can be as simple as covering your bonsai with a tarp for the night and then removing it during the day or as complex as devising a scheme to store your entire collection for the duration of the winter.

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