Easiest Plants to Make a Bonsai Tree From a Cutting

• Bonsai is the practice of growing plants in containers, cultivated to look like miniature trees and shrubs. The word "bonsai" translates into tray planting. It is a horticultural art based in beauty and precision, mirroring nature. The art originated in China and Japan, more than 1,000 years ago. Traditional bonsai is associated with concepts of naturalism and the small trees are cultivated to look as they would in the wild, though on a much smaller scale.

Chinese Elm

• Chinese elm is an attractive deciduous broad leaf tree native to northern Asia. It has oval green leaves with serrated edges, and grows into an upright, open canopy. Chinese elm is fast-growing in optimal conditions. It's a long-lived tree, requiring sunlight and well-drained soil to grow well, and is not tolerant of shade or wet soil conditions. Cuttings of Chinese elm from green wood in the spring and summer root easily in wet sand or when dipped in rooting powder and stuck in moist potting soil. Growing the cutting for three to four months until roots are well-established, then planting in a decorative bonsai tray layered with gravel, potting soil and mulch creates a healthy bonsai plant.

Azalea

• Azaleas are evergreen flowering shrubs with frilly flowers and shiny green leaves. They are native to North America, Asia and Europe. The plants need well-drained, acid soil and consistent watering in a shady location. Cuttings in late spring after new growth has hardened will produce the best results for propagation. Dip cuttings in rooting powder and plant in soil mixed with sand or perlite. Good air circulation around newly planted cuttings helps prevent wilt and mildew. Azaleas flower in late spring for a short time in red, pink, white. Although there are more than 10,000 varieties of azalea, Satsuki azalea is commonly used in bonsai. It has multiple colors of flowers on one plant, pink, red and white and has a smaller size than many other azaleas.

Japanese Maple

• Japanese maples are deciduous broad leaf trees with red, pink or orange foliage native to Asia. They have an upright, open growth habit and palm-shaped leaves with five, seven or nine parts. They are easy to grow from seed and from cuttings in the spring from woody growth. Seeds need a cold period of at least 3 months before germination. Rooting powder and consistent misting helps cuttings establish strong roots. They grow best in partial shade and well-drained soil. Japanese maples are colorful, attractive bonsai plants that are easy to prune and train.