Tips for Displaying Indoor Bonsais

• Bonsai plants add a touch of elegance to homes. bonsai image by Zbigniew Nowak from Fotolia.com

  Bonsai is a Japanese gardening technique that involves miniature trees growing in ceramic, wooden and other containers, with the soil surrounding the plant often covered with pebbles. Bonsai is an art form often displayed outside. Some bonsai practitioners, however, opt for indoor displays. Having a bonsai indoors, however, does require a bit of upkeep.

Selection

• Many species used for bonsai do not do well for extended periods of time indoors. These species should only be brought indoors for a short stay, particularly during the winter, when the interior air of homes is often hot and dry. When bonsai are indoors, they should be sprayed daily and watered.

Tokonoma

• Those who want a traditional Japanese indoor setting for a bonsai may want to consider a Tokonoma, a small area of a room set off for displays of bonsai and other objects. A Tokonoma features a raised alcove, approximately 3 feet deep, 6 to 9 feet wide, and a minimum of 4 inches above the floor. The alcove should have a polished wooden surface or a tatami mat. The bonsai is placed on a table in the alcove. The Tokonoma can be either open or closed and should be placed in an area where it blends in naturally. It should be near a window to receive sunlight.

Yoma-Kazari

• Some people may want to consider what Japanese call the Western, or Yoma-Kazari, approach to displaying bonsai. In this style the bonsai rests on a simple table or shelf, which is placed up against a wall.