Customer Reviews

Simon & Schuster's Guide To Bonsai (Nature Guide Series)

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The first one hundred or so pages of this book are devoted to the art of Bonsai before it goes into description of the different types of Bonsai. For each listing there is a photo of the tree in Bonsai form, as well as four icons. The icons tell whether or not this is an outdoor bonsai, how much water it needs, how much sun it can get, and how hard it is too grow. The actual description under each listing is divided into five parts: a brief description, repotting information, pruning and wiring information, feeding (fertilizing) information, and additional notes. Ultimately, the descriptions could be more detailed, but provide all of the necessary information.

There are many species covered, but the list is by no means all-inclusive. Coast Redwood, Baobab and Cotoneaster are conspicuously missing from this text. The trees that are included:

Acacia;
Apricot (two kinds);
Bo Tree;
Bougainvillea;
Box;
Camellia;
Carmona;
Cedar Of Lebanon;
Chinese Ash;
Chinese Juniper;
Chinese Persimmon;
Chinese Pistachio;
Common Horse Chestnut;
Common Myrtle;
Crab Apple (two kinds);
Crape Myrtle;
Cypress: Bald, Hinoki, Italian;
Dwarf Lilac;
East Indian Satin Wood;
Elephant Bush;
Elm: Caucasian, Chinese;
European Beech;
European Larch;
European White Birch;
Fig (four kinds);
Frethorn;
Giant Sequoia;
Glossy Privet;
Golden Larch;
Gooseberry;
Hazel;
Hawthorn;
Hemlock: Eastern, Japanese;
Hornbeam: Regular, Hop, Japanese;
Italian Alder;
Jacaranda;
Japanese Blume;
Japanese Larch;
Japanese Privet;
Japanese Red Cedar;
Japanese Sago Palm;
Japanese Wisteria;
Judas Tree (red bud);
Liquidambar;
Maidenhair Tree;
Manna Ash;
Maple: Trident, Field, Montpelier, Japan;
Mastic Tree;
Milkweed;
Narihira Bamboo;
Nebrodi Silver Fur;
Needle Juniper;
Nettle Tree: Southern, Chinese;
Oak: Cork, English, Holly;
Oleaster;
Olive: Wild, Common;
Orange Jasmine;
Pine: Arolla, Black, Japanese Black, Japanese Brocade, Japanese Red, Japanese White, Mountain, Scots;
Peach;
Pink Carnation;
Pomegranate: Regular, Dwarf;
Potentilla;
Queensland Umbrella Tree;
Quince (three kinds);
Rosemary;
Saint Lucie Cherry;
Setsuke Azalea;
Smoke Tree;
Spruce: Nowway, White, Yezo;
Strawberry Tree;
Sweet Chestnut;
Sycamore;
Tamarind;
Tamarisk;
Theezan Tea;
Thyme;
White Mulberry;
White Willow;
Wild Pear;
Winged Spindle;
Winter Jasmine;
Yew: English, Japanese;
Zelkova

Simon and Schuster's book of Bonsai is a classic to use for a bonsai enthusiast. It gives details on conditions, soils, plants and care for numerous plants used for bonsai. They have information that is not available in many other bonsai texts. I have read dozens of bonsai books and have over 15 of my own including this book. I would highly recommend it for all but the novice.

I decided to order this book after purchasing a bonsai tree at Walmart (which I have since been told is a bad idea, but my tree is doing wonderfully in spite of its lowly beginnings). I'm a rather visual person, so the fact that the book is full of pictures is immensely helpful to me. It's a very informative little book and I would definitely recommend it to those who are looking to get into bonsai.

More then 100 full-color photographs of 150 species of trees.