Selecting a Container for your Bonsai
Choosing the right bonsai pot for our bonsai tree is an art in itself. It must be the right shape, size, and color for it to bring out the full beauty of our bonsai tree. Bonsai pots have a huge impact on bonsai trees and can either compliment the trees or detract from them. There are numerous colours and glazes that bonsai lovers can pick when buying a tray or pot. Subdued colors are commonly chosen for these will not compete with the beauty of the tree. Or if you have a tree with blossoms and fruits you may find its looks best in a brightly colored tray. Trees with light green leaves generally look most attractive when displayed in a light colored pot. Dark leaves harmonize well with red, gray, black or brown bonsai trays.
Overall, small bonsai should be placed in small bonsai trays, and big bonsai trees should be placed in large pots. Ideally, the bonsai pot’s width should be between two-thirds and three-quarters of the tree’s height and the depth of the bonsai pot should be approximately half the height of the tree.
Shapes and Types of Containers
There are bonsai pots of many shapes: square, rectangle, round, oval, long oval, octagonal, hexagonal, freehand shapes, shallow trays for forest bonsai, and tall pots for cascade style bonsai trees. Bonsai containers can be made from wood, plastic, mica, terra cotta, stoneware, natural rock, and porcelain. Each material serves a slightly different purpose, but stoneware is arguably the best choice if one can afford it. Mica, plastic, and wood containers are often used as training pots because they are relatively inexpensive. Make sure that the container you choose has proper drainage holes. This will ensure that any excess water can drain freely from the pot, thus avoiding root rot from excess water retention.