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To show patterns of "ease" with known/experienced plants, to find suggested "ease" with unknown/new plants,
to uncover previously unsuspected patterns.
Of course, location and microclimate will ultimately determine when members of the same genus can be grown near each other.
This listing includes more specimens than are delineated in the strict Japanese sense of the word "
bonsai."
Enthusiasts around the world are
incorporating more and often uniquely local types of plants in their magical miniature landscape compositions,
and thus these pages are compiled
with this larger reference in mind.
We are using here the
APG II System, with some blending of a modified
Cronquist System.
We acknowledge that for some of these plants there could be disagreement regarding ranks above the family level.
(Non-italicized genus or species names) in parenthesis are synonyms of the preceding
italicized official genus or species.
Small print non-italicized names after the official species name indicate the author(s) of the original genus placement;
if the genus was changed, we show (the original author(s) in parentheses) followed by the current author,
per
standard citation practices.
Where a synonym of one plant is also the same as another actual listed species for that genus,
the first plant was listed in some places as a variety of the synoynm rather than as its own species as presented here.
Due to space considerations, we are not including the author(s) for the synonyms.
[Non-italicized genus names] in brackets are alternative but incorrect spellings of the preceding
italicized official genus.
Most of the botanical names herein follow
The Plant List.
We have started to indicate after the genus name which plants as bonsai are especially favored for their flowers
(
*),
which are favored for their fruits (
o), and which are favored
for their colored leaves (
#), particularly in autumn.
Please keep in mind that the colors of these symbols are
arbitrary and do not necessarily reflect the actual color of the flowers and/or fruits so indicated.
Not all members of the genus may produce
these favors.
X after a name indicates rare and/or endangered species.
P after a name indicates pioneer plants, the first to colonize a disturbed or damaged community, fast growers with
lots of long-viable seeds, but not particularly long-lived as mature plants.
W after a name indicates weedy or invasive species in
some locations, so be careful with your discarded material or
parts thereof.
The twenty-three most popular species nowadays are indicated in bolded green.
The original
"Four Gentlemen," "Seven Virtuous Ones," and "Eighteen Scholars" are so
indicated by either
4,
7, or
18 after the species name.
The climate zone where they are growing will affect whether a few of these plants are perennials or are completely deciduous.