HOW TO CHOOSE A BONSAI POT FOR BEGINNERS

Choosing the right pot is not as easy as one would think. You must first ask yourself: “What kind of tree do I have?” All elements are important – is it deciduous or evergreen? Is it a young tree or old? What is the general style of the tree, formal/informal upright, semi-cascade, cascade, slant, windswept, or a group/forest planting? Is it femininely styled, or masculine? Is it a flowering tree? If so, what color are the flowers? Is it fruit –bearing? What color is the foliage? All of these things have some bearing on what color, shape, or texture pot you would choose to show your bonsai in.

A bonsai pot contributes to the composition and completes the overall image of your bonsai tree. If you choose well, it can strengthen the design of your tree. A pot that is unsuitable for the tree that you plant it in can lessen the tree’s impact. Depending on whether you choose a factory made Chinese or Korean pot or one from a potter who creates more diverse designs, a handmade bonsai pot can also be a pricey investment, giving one even more incentive to get it right the first time.

There are so many choices out there, different colors, designs and sizes; it’s hard to choose which combination will work best for your tree. Add that to that the fact that there’s no completely “right” answer, as the choice is subjective and depends a lot on your personal preferences. You may prefer more conservative shapes, textures and glazes while someone else may prefer more unconventional ones.

Your first consideration should be the dimensions of the pot needed. There are some basic rules for choosing the correct dimension according to the dimensions of the tree itself.

1. Generally, the pot depth should be equal to the diameter of the trunk measured just above soil level.

2. If you are using an oval or rectangular pot, the length of that pot should be 2/3 the height of the tree.

3. If you are using a round pot, the diameter of that pot should be 1/3 the height of the tree.

4. If your tree has a wide canopy, a wider pot may be necessary. If that is the case, you can compensate the addition of width with a more shallow pot. 

5. Conversely, a tree with a thick trunk in comparison with the height of the tree, might need a deeper but more narrow width pot.

Next to consider would be the shape of the pot. This is decided by looking to the characteristics of your tree. Since the pot needs to harmonize with your tree, deciding if the tree has more dominant feminine or masculine features is necessary.

A masculine tree will give an overall impression of strength. A heavily tapered trunk, craggy bark, strong angular branching, a straight, powerful trunk or a dense canopy are all characteristics of a masculine tree.

Example of a masculine, rectangular pot. Notice how the panel and the feet add to the masculine appearance.

A feminine tree will have a more delicate appearance – smoother bark, graceful flowing movement in it’s trunk and branches, a slow taper and a lighter canopy are characteristics of a feminine tree.

Some tree species are predisposed to feminine or masculine characteristics. For example, most pines and hawthorns are often considered naturally masculine while delicate Japanese maples will be considered as naturally feminine.

Example of a shallow, feminine pot

You can also have a heavily tapered Japanese Maple with delicate leaves and branching that would be called masculine with feminine features or a tall Hawthorne with rough bark but gentle curves and a gradual taper that would be considered feminine with masculine features. With trees such as these it will be necessary to identify the strongest features – the ones that have the greatest visual impact – and choose a pot that complements them. Fortunately it’s possible to find designs that reflect both masculine and feminine qualities.

Typically, a rectangular pot is masculine, but this pot has a flare to it, and cloud motif feet that make it suitable for a masculine tree with feminine traits.

Pots that are considered masculine have strong angular features, such as chunky, deep, rectangular pots. These are the most masculine of pots and they are best suited for heavy trunked masculine trees, especially conifers. If you have a thick-trunked deciduous tree, the corners of the rectangle can be rounded to compensate for the inherent femininity of deciduous trees. Next in line in the scale of masculinity are deep chunky ovals, and then come drum/round pots that are suitable for both masculine and feminine trees.

Feminine pots are shallower with softer lines. Included here are shallow delicate ovals and very shallow round and literati pots.

An oval pot would usually be classified as feminine, but the lip on this one, the feet, and the line around it give it masculine qualiities.

Basic pot shape guidelines are as follows: 

1. Rectangle pots are good for coniferous species and large deciduous trees with a pronounced taper, wide base, and a heavily thickened nebari. They add to the feeling of strength in the tree. 

2. Oval pots are best for reflecting the femininity of deciduous trees, clump style bonsai, groves and forests. Less taper and sinuous curves dampen the masculinity of a tree. 

3. Round post are suitable for feminine trees, particularly for literati or bunjin style trees. Tall and straight or sinuously curved trees with very little taper are the most feminine and look best in very shallow, round pots.

Other parts of the pot can help to add to the feminine or masculine qualities of the tree. A lip on the upper rim of the pot gives additional strength to a masculine tree, whereas a straight rim is softer or more androgynous trees and a bowl or convex side is more suited to feminine trees.

Sharp, right-angled corners are suitable for masculine trees while indented corners on a rectangular pot can soften the masculinity of that pot. Rounded corners soften the pot even more, making it look more like an oval more suitable for masculine-traited deciduous trees. Chunky panels pressed into the pot make it more masculine.

The main purpose for the feet of a bonsai pot is for drainage and airflow, but depending on the style of the feet, they can also be used to change the appearance of the pot. They can be soft and subtle and decorative, or strong and robust. If the feet are big and chunky, it adds to the strength of the design, whereas delicate feet will have the opposite effect. For the most part feet with the cloud motif are considered feminine and smooth plain feet are masculine in appearance.

Color and texture are also very important when choosing a pot. Although there are generalizations made about a particular species, each tree will have something different to pick up on, something unique that lends to the design. Those differences can be brought out with color and texture.

You can use color to complement the bark or the fall color of the leaves, or color of the flowers or berries.

This pot below would work for an old, white-flowering azalea. The lip would show off the strong nebari, and the flowers will fit well with the old looking green glaze. The colors mean freshness and purity, and the cloud feet emphasize the feminine character.

It will take some experimentation to see what you find works best for you, but these are basic guidelines when choosing a pot for your tree. There are exceptions to every rule so don’t be afraid to experiment and try new things to find what you like. After all Bonsai is an art form to be appreciated and if it makes you happy, then that’s what really matters. There are so many facets and aspects to Bonsai Pottery that I would say this is the first of many articles to come pertaining to this subject matter.