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Today in this article I am going to tell you about what are the plants that are found in India that you can use to turn into a good bonsai, to be honest when I started into this art of bonsai I had no idea whether I can start it in India or not because to me this art is a foreign art to us and I thought the plants must be exotic in nature and they are different plants. But with time I got to know that the art in itself is exotic the plant doesn’t need to be special. You can even make a bonsai from a very ordinary plant that you might even find growing around you in nature by itself without any human interaction. All the plants that I am going to mention you are not the only list that you can grow a bonsai from but that means I have tried my hands on these species of plants.

Bonsai trees you can grow in India

Here is the list of all the bonsai for India that you can grow, there might be other species that you can grow here in India but I only have information about these plants with my experience:

1. Ficus-

There is a reason that this plant is at the top of my list. This plant is so common in India that we almost sometimes despise its presence around us. This plant has about 850 species but you must have seen it in the form of peepal (ficus religiosa) this plants just grows anywhere no matter whether it is in the crevices of an old house, top of the tree, under your stairs, or even on the side of the drains. It’s like this plant is just obsessed with challenging a hostile territory. Where ever it will find a pinch of sand and moisture it will grow its roots to fight the life. This might be the most common ficus species but this is not the only one that is found in India there are a number of species that you might try your hands on like;

Ficus Microcarpa-

This plant is very good for growing a bonsai due to its small leaves and fast growth but it is not that easily available in Indian nurseries as compare to other ficus species that I have mentioned.

Ficus Long Island-

A great plant to make a bonsai because this plant grows faster, this plant is easily accessible almost everywhere You can almost prune and shape its branches throughout the year except heavy winter, I have personally seen it growing new leaves throughout the year just not in the winters due to the temperature. Although it is recommended to prune it during the late summers.

Ficus benghalensis (Banyan)-

This is also a very common tree in India but be a little cautious while bringing this tree to your house, your parents might throw either the plant out of the house or you as well. My parents were a little reluctant when they saw I have bought a huge banyan plant for my terrace at that time I was a beginner in this art although I still am a beginner It has been few years since I am training into bonsai and have a big collection of my own that I take pride in, So my two cents for you buy a bonsai after making sure that it won’t be a problem with the religious beliefs of your family members.

You can also get other ficus species that are available in your area almost all species carry the similar traits that are ideal for a bonsai.

2. Jade/ Crassula Ovata-

You might know this plant by the name lucky plant, It is a very common plant in India due to its low level of care needed, This plant requires very little water to survive because it is a succulent plant and can withstand very dry conditions for a long duration, If you are someone who would not be able to tend to the bonsai regularly or you go on regular trips this will be the perfect plant for you. A week without water won’t be that much of a problem, but don’t do it too often it would be too hard on the tree and the tree won’t grow that well.

3. Chinese Elm (Ulmus Parvifolia)-

A great plant for the bonsai due to its small leaves and easy to shape through wiring and regular pruning. This plant needs regular watering and pruning. This is very easy to get in India, and this plant is very forgiving to the beginners in bonsai since it is strong and tolerant of the harsh conditions. In case you miss the watering session this plant might shed it’s leaves very quickly but don’t worry that is just its mechanism to reduce the water loss just to prepare itself to survive due to lack of water. Water it just normal and the leaves will grow back.

4. Juniper-

Juniper is a very common plant that you see for the bonsai, approximate there are 50-60 juniper species and due to its dense foliage and easy to shape trunk, it is an ideal plant for the bonsai. You can get it some species easily in India but it depends on the region you live in how it grows usually it grows really well in a little colder regions. It’s growth spurts just before the winter starts.

5. Casuarina-

You can find this plant on the roadsides with a long scale like droopy leaves but remember not to buy the common casuarina with long needle-like leaves, go for the short leaves because to grow a good foliage little leaves will look better, a tree with long needles would just look like a wild shrub and it is hard to shape and maintain to turn into a bonsai.

6. Divi Divi- 

Honestly, I personally have not tried to make a bonsai of divi-divi but I have found it in the Indian nurseries, there is no reason why I haven’t yet tried it but it’s just that It never came to mind. I should try a divi-divi bonsai now I am thinking. Will update you guys the moment I will start it and probably make a video as well. I don’t know whether it is easy to manage or not.

7. Pomegranate-

This is a great plant to start a bonsai from, it is not very hard to manage and maintain and the best part it is easily accessible in India. Don’t go for the ordinary pomegranate my suggestion would be to get a dwarf pomegranate species to grow a bonsai from. You just need to know the balance from not too much water to too less water. Just keep the soil damp and let it dry between watering sessions.

8. Brazilian Raintree-

This plant is native to Brazil as the name suggests, it is a hardwood tree with delicate branches and it’s leaves folds up with the dark and opens up with the light. This tree is a great tree to train as a bonsai but it might not be easily accessible in every nursery but you can keep your eyes open if it is there. I know just a few nurseries that have this plant but just a few plants are there not many.

9. Pithecellobium dulce (jungle jalebi)-

This is a tree that you will find all around you growing in very fascinating and beautiful shapes that would blow your mind if you have interest in bonsai and you notice the distinct shape of natural trees to be inspired from. It is quite easy to take care of this bonsai and it grows very rapidly. Water it properly during summers but look closely to its water sessions during winters. You can prune it hard I have found it quite strong and it responds well to pruning. This is a great plant to train into a bonsai and I would suggest you get this tree inside your home and train it into a bonsai.

10. Buxus (Boxwood)-

This plant has originated from Europe and it is also available in India but at only some of the places, This bonsai can withstand shade as well as the sun but take good care of it during winters and do not water it too much during this period of time. This is a very popular plant in bonsai enthusiasts due to its fine branch structure and small leaves. Water this tree normally and it will grow just great.

11. Adenium (Desert Rose)-

It is a succulent plant native to South Africa and Arabia. This plant is often not seen as a bonsai in the eyes of a great bonsai master, but to me personally, this is just an awesome and one of the most amazing plant because of the least amount of care it needs and beautiful shades of flowers. You can prune it all year round just time it will when do you want it to flower. The flowers can be there throughout the year if it will get enough sunlight. Wire it and prune it properly to give it the desired shape but don’t forget to remove wires on time to avoid the penetration marks on the bonsai.

12. Schefflera-

Schefflera is a tropical tree and it can be grown as a good indoor bonsai, it can live with dim light and low humidity just protect this tree from low temperature. It grows really well in India and grows a very good canopy, It can be a great bonsai if you can train it well. This plant loves the moist soil and water it well all year round just be cautious during summers for the balance of the right amount of water it needs. Repotting should be done in spring after every two years. Shape the tree when it young as it is prone to breaking when shaped hardly. It can be grown from a seed or a cutting very easily and also you can get it easily from any Indian nursery.

13. Lemon-

The lemon plant can be grown into a great bonsai tree and it is not that hard to take care of, you should water it well but keep in mind that the soil is dry between alternate watering sessions. Regular pruning is necessary if you want the desired shape and dense ramification. As compared to the regular soil mix when I mixed coco peat the plant grew better. It can be easily grown from seeds and cuttings

14. Premna-

This is the part of Indian Heritage and it belongs to us so it will be available in your area, It is a very popular plant for bonsai training due to its small leaves and the trunk texture, This plant will grow very best in the condition of high humidity and good light. This plant grows very vigorously and it can take an amazing form when trained well. But you need to be very careful with this plant while wiring it as the wires might penetrate into the bark of the tree quickly due to its fast growth. This should be the plant that you must have in your bonsai collection, this plant will not take too much time to turn into a beautiful bonsai that you will always take pride in while showing off to your friends and family.

If you are just like how I was then you might not know from where you can get these plants from it is totally fine, to get these plants I would suggest you visit your nearby nursery just type in google to find them, do not buy from the hawkers because it is very less likely that you would find a very good old plant with a nice character because to them it doesn’t look that much valuable and they avoid carrying any heavy plant. Just go to the nursery and I am sure you would find a better pre-bonsai material for your training. I still visit nurseries in hope to find a plant with a good and unique character that I can turn into a bonsai.