How to grow and care for an indoor bonsai tree

13.09.2023 - 11:11 / gardenersworld.com

Bonsai is the ancient Japanese art of training and pruning a tree that is growing in a small pot and therefore has constrained growth. Indoor bonsai trees make popular and unusual gifts for house plant growers looking for a challenge. There’s a wide range to choose from, including a selection of beginner species that require far less maintenance. Most indoor bonsai trees are native to tropical and semi-tropical regions so need plenty of light, humidity and consistent temperatures. Temperate trees are best grown outside as they need a period of winter dormancy which is triggered by gradually fading light levels and temperature, which is hard to replicate indoors.

Don’t be put off by the extra work required to grow indoor bonsai trees. Regular watering, feeding, repotting and pruning are essential but the results are worth the effort.

Caring for an indoor bonsai tree is slightly more challenging than caring for house plants because bonsai trees are planted in small pots so the roots have less compost from which to take water and nutrients. This means you need to water, feed and repot them more often than standard house plants. What’s more, most indoor bonsai trees are native to tropical regions and therefore need conditions with plenty of warmth, light and humidity. However, given the right conditions and level of care there’s no reason why bonsai trees won’t thrive alongside regular house plants indoors.

Indoor bonsai trees are from tropical and subtropical regions and therefore need plenty of warmth, light and humidity, so position your tree in a well-lit spot but out of direct sunlight, in a naturally humid room such as a kitchen or a bathroom. If the room isn’t humid