Trees and Shrubs
The following alphabetical list of plants includes trees and shrubs suitable for traditional bonsai. This is not intended to be a complete list. Specialty nurseries often have a wide selection of dwarf and semidwarf varieties of many of these species. Dwarf plants, however, do not always convey the same impression as their full size counterparts because the growth habit is quite different.
- APRICOT: Prunus species
- ARBORVITAE: American, Thuja occidentalis Oriental, Thuja orientalis
- AZALEA: Hiryu, Rhododendron obtusum Indica azalea, Rhododendron indicum Kurume, Rhododendron hybrids
- BEECH: American, Fagus grandifolia European, Fagus sylvatica
- BIRCH: White, Betula alba
- BOX: Buxus species
- BURNINGBUSH: Euonymus nana
- CEDAR: Atlas, Cedrus atlantica Deodar, Cedrus deodara
- CHERRY: Prunus species
- COTONEASTER: Cotoneaster species
- CRABAPPLE: Malus species
- CRYPTOMERIA: Cryptomeria japonica and cultivars
- CYPRESS: Bald, Taxodium distichum Dwarf hinoki, Chamaecyparis obtusa var. compacta
- ELM: American, Ulmus americana Chinese, Ulmus parvifolia Siberian, Ulmus pumila
- FIR: Abies species
- FIRETHORN: Pyracantha species
- GINKGO: Ginkgo biloba
- GOLDENRAIN: Koelreuteria paniculata
- GUM: Sweet, Liquidambar styraciflua
- HAWTHORN: English, Crataegus oxycantha Washington, Crataegus phaenopyrum
- HEATHER: Calluna vulgaris
- HEMLOCK: Canadian, Tsuga canadensis and cultivars
- HORNBEAM: American, Carpinus caroliniana Japanese, Carpinus japonica
- IVY: Hedera helix and cultivars
- JASMINE: Winter, Jasminum nudiflorum
- JUNIPER: Juniperus species and cultivars
- LOCUST: Black, Robinia pseudoacacia
- MAPLE: Amur, Acer ginnala Hedge, Acer campestre Trident, Acer buergerianum
- OAK: English, Quercus robur Pin, Quercus palustris Scarlet, Quercus coccinea White, Quercus alba
- PEACH: Prunus species
- PINE: Bristlecone, Pinus aristata Japanese white, Pinus parviflora Japanese black, Pinus thunbergi Mugo, Pinus mughus Swiss stone, Pinus cembra White, Pinus strobus
- PLUM: Prunus species
- POMEGRANATE: Dwarf, Punica granatum nana
- QUINCE: Japanese, Chaenomeles japonica
- SNOWBELL: Japanese, Styrax japonica
- SPRUCE: Picea species and cultivars
- WILLOW: Weeping, Salix blanda
- WISTERIA: Japanese, Wisteria floribunda
- YEW: Taxus species and cultivars
- ZELKOVA: Graybark elm, Zelkova serrata