Root & Wire

A pot for this tree

Conifer (juniper, pine, larch), root over rock (sekijoju), 20 to 40 cm tall, trunk stout (over 5 cm).

Lengthabout 25 cmabout the width of the group or the rock, which is usually close to the tallest tree's height
Depthabout 4 cmshallow: a little over half the thickest trunk, often just a lip on a slab
Shapeshallow traya shallow tray or slab; the rock is the mass, the pot only grounds it
Finishunglazedunglazed clay for conifers: the matt brown or grey agrees with bark and needles and does not compete

Rules of thumb, as bonsai people have passed them on; a good eye beats a tape. Measure the tree's height from the soil to the apex and the trunk just above the surface roots.

Where to look

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  1. A shallow tray unglazed pot, about 25 cm

    The recommendation itself, as shops list it: sizes are rounded to the ones sold, so look at 25 cm and the size either side.

    Search: bonsai forest tray pot shallow unglazed 25cm

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See also

  1. Unglazed ceramic pot (rectangular)

    What to look for: Frost-proof stoneware, unglazed, with real drainage and wire holes and feet. For conifers. Check 'frost-proof', not 'frost-resistant', for an outdoor tree.

    Check price on Amazon Search eBay

  2. Plastic training pot

    If the tree is still being developed, a training pot of about the same length is the better buy this year.

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  3. Drainage mesh and tie-in wire

    For the repot itself.

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