ALL  THE  PRIMARY  PLANTS  USED  AS  BONSAI
AND  IN  THE  RELATED  ARTS  --
A  TAXONOMIC  ANALYSIS  OF  THE  CARYOPHYLLIDAE


compiled by Robert J. Baran


This Page Last Updated: February 20, 2022



(General notes at page bottom)

 

Index by Family
Notes

Anthophyta
Cycadophyta
Pinophyta
Pteridophyta
Magnoliophyta - Asteridae
Magnoliophyta - Caryophyllidae
Magnoliophyta - Dilleniidae
Magnoliophyta - Hamamelididae
Magnoliophyta - Magnoliidae
Magnoliophyta - Ranunculidae
Magnoliophyta - Rosidae I
Magnoliophyta - Rosidae II


=======================================================================================

Division      Magnoliophyta    :    Ovary-enclosed-seeded flowering plants whose embryos possess two (dicot) leaf-like structures called cotyledons
----- Class      Magnoliopsida
---------- Subclass      Caryophyllidae    :    mostly flowers having basal or free-central placentation and trinucleate pollen
--------------- Order      Caryophyllales
-------------------- Family      Aizoaceae, the fig-marigold or ice plant family  Non-Mycorrhizal
------------------------- Genus      Ruschia (Mesembryanthemum)
------------------------------ Species      lineolata Schwantes       Carpet of Stars
------------------------------ Species      serrulata (Haw.) Schwantes       Ruschia
------------------------- Genus      Trichodiadema
------------------------------ Species      bulbosum Schwantes       Ice plant
------------------------------ Species      densum Schwantes       Miniature desert rose
-------------------- Family      Amaranthaceae, the amaranth family   Non-Mycorrhizal
------------------------- Genus      Atriplex
------------------------------ Species      lentiformis (Torr.) S.Wats.  (breweri)       Quail bush / Quailbrush / Big saltbrush / Big saltbush / Lenscale / Len-scale saltbush / White thistle
------------------------- Genus      Deeringia
------------------------------ Species      polysperma (Roxburgh) Moquin-Tandon  (indica)        Bai jiang guo xian
-------------------- Family      Cactaceae, the cactus family   EndoMycorrhizal
------------------------- Genus      Hatiora (Rhipsalis)
------------------------------ Species      salicornioides (Haw.) Britton & Rose       Dancing Bones Cactus / Drunkard's Dream
------------------------- Genus      Schlumbergera (Zygocactus)  *
------------------------------ Species      truncata (Haw.) Moran # not toxic to cats or dogs, but insecticides and other chemicals used on the plant may be toxic to them #       Christmas cactus
-------------------- Family      Caryophyllaceae, the pink or carnation family  Non-Mycorrhizal ?
------------------------- Genus      Cerastium
------------------------------ Species      tomentosum L.       Snow-in-summer
-------------------- Family      Didiereaceae, the Alluaudia family (Portulacaceae)
------------------------- Genus      Portulacaria  *
------------------------------ Species      afra Jacq.       Elephant's food / Elephant bush or grass or plant / Small leaf or dwarf or baby jade / Spekboom / Olifantskos / Purslane Tree / gya-nese / pourpier en arbre / Speckbaum / Geldbaum / Pfennigbaum / Elefantenbaum / Strauchportulak / Jadebaum / albero dei lardo / sala-ni-marumbi / sidondwane / Planta de la moneda / Tshilepwete / iGwanitsha (iGqwanitsha) / isAmbilane / inDibili-enkulu / isiDondwane / isiCococo / iNtelezi / iNdibili / Jinzhi yuye
-------------------- Family      Nyctaginaceae, the four o'clock family  Non-Mycorrhizal
------------------------- Genus      Bougainvillea  *
------------------------------ Species      glabra Choisy       Paper flower / Lesser bougainvillea / Bombil / Bogambilya / Hoa giây
------------------------------ Species      peruviana Bonpl.       Bougainvillea
------------------------------ Species      spectabilis Willd.  (bracteata, brasiliensis, speciosa, virescens)        Great bougainvillea / Napoleon / Veranera / Trinitaria / Santa Rita / Papelillo / Thorny azalea / Bougenvil
------------------------- Genus      Neea (Eggersia)
------------------------------ Species      buxifolia (Hook. f.) Heimerl        Neea / Nia / Saltwood
-------------------- Family      Phytolaccaceae, the pokeweed family  Non-Mycorrhizal ?
------------------------- Genus      Phytolacca  *
------------------------------ Species      dioica L.        Ombú
------------------------- Genus      Rivina (Piercea, Solanoides)
------------------------------ Species      humilis L. # leaves and roots contain large amounts of toxin # (acuminata, aurantiaca, brasiliensis, canescens, gracilis, laevis, lanceolata, obliquata, orientalis, pallida, paraguayensis, portulaccoides, procumbens, puberula, purpurascens, tetranda, tinctaria, viridiflora, viridis)        Bloodberry
-------------------- Family      Plumbaginaceae, the leadwort or plumbago family
------------------------- Genus      Limonium (Statice)
------------------------------ Species      delicatulum (Girard) Kuntze       Limonium
------------------------- Genus      Plumbago
------------------------------ Species      auriculata Lam. (capensis)        Blue or Cape plumbago / Cape leadwort / Chitrak
-------------------- Family      Polygonaceae, the knotweed or smartweed-buckwheat family  Non-Mycorrhizal
------------------------- Genus      Coccoloba  *
------------------------------ Species      uvifera L.       Seagrape / Baygrape
------------------------- Genus      Fallopia
------------------------------ Species      aubertii (L.Henry) Holub       Silver lace or Russian Vine
------------------------- Genus      Gymnopodium
------------------------------ Species      floribundum Rolfe       Ts'iits'il che' / Tzitzilché

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Index by Family
Notes

Anthophyta
Cycadophyta
Pinophyta
Pteridophyta
Magnoliophyta - Asteridae
Magnoliophyta - Caryophyllidae
Magnoliophyta - Dilleniidae
Magnoliophyta - Hamamelididae
Magnoliophyta - Magnoliidae
Magnoliophyta - Ranunculidae
Magnoliophyta - Rosidae I
Magnoliophyta - Rosidae II


To show patterns of "ease" with known/experienced plants, to find suggested "ease" with unknown/new plants,
to uncover previously unsuspected patterns.
Of course, location and microclimate will ultimately determine when members of the same genus can be grown near each other.


This listing includes more specimens than are delineated in the strict Japanese sense of the word "bonsai."
Enthusiasts around the world are incorporating more and often uniquely local types of plants in their magical miniature landscape compositions,
and thus these pages are compiled with this larger reference in mind.

We are using here the APG II System, with some blending of a modified Cronquist System.
We acknowledge that for some of these plants there could be disagreement regarding ranks above the family level.

(Non-italicized genus or species names) in parenthesis are synonyms of the preceding italicized official genus or species.
Small print non-italicized names after the official species name indicate the author(s) of the original genus placement;
if the genus was changed, we show (the original author(s) in parentheses) followed by the current author, per standard citation practices.
Where a synonym of one plant is also the same as another actual listed species for that genus,
the first plant was listed in some places as a variety of the synoynm rather than as its own species as presented here.
Due to space considerations, we are not including the author(s) for the synonyms.
[Non-italicized genus names] in brackets are alternative but incorrect spellings of the preceding italicized official genus.
Most of the botanical names herein follow The Plant List.


We have started to indicate after the genus name which plants as bonsai are especially favored for their flowers (*),
which are favored for their fruits (o), and which are favored for their colored leaves (#), particularly in autumn.
Please keep in mind that the colors of these symbols are arbitrary and do not necessarily reflect the actual color of the flowers and/or fruits so indicated.
Not all members of the genus may produce these favors.

X after a name indicates rare and/or endangered species.

P after a name indicates pioneer plants, the first to colonize a disturbed or damaged community, fast growers with lots of long-viable seeds, but not particularly long-lived as mature plants.

W after a name indicates weedy or invasive species in some locations, so be careful with your discarded material or parts thereof.

The twenty-three most popular species nowadays are indicated in bolded green.

The original "Four Gentlemen," "Seven Virtuous Ones," and "Eighteen Scholars" are so indicated by either 4, 7, or 18 after the species name.

The climate zone where they are growing will affect whether a few of these plants are perennials or are completely deciduous.



Anyone who knows of additional species used as bonsai or updates/corrections to this listing
is asked to please contact  rjb@magiminiland.org.  Thank-you.



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