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


compiled by Robert J. Baran


This Page Last Updated: January 1, 2020



(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      Ranunculidae    :   
--------------- Order      Ranunculales
-------------------- Family      Berberidaceae, the barberry family   EndoMycorrhizal
------------------------- Genus      Berberis (Mahonia)
------------------------------ Species      candidula Schneid.       Paleleaf barberry
------------------------------ Species      darwinii Hook.  (costulata, knightii)       Darwin's barberry / Michay
------------------------------ Species      gagnepainii C.K.Schneid.  (acuminata)       Black barberry / Hu bei xiao bo
------------------------------ Species      haematocarpa (Woot.) Fedde       Red or Desert barberry
------------------------------ Species      japonica (Thunb.) R. Br.       Japanese barberry or ashberry or mahonia / Hiiragi-nanten / Hua nan shi da gong lao / Mahonia du Japon / Japanische Mahonie / Japansk mahonia
------------------------------ Species      julianae C.K. Schneid.  W        Wintergreen or Chinese barberry
------------------------------ Species      koreana Palib.       Korean barberry
------------------------------ Species      microphylla G. Forst.  (buxifolia, heterophylla)        Magellan barberry / Michay / Calafate
------------------------------ Species      thunbergii DC.  W (atropurpurea, aurea)        Japanese or Thunberg's or Red barberry
------------------------------ Species      verruculosa Hemsl. & Wils.       Warty or Warted barberry
------------------------------ Species      vulgaris L.  (abortiva, acida, aethnensis, alba, angulizans, apyrena, arborescens, articulata, asperma, aurea, bigelovii, corallina, dentata, dulcis, dumetorum, edulis, elongata, globularis, hakodate, heterophylla, iberica, innominata, irritabilis, jacquinii, latifolia, marginata, maxima, maximowiczii, microphylla, mitis, nepalensis, nitens, obovata, orientalis, pangharengensis, pauciflora, racemosa, rubra, sanguinea, sanguinolenta, sibirica, sieboldii, sylvestris, violacea)       European or Common barberry
------------------------- Genus      Mahonia (Berberis) 
------------------------------ Species      aquifolium (Pursh) Nutt.  (diversifolia)  W       Oregon grape / Hollyleaved barberry
------------------------------ Species      fortunei (Lindl.) Fedde       Chinese or Fortune's mahonia / Holly grape / Shi da gong lao
------------------------------ Species      fremontii (Torr.) Fedde       Fremont's mahonia
------------------------- Genus      Nandina  o
------------------------------ Species      domestica Thunb.  18 W        Heavenly or Sacred bamboo / Nandina / Nan tian zhu shu
-------------------- Family      Lardizabalaceae, the lardizabala family
------------------------- Genus      Akebia  *  o
------------------------------ Species      quinata (Houtt.) Decne.     Five-leaf or Japanese akebia / Chocolate vine
------------------------- Genus      Stauntonia (Rajania)   o
------------------------------ Species      hexaphylla (Thunb.) Decne.     Mube
-------------------- Family      Menispermaceae, the moonseed family
------------------------- Genus      Cocculus (Cebatha, Holopeira, Menispermum, Nephroia, Nephroica)   o
------------------------------ Species      orbiculatus (L.) DC. (cuneatus, cynanchoides, diantherus, dichopetalus, elegans, ferrandianus, hexagynus, integer, lenissimus, lonchophyllus, mollis, nephroia, ovalifolius, perraudi, sarmentosus, thunbergii, triflorus, trilobus, umbellatus, virgatus)      Queen coralbead / Hue / Huehue / Hue'ie / 'Inalua / Moonseed
-------------------- Family      Papaveraceae, the poppy family  Non-Mycorrhizal ?
------------------------- Genus      Lamprocapnos (Dicentra, Dielytra)   *
------------------------------ Species      spectabilis (L.) Fukuhara     Bleeding heart / Asian bleeding-heart / Lyre or Heart flower / Lady-in-a-bath
-------------------- Family      Ranunculaceae, the buttercup or crowfoot family   EndoMycorrhizal
------------------------- Genus      Actaea (Actinospora [Actinophora], Cimicifuga)
------------------------------ Species      dahurica (Turcz. ex Fisch. & C.A.Mey.) Franch.  (pterosperma)      Bugbane / Xing an sheng ma / Walikukun / Fairy candles
------------------------- Genus      Adonis
------------------------------ Species      amurensis Regel & Radde  (barthei, vernalis)      Amur adonis / Pheasant's eye / Fukujuso
------------------------- Genus      Caltha
------------------------------ Species      palustris L. (sibirica)      Kingcup / Yellow marsh marigold / Gundega / Mayflower / May blobs / Mollyblobs / Pollyblobs / Horse blob / Water blobs or bubbles / Gollins / Balfae / Publican / Cowslip
------------------------- Genus      Xanthorhiza
------------------------------ Species      simplicissima Marshall  (apiifolia)      Yellowroot / Shrub yellowroot / Brook-feather

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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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