Will,
Bonsai philosophy 101: At the peak of my "use native plants" pique I once asked a long-time bonsai nursery owner why he didn't sell native bonsai. His reply was "if people knew the "bonsai" they were buying was an ordinary backyard crape myrtle, they would drop it like a hot potato." In other words, knowing the truth killed the mystery, sucked the "specialness" out of the whole thing.
I think a little mystery keeps interest alive in alot of folks and (in the right measure) propel them to learn more. It can also lead to alot of junky bonsai and foul soil, but you learn more from your mistakes than you do from your successes.
