Mini Terminology

mr_burninator

Forgive my ignorance but what are the definitions of "shohin" "mame" and "shito"? What sets those different styles apart and what makes a tree fit into one of those categories?

... also let me know if this is something that i should post in beginner Q&A. Thanks

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<------------ Thomas Newton



Do not be afraid to go out on a limb ... That's where the fruit is.
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bonsaial1

Shohin : One hand tree. Up to 22cm or about 8.5" tall ( from top of soil or pot rim to top of tree.) A fast growing segment of bonsai all across the world. The best show is Gafu-ten in Kyoto Japan in January.

Mame : Palm size tree. These are trees that are somewhere between 2.5" to 5" tall. Very hard to keep, and are best kept in a large tub of sand to bury the pots in during summer in hot climates. The trees are in about 1 cup of soil or less so they dry out extreamly fast.

Shito : Finger tip tree. These are trees that are kept as a novelty. Allthough the novelty is very hard to keep. The pots are known as "thimble pots" since they are about the size of a thimble. Trees are about 1" to 2.5" tall. Again they must be kept in a sand tub for moisture.

Hope this helps, Bonsai-al

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I been kidding the last seven years.
no.... really!

mr_burninator

Al, I'm glad to hear that this is a growing interest because it sounds like something i would really like to explore in the future. The pics that were posted from one of the shows were amazing and i think they would make great conversation pieces in the house. Are only cerain trees prone to this style or are they just products of extreme bonsai techniques? If you know any off hand you could hook me up with a good webpage or the name of a good book so i can leave you (ever so resourceful) guys alone. Thanks again.

__________________
<------------ Thomas Newton



Do not be afraid to go out on a limb ... That's where the fruit is.
- Anonymous

bonsaial1

All styles that pertain to the larger couterparts are valid with the mini's. The specis of tree are the same as well as the size of the leaf and the fruit. A larger leafed tree will be a lot harder to make believable in a mini size, so carefull consideration must be taken to leaf size.

These web sites should keep you busy.

http://www.mini-bonsai.com/indexe.html
http://www.shohin-bonsai.com/
http://www.shohin-europe.com/

There are no dumb questions, just dumb answers. That is what a web site like this is for. The only way to learn is to take the info passed on and I am glad you asked.

Al

__________________
I been kidding the last seven years.
no.... really!