Bonsai pots are often compared to the clothing we wear. First, they serve an obvious practical purpose. Bonsai are, after all, little trees in pots, and you would be hard pressed to grow a bonsai without some sort of pot. Second, they serve an aesthetic purpose and can greatly alter the appearance of the tree. A great pot can enhance a great bonsai, while a poor pot can detract from it.
Since bonsai grown in temperate regions must undergo a period of dormancy, the pots in which they rest must be able to withstand freezing temperatures. This requires a non-porous stoneware, or highly vitrified earthenware pot. This type of pot will not crack and break, unlike terracotta earthenware, when it freezes.
All the pots we sell are high quality pots that will survive and look great through many freeze-and-thaw cycles.
Our pots are available glazed or unglazed, and the choice is a matter of personal preference. Unglazed pots show the natural colour of the clay, and depending on how they were fired may develop an attractive natural lichen layer over time. Glazed pots can be as natural looking as their unglazed counterparts, or as elaborate as the mind of the potter allows.
The shape and size of the bonsai pot are governed by personal preference, though there are certain traditional guidelines that should be kept in mind when matching a tree to a pot. The length of the pot, if rectangular or oval, should be 2/3 the height of the tree. A round pot should have a diameter of 1/3 the height of the tree. The depth of the pot should be roughly the diameter of the trunk at the base of the tree (though certain species and developing trees require deeper pots).
Bonsai trees in the cascade or semi-cascade form require an altogether different style of pot. These are significantly deeper than traditional pots, and are generally round or square. The greater depth of these pots balances the bonsai both physically and aesthetically.
