PHOENIX BONSAI SOCIETY :
LIST OF PLANTS AS BONSAI HERE

This Page Last Updated: July 11, 2015
1 Look up the plant desired by its common name in the left hand column. There are separate entries for the various common names for a given species to help locate it quickly.

2. Click on the name to go to our database information about that plant.

3. To go to a particular Group, click on that Group’s button either at the top or bottom of this page.

 


GROUP I
HARDY, EASY TO GROW 

GROUP II
FAIRLY HARDY 

GROUP III
DIFFICULT AT TIMES  

GROUP IV
CHALLENGING, DIFFICULT TO GROW  

GROUP V
NON-WOODY PLANTS  
 

 

PLANT ANALYSIS

 
COMMON NAME
SCIENTIFIC NAME
HARDINESS GROUP TYPE

 

 

Acacia (Acacia sp.) II
African Sumac (Rhus lancea) I
Akebia, Japanese (Akebia quinata) I
Aleppo Pine (Pinus halepensis) II
Apple, Crab (Malus sp.) III
Arborvitae, Oriental (Platycladus/Thuja orientalis) II
Arizona Ash (Fraxinus velutina) II
Ash, Arizona (Fraxinus velutina) II
Atriplex (Atriplex sp.) II
Australian Bush Cherry (Syzygium paniculatum) III
Australian Tea Tree (Leptospermum scoparium) IV
Bald Cypress (Taxodium distichum) IV
Bamboo, Heavenly (Nandina domestica) V
Banyan, Chinese (Ficus microcarpa) I
Barbados Cherry (Malpighia glabra) II
Black Olive (Bucida spinosa) II
Bottlebrush, Weeping (Callistemon viminalis) II
Bougainvillea (Bougainvillea sp.) I
Boxwood, Japanese (Buxus microphylla japonica) III
Brittlebush (Encelia farinosa) II
Burtt Davyi Fig (Ficus burtt-davyi) I
Bush Cherry, Australian (Syzygium paniculatum) III
Buttonwood (Conocarpus erectus) IV
California Juniper (Juniperus californica) IV
California Pepper Tree (Schinus molle) II
Camellia (Camellia sp.) III
Cape Honeysuckle (Tecomaria capensis) III
Carob (Ceratonia siliqua) II
Salt Cedar (Tamarix sp.) II
Chaste Tree (Vitex agnus-castus) I
Cherry, Australian Bush (Syzygium paniculatum) III
Cherry, Barbados (Malpighia glabra) II
Chinese Banyan (Ficus microcarpa) I
Chinese Elm (Ulmus parvifolia) I
Chinese Sweet Plum (Sageretia theezens) III
Chinese Tallow Tree (Sapium sebiferum) III
Citrus (Citrus sp.) II
Crab Apple (Malus sp.) III
Crape Myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica) IV
Creosote (Larrea tridentata) III
Cypress, Bald (Taxodium distichum) IV
Desert Fern (Lysiloma thornberi) II
Desert Willow (Chilopsis linearis) II
Dwarf Jade (Portulacaria afra) V
Dwarf Myrtle (Myrtus communis ‘Compacta’) I
Dwarf Pomegranate (Punica granatum ‘Nana’) II
Dwarf Powder Puff (Calliandra eriophylla) IV
Ebony, Mexican (Havardia mexicana) I
Ebony, Texas (Ebenopsis ebano) I
Eleagnus (Eleagnus sp.) II
Eldarica Pine (Pinus eldarica) III
Elephant Tree (Bursera microphylla) I
Elephant Tree (Pachycormus discolor) II
Elephant’s Food (Portulacaria afra) V
Elm, Chinese (Ulmus parvifolia) I
Elm, Japanese Gray-Bark (Zelkova serrata) IV
Emu Bush (Eremophila sp.) I
Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus sp.) IV
English Ivy (Hedera helix) V
Euonymus, Evergreen (Euonymus japonica) II
European Grape (Vitis vinifera) II
Evergreen Euonymus (Euonymus japonica) II
Fairy Duster (Calliandra eriophylla) IV
Feather Bush (Lysiloma thornberi) II
Fig, Burtt Davyi (Ficus burtt-davyi) I
Fig, Indian Laurel (Ficus microcarpa) I
Fig, Narrow-leaf or Willow-leaf (Ficus nerifolia) I
Fig, Weeping (Ficus benjamina) I
Firethorn (Pyracantha sp.) IV
Flowering Pear (Pyrus calleryana) III
Fragrant Elephant Tree (Bursera fagaroides) I
Fukien Tea (Ehretia microphylla) IV
Gardenia (Gardenia augusta) III
Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba) IV
Goldwater Pine (Pinus eldarica) III
Grape, European (Vitis vinifera) II
Greasewood (Larrea tridentata) III
Gum Tree (Eucalyptus sp.) IV
Hackberry, Reticulated or Western (Celtis reticulata) II
Hawaiian Elf Schefflera (Schefflera arboricola) II
Heather, Mexican (Cuphea hyssopifolia) IV
Heavenly Bamboo (Nandina domestica) V
Holly, Yaupon (Ilex vomitoria) II
Honeysuckle, Cape (Tecomaria capensis) III
Hornbeam (Carpinus sp.) IV
Ironwood (Olneya tesota) I
Italian Stone Pine (Pinus pinea) III
Ivy, English (Hedera helix) V
Jabily Tree (Operculicarya decaryi) I
Jacaranda (Jacaranda mimosifolia) III
Jade, Dwarf (Portulacaria afra) V
Japanese Akebia (Akebia quinata) I
Japanese Black Pine (Pinus thunbergii) IV
Japanese Boxwood (Buxus microphylla japonica) III
Japanese Contorted Quince (Chaenomeles lagenaria) IV
Japanese Flowering Plum (Prunus mume) IV
Japanese Gray-Bark Elm (Zelkova serrata) IV
Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum) IV
Japanese Privet (Ligustrum japonicum) II
Jasmine, Orange (Murraya exotica) II
Juniper, California (Juniperus californica) IV
Juniper, Procumben (Juniperus procumbens ‘Nana’) I
Juniper, Prostrate (Juniperus prostrata ‘Foemina’) II
Juniper, San Jose (Juniperus squamata) II
Juniper, Shore (Juniperus conferta) II
Lady Palm (Rhapis excelsa) V
Lantana (Lantana montevidensis) I
Lavender Starflower (Grewia occidentalis) III
Liquidamber (Liquidamber sp.) III
Magnolia (Magnolia sp.) III
Maidenhair Tree (Ginkgo biloba) IV
Manzanita (Arcotostaphylos sp.) IV
Maple, Japanese (Acer palmatum) IV
Maple, Trident (Acer buergeranum) IV
Melaleuca, Pink (Melaleuca nesophila) II
Mesquite (Prosopis sp.) II
Mexican Ebony (Havardia mexicana) I
Mexican Heather (Cuphea hyssopifolia) IV
Monk’s Pepper (Vitex agnus-castus) I
Mulberry, White (Morus alba) II
Myrtle, Crape (Lagerstroemia indica) IV
Myrtle, Dwarf (Myrtus communis ‘Compacta’) I
Myrtle, Twisted (Myrtus communis ‘Boetica’) II
Narrow-leaf Fig (Ficus nerifolia) I
Natal Plum (Carissa macrocarpa) I
Norfolk Island Pine (Araucaria heterophylla) IV
Oak (Quercus sp.) III
Oak, Silk (Grevillea robusta) II
Olive, Black (Bucida spinosa) II
Olive, Fruitless (Olea europaea) I
Olive, Texas (Cordia boissieri) II
Oriental Arborvitae (Platycladus/Thuja orientalis) II
Palm, Lady or Rhapis (Rhapis excelsa) V
Palm, Sago (Cycas revoluta) V
Palo Brea (Cercidium and Parkinsonia sp.) II
Palo Verde (Cercidium and Parkinsonia sp.) II
Pear, Flowering (Pyrus calleryana) III
Pepper, Monk’s (Vitex agnus-castus) I
Pepper Tree, California (Schinus molle) II
Pine, Aleppo (Pinus halepensis) II
Pine, Eldarica (Pinus eldarica) III
Pine, Goldwater (Pinus eldarica) III
Pine, Italian Stone (Pinus pinea) III
Pine, Japanese Black (Pinus thunbergii) IV
Pine, Norfolk Island (Araucaria heterophylla) IV
Pink Melaleuca (Melaleuca nesophila) II
Pistachio (Pistache sp.) II
Pittosporum (Pittosporum tobira) I
Plum, Chinese Sweet (Sageretia theezens) III
Plum, Japanese Flowering (Prunus mume) IV
Plum, Natal (Carissa macrocarpa) I
Plum, Purple-leaf (Prunus cerasifera ‘Atropurpurea’) IV
Pomegranate, Dwarf (Punica granatum ‘Nana’) II
Privet, Japanese or Wax-Leaf (Ligustrum japonicum) II
Procumben Juniper (Juniperus procumbens ‘Nana’) I
Prostrate Juniper (Juniperus prostrata ‘Foemina’) II
Purple-leaf Plum (Prunus cerasifera ‘Atropurpurea’) IV
Pyracantha (Pyracantha sp.) IV
Quailbush (Atriplex sp.) II
Quince, Japanese Contorted (Chaenomeles lagenaria) IV
Reticulated Hackberry (Celtis reticulata) II
Rhapis Palm (Rhapis excelsa) V
Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) III
Sago Palm (Cycas revoluta) V
Salt Cedar (Tamarix sp.) II
San Jose Juniper (Juniperus squamata) II
Schefflera, Hawaiian Elf (Schefflera arboricola) II
Sedum (Sedum sp.) V
Serissa (Serissa foetida) IV
Shore Juniper (Juniperus conferta) II
Silk Oak (Grevillea robusta) II
Silver Berry (Eleagnus sp.) II
Snow Rose (Serissa foetida) IV
St. John’s Bread (Ceratonia siliqua) II
Starflower, Lavender (Grewia occidentalis) III
Sumac, African (Rhus lancea) I
Sweet Gum (Liquidamber sp.) III
Sweet Plum, Chinese (Sageretia theezens) III
Tallow Tree, Chinese (Sapium sebiferum) III
Tamarisk (Tamarix sp.) II
Tea Tree, Australian (Leptospermum scoparium) IV
Tenaza (Havardiana pallens) I
Texas Ebony (Ebenopsis ebano) I
Texas Olive (Cordia boissieri) II
Texas Ranger or Texas Sage (Leucophyllum frutescens) II
Trichodiadema (Trichodiadema sp.) V
Trident Maple (Acer buergeranum) IV
Vitex (Vitex agnus-castus) I
Wax-Leaf Privet (Ligustrum japonicum) II
Weeping Bottlebrush (Callistemon viminalis) II
Weeping Fig (Ficus benjamina) I
Western Hackberry (Celtis reticulata) II
White Mulberry (Morus alba) II
Willow-leaf Fig (Ficus nerifolia) I
Willow, Desert (Chilopsis linearis) II
Wintersweet (Chimonanthus praecox) III
Wisteria (Wisteria sp.) IV
Yaupon Holly (Ilex vomitoria) II
Zelkova (Zelkova serrata) IV

 


GROUP I
HARDY, EASY TO GROW 

GROUP II
FAIRLY HARDY 

GROUP III
DIFFICULT AT TIMES  

GROUP IV
CHALLENGING, DIFFICULT TO GROW  

GROUP V
NON-WOODY PLANTS