Identification

• The proper name for Japanese maple tree art is bonsai, an ancient technique that endeavors to maintain a full-sized tree as a miniature shrub in a contained space. The art form originated in China in the 1300s, migrated to Japan, and has since spread to gardeners and hobbyists worldwide.
  
  

Features

• The word bonsai is literally interpreted as "tray gardening." The goal of the art form is to keep the roots and shoots of the tree from expanding, while encouraging the trunk to achieve its full state of growth. Intensive pruning and shaping allows the dwarfed tree to maintain a natural appearance.
  
  

Significance

• Bonsai trees often live for hundreds of years and -- especially in Japan -- are frequently passed from father to son and down through familial generations. This practice has deep symbolic meaning, as the bonsai tree is viewed as a living work of art and a symbol of the success and character of its owner.