Size Classifications
Not all sources agree on the exact sizes or names for these ranges, but the concept of the ranges is well-established and useful to both the cultivation and the aesthetic understanding of the trees. A photograph of a bonsai may not give the viewer an accurate impression of the tree's real size, and so exhibition catalogs and commercial bonsai offerings may complement a photograph by describing the bonsai's general size class (see table below). The size class implies the height and weight of the tree in its container.
In the very largest size range, a recognized Japanese practice is to name the trees "two-handed", "four-handed", and so on, based on the number of men required to move the tree and pot. These trees will have dozens of branches and can closely simulate a full-size tree. The very largest size, called "imperial", is named after the enormous potted trees of Japan's Imperial Palace.
At the other end of the size spectrum, there are a number of specific techniques and styles associated solely with the smallest common sizes, shohin and shito. These techniques take advantage of the bonsai's minute dimensions and compensate for the limited number of branches and leaves that can appear on a tree this small.
| Common names for bonsai size classes | ||
|---|---|---|
| Large bonsai | ||
| Common name | Size class | Dimensions |
| Imperial bonsai | Eight-handed | 60–80 in (152–203 cm) |
| Hachi-uye | Six-handed | 40–60 in (102–152 cm) |
| Dai | Four-handed | 30–48 in (76–122 cm) |
| Omono | Four-handed | 30–48 in (76–122 cm) |
| Medium-size bonsai | ||
| Common name | Size class | Dimensions |
| Chiu | Two-handed | 16–36 in (41–91 cm) |
| Chumono | Two-handed | 16–36 in (41–91 cm) |
| Katade-mochi | One-handed | 10–18 in (25–46 cm) |
| Miniature bonsai | ||
| Common name | Size class | Dimensions |
| Komono | One-handed | 6–10 in (15–25 cm) |
| Mame | One-handed | 5–8 in (13–20 cm) |
| Shohin | Palm size | 2–6 in (5–15 cm) |
| Shito | Fingertip size | 2–4 in (5–10 cm) |
| Keshitsubo | Poppy-seed size | 1–3 in (3–8 cm) |
Read more about this topic: Bonsai
Famous quotes containing the word size:
“Eat your meals according to the size of your bowl.”
—Chinese proverb.