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Plants With Shaping or Pruning For Bonsai Use

Pre Bonsai Specimens


Our current availability of pre-bonsai selected plants is listed here, clicking on an will open a new tab with the full size. Below the listings is information on our growing methods for these plants.

No pre-bonsai plants available right now.

Height: ' average mature height
Zones: 0-8 Find my zone
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Size Availability

Out of season.
Two Japanese Larch - $39.97 each
Japanese Larch - ID 1 - $45.00 each
Japanese Larch - ID 2 - $45.00 each
Japanese Larch - ID 3 - $45.00 each
Our main crop of most plants is available starting in late fall. Additional batches of plugs and quarts are added throughout the year.

Many of our plants are propagated in limited quantities and can sell out quickly when posted, get on the notification list below so you don't miss out.
Add your email to be notified as soon as we have them back in stock:
This does NOT subscribe your email to any mailing lists, our system will only send an inventory notification message.

Growing Information

We collect plants from our nursery that are particularly well-suited for growing as bonsai and begin pruning or shaping them as pre-bonsai starts. Individual plants are listed here by item ID when we have any available. 
Our pre-bonsai pruning will sometimes include wiring or shaping branches but we most often focus on shallow root development, nebari or root flare, and trunk taper. Most of our pre-bonsai specimens will not have had a lot of branch work unless it is a species that requires it from a young age, mostly because well developed branches makes shipping much more difficult. Our focus is primarily in developing the root base and tapered trunk while promoting the precursor structure for branches. Pines will typically have more branch development than hardwoods since the branch development has to start at a younger age with Pines and other conifers.

Most of the pre-bonsai plants will be around 5 years old but we do work with plants that are 10 or more years old, they just tend to sell before reaching that age.

The selection and shaping process usually begins with plants that are 3-4 years old and have a distinct shape or particular root form that allows for easy shaping. Most plants at this age will have been root pruned at least once before being pulled from the general nursery production fields. After being selected we root prune heavily, typically aiming for a root system that is 12 inches wide and 3 inches deep. At this stage any crossing roots are removed to straighten the horizontal root structure. We will then usually chop most of the top off and replant in the field for a year. Some trees will be available in this stage the following fall when they can be lifted from the field and pruned again, although most are replanted for another year.
A River Birch with roots pruned to begin forming root flare
A Japanese Maple with roots pruned to begin forming root flare

Packing Plants For Shipping

We pack our plants depending on the needs of each species and size, most plants ship best with the roots packed in moist sawdust or bark fines but some species don't like root disturbance and are shipped in a soil-less growing media.

Excess soil is washed from the roots in preparation for shipping (18-24" White Pines)

Plants are bundled together to fit in boxes

Bundles of plants are secured in long boxes.

Plant Sizes


3 gallon Dawn Redwood

Standard quart shrub

Standard 14-18" multi-stem tree size

Standard deep plug pine tree

Bamboo Plants Are Shipped In Their Containers

Bamboo roots are not flexible and so plants have to be shipped in their containers. These plants are heavier and are shipped separately from bare root plants. Because they are potted they can handle longer transit times so can ship via UPS Ground instead of USPS Air Mail. Potted plants can also be shipped year-round.

We regularly top our 1 gallon bamboo plants at 24-30 inches tall throughout the growing season. This results in dense, bushy foliage while allowing for economical shipping. From this size most running species will grow to 5-6 feet tall in the first spring and clumping species will usually grow to 4-5 feet tall.

1 gallon bamboo plants strapped in and ready to be sealed.

Unpacking Bare Root Plants

You will be sent tracking details as soon as your plants are shipped. Unpack your plants as quickly as possible after they are delivered. We use two types of boxes, side-sealing and top-sealing. For boxes that are taped along the whole length you can cut the tape on either side and remove the plant bundles by cutting the tape holding the bundle to the bottom. For boxes that are sealed on the top and bottom, it is easiet to open the bottom of the box (the shipping label is at the top) and pull the bundle of plants out straight out. Check that the box is empty as there can be a second bundle of plants stuck towards the top.


A bundle of trees.
When you are ready to plant, remove the trees from the plastic and soak the roots in a bucket of water for 30 seconds. Do not expose the roots to direct sunlight and do not allow them to dry out. When planting large quantities of plants we keep the plants in a black garbage bag to keep all sun and air flow away from the roots and pull each plant as soon as the planting hole is ready. Water the soil well right after planting.

What if I am not able to plant right away?

You can usually leave the plants in their shipping container unopened for 1-2 days if there were no shipping delays and you have received your plants from late November through February. Plants shipped when it is warmer can't stay in their packages for as long.

For longer term storage of plants you can pot them up or plant them in rows close together temporarily and then pull them out later in the spring to be planted again. This keeps the roots moist while allowing for air flow to the tops. The roots should have good contact with the soil to ensure they have access to adequate moisture.
Size Availability
Out of season.
Two Japanese Larch - $39.97 each
Japanese Larch - ID 1 - $45.00 each
Japanese Larch - ID 2 - $45.00 each
Japanese Larch - ID 3 - $45.00 each
Our main crop of most plants is available starting in late fall. Additional batches of plugs and quarts are added throughout the year.

Many of our plants are propagated in limited quantities and can sell out quickly when posted, get on the notification list below so you don't miss out.
Add your email to be notified as soon as we have them back in stock:
This does NOT subscribe your email to any mailing lists, our system will only send an inventory notification message.

* Shipping Rate Information

Most plants that ship with washed roots ship at a flat rate with free shipping for ordres over $75. Some plants, such as bamboo that are shipped potted, have rate tables based on the quantity and delivery location. Washed root plants ship free with any rate table plant even if the total of the washed root plants is less than $75. Delivery surcharges such as Remote Delivery Area are in addition to the standard shipping and are applied by shipping carriers to addresses with excessively long delivery routes, or those with difficult access such as those on islands that require ferries for delivery. Free shipping does not apply to delivery surcharges.
Red Panda Nursery       Medford, Oregon       info@redpandanursery.com       Privacy Policy
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