5 Basic Bonsai Styles & 11 Other Common Bonsai Shapes

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Plus, learn beginner’s tips for pruning & maintaining your bonsai

Co-authored by Melinda Meservy and Samantha Fulton, BA

Last Updated: August 19, 2026 Fact Checked

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Basic Bonsai Styles

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Single-Trunk Styles

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Multi-Trunk Styles

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Maintenance Tips

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FAQ

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If you’re wondering what the different styles of bonsai trees are, you’ve come to the right place. In this guide, we’ll explain the basic bonsai styles as well as additional single-trunk shapes and multi-trunk shapes. Whether you’re new to bonsai gardening or you’re looking for some extra inspiration, you’re in the right place. Let’s get started!

Traditional Bonsai Shapes: A Visual Guide

The five basic bonsai styles are formal upright, informal upright, slanting, semi-cascade, and full-cascade. Other common styles include broom, literati, forest, raft, and windswept styles. Each style is meant to depict a tree as you might find it in nature under varying levels of influence from the elements.

Section 1 of 4:

What are the 5 basic bonsai styles?

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This basic style replicates a tree found in nature that hasn’t been influenced by winds or other trees. The trunk is a vertical line, and the branches get progressively shorter as they near the bonsai’s apex (the top of the tree). The apex is aligned with the trunk base, which tapers from bottom to top.^{[1]
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Informal Upright Style (Moyogi) The moyogi style is among the most popular bonsai shapes. It demonstrates a tree in the wild that has been influenced by the forces of nature. The trunk line is more contorted than the formal upright style, and the branches sag to depict the impact of storms and wildlife.^{[2]
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Slanting Style (Shakan) Slanting style bonsai lean to one side to represent the forces of wind or water in nature. Their root system on one side is strong enough to counter the weight of the tree’s tilt to the other side. You must visually balance the bonsai with careful placement and sizing of the roots and branches.^{[3]
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Semi-Cascade Style (Han-Kengai) This style is meant to resemble a tree hanging from the side of a cliff. The tree will grow over the edge of the pot to achieve this effect. The bonsai trunk bends downward, but it does not extend beyond the base of the container or pot.^{[4]
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Full Cascade Style (Kengai) This style is similar to the semi-cascade, but the cascade extends below the base of the container. This means the bonsai must be on a stand so the trunk has space to cascade. To maintain the aesthetic, the tree should not touch the stand’s surface.^{[5]
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Section 2 of 4:

Single-Trunk Bonsai Shapes

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Broom Style (Hokidachi) This style resembles old trees that you might find along city streets or in orchards. Typically, you’ll use a deciduous tree species to form a crown of radial branches to create this shape. Broom style bonsai feature a significant amount of ramification, or branching twigs.^{[6]
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Literati Style (Bunjingi) The literati style is designed to show the essence of a tree. It has minimal branches and a thin, unique trunk line. It is one of the most difficult styles to achieve. Typically, only bonsai artists who have mastered the rules and designs of bonsai shaping are able to create this style.^{[7]
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Driftwood Style (Sharimiki) The driftwood style resembles trees that have developed bald or barkless patches on their trunk from harsh weather conditions. In nature, these patches get bleached by the sunlight, making them much lighter than the other parts of the trunk. On bonsai, the bark is removed with a knife and the patches are treated with lime sulfur to speed up the bleaching process.^{[8]
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Clinging-to-Rock Style (Ishizuki) This style depicts a tree growing directly on or out of a rock. The rock must be porous enough for the roots to penetrate it and absorb water and nutrients. This is a difficult style that requires patience and creativity.^{[9]
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Exposed-Root Style (Neagari) This style has roots that emerge above the surface of the soil. The uncovered roots represent a tree that has been exposed to soil erosion over the course of many years. The exposed-root style often has an ancient look, and it resembles trees you might see on cliffs or riverbanks.^{[10]
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Windswept Style (Fukinagashi) As the name implies, this style imitates a tree in nature that has been impacted by the force of the wind. The branches on a windswept bonsai are confined to one side of the trunk, as though the wind has blown the tree constantly in one direction. The trunk curves in the direction of the side with all the branches.^{[11]
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Root-over-Rock Style (Sekijoju) The root-over-rock style mimics a tree growing on rugged terrain, where there is no topsoil. The thick roots grip around a rock before entering the soil. This is often achieved by tying the roots against a small stone using wire or twine.^{[12]
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Section 3 of 4:

Multi-Trunk Bonsai Shapes

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Forest Style (Yose-Ue) This style uses an odd number of trees to create a small or large bonsai forest. Bonsai forests are typically made up of 5 or more trees of different diameters and heights, placed at varying distances from one another. To create the visual of a forest that extends into the distance, place larger trees in front and smaller ones behind.^{[13]
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Raft Style (Ikadabuki) This style recreates the image of a tree that has been blown over or damaged by a storm. It features a horizontal tree along the bottom of the pot. From this horizontal trunk, branches grow vertically as a line of new trunks.^{[14]
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Double-Trunk Style (Sokan) This style is a tree with two trunks. Typically, the trees will have different diameters and are grown together at the base. The two trees are styled as one, and branches are not allowed to grow between the trunks.^{[15]
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Clump Style (Kabudachi) This style depicts the phenomenon of several trees growing at the same time and merging into a tree with multiple trunks. Each trunk has a natural outward bend to allow the tree to reach for the light. The style is created by planting multiple seedlings tightly together and styling them to create outward-reaching trunks.^{[16]
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Section 4 of 4:

Bonsai Maintenance Tips for Beginners

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This will help you achieve the most effective trimming of your bonsai tree. Sharp bonsai cutters like scissors, branch shears, or concave cutters are ideal for shaping your bonsai correctly.^{[17]
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Identify dead or damaged branches to trim. Look for thinner and shorter branches that could be redirecting your bonsai’s energy. However, be careful not to trim too much from the same part of the branch, as this can weaken your plant. Generally, it is best not to remove more than 25% of the bonsai at one time.^{[18]
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Follow the bonsai’s natural shape and growth cycle. Wait to see the way your tree naturally grows before you do too much trimming. Remember to be patient, since bonsai growth and development can take quite a while.
Plant specialist Melinda Meservy recommends doing this to find people who can help you understand how and when to trim your tree.^{[19]
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Melinda Meservy
Plant Specialist

Expert Interview} This way, you don’t accidentally stunt your bonsai’s growth (plus, it’ll be a chance to meet fellow bonsai artists).

Common Questions: Understanding Bonsai Shaping

What are the best beginner-friendly bonsai species for custom shaping? Ficus bonsai are one of the best starter trees for new bonsai gardeners. They’re mostly low-maintenance and can tolerate lower humidity levels and infrequent watering schedules. Plus, they’re malleable and easy to shape. Chinese elm bonsai are also a great choice because of their set trunk shape, which allows you to focus on pruning and shaping.^{[20]
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How do you wire bonsai tree branches to control shape? Wrap a soft copper wire about a third of the branch’s thickness around the bonsai branch at a consistent 45° angle. Anchor the wire to the trunk or a neighboring branch, and then gently bend the branch into your desired shape.^{[21]
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What pruning techniques should you use to shape a bonsai leaf canopy? Use maintenance pruning to keep your bonsai tree’s shape. Prune branches and shoots that have outgrown your desired shape with twig shears or normal cutters. Use defoliation to remove old leaves, so the smaller ones can grow.^{[22]
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