A Guide to Pot Selection

These guidelines are for information only, consider them to be a starting point. They are not rules and are based on what I’ve learnt over many years of creating Bonsai pots for my own and my customer's trees.
 
I will try to help you understand some of the principles about shape and colour, relating to bonsai pots, and hope it will help you to choose pots that will enhance your trees, and also be as individual as you and your tree.
 
The first step is to consider the  SIZE AND SHAPE.

For the definitive pot, its acceptable depth roughly equals the trunk diameter at the base. Its length should approximately equal 2/3 of the tree height or width.
 
There are growing styles, which are totally outside these rules. They are, for example, literati, cascades, semi-cascades, landscapes and groups.

Literati may be in round pots with a diameter of only 1/3 of the height of the tree, and sometimes very shallow, the soil being mounded up quite high. This is to emphasize the height and elegance of the trunk line. 

For cascades and semi-cascades, the very deep pot represents a dramatic rocky landscape, also achieved by rock bowls or crescent shaped pots.

Creating landscapes and groups is the exact opposite to the cascades. The landscape impression can be brought about by a very low pot or slab, this allows the viewer to "come inside" the space. In this case, a relatively longer and wider pot, or slab should be selected to create a wood or  landscape perspective.

When considering the shape of the pot, first decide what character and form the tree has. Trees can be generally be defined as masculine or feminine,  the tree gives the impression of power, majesty and strength with a thick trunk and heavy branches, or a slim, delicate tree with fine branches, round crown and smooth trunk.

Masculine	Feminine

Some trees can be both, you may have a very heavy trunk and branches, but the tree has beautiful flowing lines and is a very elegant shape and so the pot would need to combine masculine and feminine features.