Formal upright Bonsai style (Chokkan)

The formal upright style is a very common form of Bonsai. This style occurs often in nature, especially when the tree is exposed to lots of light and does not face the problem of competing trees.

For this style, tapering of the upright-growing trunk must be clearly visible. The trunk must therefore be thicker at the bottom and must grow increasingly thinner with the height. At about 1/4 of the total length of the trunk, branching should begin. The top of the tree should be formed by a single branch; the trunk should not span the entire height of the tree.

African Bonsai Styles       Baobab Style Pierneef Style       Bushveld Style Wonderboom Style       Wild Fig Style Flat Top Style               Bonsai Styles

Hokidachi (Broom Style Bonsai) Formal upright Bonsai style (Chokkan) Informal upright Bonsai style (Moyogi) Slanting Bonsai style (Shakkan)   Cascade Bonsai style (Kengai) Semi cascade Bonsai style (Han-kengai)   Literati Bonsai style (Bunjingi) Windswept Bonsai style (Fukinagashi)     Double trunk style Bonsai (Sokan) Multitrunk Bonsai style (Kabudachi)     Forest Bonsai style (Yose-ue) Growing on a rock Bonsai style (Seki-joju)     Growing in a rock Bonsai style (Ishisuki) Raft Bonsai style (Ikadabuki)     Shari Bonsai style (Sharimiki)       Bonsai case studies

Hawthorn progression Hawthorn raft style Bonsai Hawthorn double trunk Bonsai Refining a Bonsai tree   Training and styling a Bonsai Training a Juniper Bonsai   Refining a Tsuga Bonsai Styling a Juniper Bonsai     Forming a Fir Training a Literati Bonsai