The World’s Oldest Bonsai Trees

Trees aren’t just beautiful; they give us a glimpse into the world’s history, allowing us to imagine what life and the world would have looked like when they were first planted. The world’s oldest tree is a Great Basin bristlecone pine, which is more than 4,900 years old, but it’s not the only tree species with a long history. Bonsai trees, extremely popular thanks to their unique shape, also have an impressive history.

Image by Arnaud Berthomier

Bonsai trees are classified as ornamental plants and were first introduced in China despite their Japanese name. It was in 700 AD that the art form of creating dwarf trees in containers began in China. While it was initially the wealthy and elite that were able to create these “pun-sai,” it eventually spread not only throughout Chinese society but across Asia and then the world.

While today’s bonsai trees aren’t nearly as old as the Great Basin bristlecone pine, that’s not to say they don’t have deep roots. On that note, let’s take a look at some of the world’s oldest bonsai trees.

Image © courtesy Crespi Bonsai Museum

The world’s oldest bonsai tree is believed to be more than 1,000 years old and is located in Crespi, Italy. The Ficus Retusa Linn can be viewed by the public since it is located in the Italian Crespi Bonsai Museum.

The museum was founded by Luigi Crespi, who made it his mission to get his hands on the oldest-known bonsai tree. It took him a decade to convince the original Chinese bonsai masters to give him the tree. Finally, in 1986, he was given ownership, and it became the main feature of the museum. To ensure the bonsai tree stayed alive and healthy, it was placed in a glass pagoda, making for the perfect environmental conditions. 

1000 year old ficus bonsai

The museum is just a short distance from Milan and houses much more than the oldest bonsai tree. It can make for the perfect half-day tour for bonsai enthusiasts.

This particular bonsai tree is especially memorable not just because of its age, which is estimated to be approximately 1,000 years old, but also because of its unique and almost haunting shape. The Mansei-en is a Juniper bonsai tree located in the Mansei-en Bonsai Nursery in Omiya, Japan. 

There are six botanical gardens to explore in the Omiya Bonsai Village, which is owned by the Kato family. The gardens were originally private but opened to the public almost 100 years ago, in 1925. Visitors can also view another ancient specimen, a Shimpaku Juniper that is 700 years old.

Image via Bonsai Empire

Also found in Japan is the Shunkaen Bonsai Museum in Tokyo. Visitors can get a glimpse of an 800-year-old bonsai tree that is owned and cared for by Kunio Kobayashi. Kobayashi is hailed as one of the most famous bonsai masters, with over three decades of experience in the art. The museum was opened in 2002 and showcases his spectacular skills with bonsai trees.

Yet another of the world’s oldest bonsai trees can also be found in Japan at the Akao Herb & Rose Garden in Atami. This red pine bonsai is believed to be more than 600 years old and is striking because of its size. Unlike many of the smaller bonsai trees, the red pine bonsai is 16 feet tall and has a spread of 30 feet. How can such a large tree be classified as a bonsai, you ask? Because it’s contained in a pot, just like the more traditional, smaller varieties are.

Did you know that the United States has an almost 300-year-old bonsai tree for people to view? Located in the Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University in Boston, MA, the Compact Hinoki Cypress was gifted to the facility in 1937 by Larz Anderson. 

Anderson had bought several bonsai trees in Japan from the Yokohama Nursery Company. The company was known for providing the United States and Europe with some of the earliest dwarf trees.

A typical tree can easily reach several hundred years old, if not longer, depending on where it’s located. For a bonsai tree to live long, it’s not necessarily about where it is located; rather, it comes down to patience and hard work. The original caretaker must then pass down the responsibility through generations to ensure its livelihood. For these reasons, it’s not as common to find extremely old bonsai trees.

True bonsai lovers must spend hours carefully pruning and tending to their trees, ensuring they have a long life. It’s the kind of commitment most aren’t interested in making, as they might prefer to play with LEGO or find a fun way to play free casino games instead. 

The two most important steps in caring for your bonsai tree are adequate fertilizing and watering. But if you’re growing a bonsai tree from a seed, it will require much more work. It’s the kind of hobby that requires passion and long-term vision.

When looking at bonsai trees, it’s important to not just focus on their age but also the beautiful creative aspect involved. Each bonsai is unique and is a testament to the caretaker’s or bonsai master’s skill, passion, and love for the art form. Those looking to grow a bonsai tree can look to these historic specimens as an example of what can be achieved with hard work and dedication.

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