Oval or Square Bonsai Pot: How to Choose by Tree Style
Choose an oval pot for a single tree with soft, flowing lines, and a long rectangular tray when several trees share one pot. Our Oval Bonsai Pot is a shallow 12 x 4 inch tray made for one tree, and our Square Bonsai Pot is a 19 x 14 x 5 inch tray with a 17 inch plate, made for group and forest plantings.
Why does the shape of a bonsai pot matter?
A bonsai and its pot are seen as one picture. Curved edges soften a tree and suit a gentle, rounded outline. Straight edges and corners add weight and suit a planting that is wide, strong or made of several trunks. The shape also decides how much open surface you have to show the trunk base and the spread of surface roots.
Both of our bonsai pots are shallow on purpose. Bonsai needs a restricted root volume and a wide surface, and both trays are built for that rather than adapted from a general planter.
Which tree styles suit an oval pot?
An oval suits most single trees that have a relaxed, natural line:
- Informal upright trees, where the trunk curves as it rises.
- Broom style trees, with a fine, rounded crown of twigs.
- Slanting trees, where the long axis of the oval gives room on the side the tree leans away from.
- Flowering and fine-twigged trees, whose soft outline sits well against a curved rim.
Our oval tray is 12 inch across and 4 inch deep, about three times wider than it is deep. That leaves a wide, flat surface to show the trunk and root flare of one young tree.
Which plantings suit the square tray?
Despite its name, our Square Bonsai Pot has a rectangular footprint, 19 by 14 inch. That long, flat shape is what a group or forest planting needs:
- Forest plantings, where several trunks of different heights stand in one tray.
- Group plantings of young trees being grown on together.
- A single wide tree with a heavy trunk and a broad spread, where a small pot would look too light.
It comes with a 17 inch plate, and it is moulded in 100% virgin plastic, so it stays light enough to lift and move even when planted.
How do the two pots compare?
| Point | Oval Bonsai Pot | Square Bonsai Pot |
|---|---|---|
| Size | 12 inch, 4 inch deep | 19 x 14 inch, 5 inch deep |
| Footprint | Oval | Rectangular |
| Plate | Not listed | 17 inch plate |
| Finishes | Terracotta, milky white | Marble white, terracotta, milky white |
| Pack | 50 pieces | 10 pieces |
| Best for | One tree with a soft, curving line | Group and forest plantings, wide trees |
Both are made in 100% virgin plastic. The MRP for each finish is listed on the product page.
Which styles suit neither pot?
Cascade and semi-cascade trees hang below the rim, so they need a deep pot to balance the fall of the trunk. At 4 and 5 inch deep, our two trays are too shallow for them. The same goes for any tree whose roots you have not yet reduced to a compact pad. Our product pages note custom colours and sizes, so ask us if you need a deeper shape.
How do you set a tree in a shallow tray?
- Trim the root ball so it sits flat and leaves soil all round it.
- Place a single tree a little off centre, not in the middle of the tray.
- In a forest planting, set the tallest trunk first and build the group around it.
- Fill with a free-draining bonsai mix and work it in around the roots.
- Water through until it runs out, and keep the tree out of strong wind until it settles.
Plastic holds moisture longer than unglazed clay, so water by touch. Our guide to plastic or ceramic bonsai pots covers that choice in more detail.
Where can you order our bonsai pots?
See the Oval Bonsai Pots page for the 12 inch tray in packs of 50, and the Square Bonsai Pots page for the 19 inch tray in packs of 10. Tell us the trees and the quantity you are potting, and we will suggest the shape and finish for each batch.