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The Easiest Bonsai Trees to Keep Alive

Most bonsai deaths come down to the same handful of mistakes — wrong light, wrong watering, wrong species for the space. These five are the ones that survive those mistakes best.

Our picks

1. 
   Chinese Elm Bonsai 9 years old

   1. Chinese Elm Bonsai Tree — 9 Year (You Choose)

   Chinese Elm is the species most often described as "almost impossible to kill" — tolerant of a wide temperature range and forgiving of an inconsistent watering schedule.

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2. 
   Juniper Bonsai Approx. 20cm, ceramic pot

   2. Juniper Bonsai Tree (Juniperus Procumbens)

   Evergreen and outdoor-hardy — junipers cope with being under- or over-watered better than most conifers, as long as they're kept outside rather than indoors.

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3. 
   Ficus Bonsai XL specimen, ceramic pot

   3. Ficus Microcarpa (Banyan Fig) Indoor Bonsai Tree — XL

   The most genuinely low-maintenance indoor option — tolerates centrally-heated homes and occasional neglect better than almost anything else on this list.

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4. 
   Other Species Approx. 20-25cm

   4. Sageretia Bonsai Tree in Ceramic Pot

   A close second to ficus for indoor forgiveness, with the bonus of small white flowers if it's happy.

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5. 
   Chinese Elm Bonsai S (small) trunk

   5. Chinese Elm Bonsai — S Trunk, Ceramic Pot with Drip Tray

   A smaller, cheaper Chinese Elm if the 9-year specimen above is more tree (and more money) than you want to start with.

   View details & Amazon link