Bonsai trees – they come in all shapes, colors, sizes, and even prices. You don’t have to be a millionaire to start playing around with bonsai gardening, but you do have to have some money. After all, there are plants and soil to pay for!
Are you considering a more luxurious purchase? When it comes to the most expensive bonsai trees, you’ll have plenty of options to consider. You might be wondering what makes a bonsai tree expensive. Often, the price tag of one of these trees is closely tied to its age and other aesthetic qualities that might be hard to find, such as a thicker trunk with a unique taper.
Other bonsai trees are expensive simply because they are rare. The more mature the bonsai is, the higher the price but the stronger the tree will be. Trees that have smooth, uninterrupted trunks with gradual tapers are more expensive, as are those in older pots, too.
Here are some of the most expensive bonsai trees – and a few tips on how you can find the perfect bonsai tree for your goals.
1. Trident Maple Bonsai Tree
Bonsai Boy has two expensive Trident Maples for sale, one of which clocks in at $15,000 and the other which is a still pricey (albeit much more affordable) $999.99.
Trident maple or Acer buergerianum, is prized for its gorgeous fall foliage. The most expensive specimen sold by Bonsai Boy is nearly four feet tall and is 114 years old.
2. Eastern White Pine Bonsai Tree
You can find another Eatern white pine bonsai tree for sale that is a whopping $1200 at Bonsai Boy. This 58-year-old tree is potted in a 14” container but can also be grown outside.
3. Blue Moss Cypress Bonsai
You’ll find another pricey pick in the Blue Moss Cypress Bonsai, or Chamecyparis ‘glauca minima.’ This tree has gorgeous blue foliage but is more impressive because it’s a whopping 80 years old!
4. Dwarf Hinoki Cypress Bonsai Tree
Just because Hinoki Cypress is a tiny, compact little bonsai tree, that doesn’t mean that this specimen is any less of an option – or any less expensive! It’s 70 years old and has a hefty price tag of $2,900.
5. Sargent Juniper Bonsai Tree
The Sargent Juniper Bonsai Tree is one of the most expensive bonsai trees in the world, with an estimated value of $350,000. The tree is located at the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum in the United States.
The Sargent Juniper Bonsai Tree is a rare and unique specimen, with a history that dates back over 107 years. In general, juniper bonsai trees are considered the rarest and most expensive bonsai trees, with one particular example selling for $2 million in 1981.
6. Flowering Chinzan Azalea Bonsai Tree
This tree, Azalea satsuki ‘chinzan’, can be found for sale for $2500. It’s so expensive because it has been trained to grow in a compact dwarf habitat and has a unique pink bloom color. It is also unusual because it blooms later in the season and can even bloom in the shade. Plus, it’s 35 years old.
7. Five Needle Pine Bonsai
After bonsai tree species became popular, and then, conversely, became less popular in Japan in the late 1980s, bonsai precision began to soar. Two sales in Japan have set records as being the most expensive – with two five needle pines sold for $600,000 and $300,000 apiece.
8. Ficus Ginseng Bonsai
If you thought $600,000 was a high price to pay for a bonsai tree, here’s another record setter to round out our list. There’s one ficus ginseng bonsai in Vietnam that is rumored to be worth as much as $2.6 million – the most expensive bonsai tree in the world ever sold. Although the collector refuses to say how old the bonsai actually is.
9. Ficus Retusa Linn
The Ficus Retusa Linn is one of the most expensive bonsai trees in the world, with an estimated value of $91,000. It is believed to be the oldest bonsai tree in the world, with an age of over 1,000 years.
The tree is displayed at the Crespi Bonsai Museum in Italy, and was bought by the museum’s owner, Luigi Crespi, in 1986 after more than a decade of negotiations.
The Ficus Retusa Linn is not only a rare luxury bonsai, but also a unique one, as it was made in China rather than Japan, where bonsai originated. The tree was originally grown by Chinese artisans, but was pruned by the Japanese bonsai master Shotaro Kawahara after it arrived in Italy.
10. Yamaki Pine Bonsai Tree
The Yamaki Pine Bonsai Tree is one of the most expensive bonsai trees in the world, with an estimated value of over $1 million. This tree is a prized possession and has a rich history, having survived the bombing of Hiroshima.
The Yamaki Pine Bonsai Tree is a rare and unique specimen, with a height of 2.5 feet and an age of over 400 years. It is considered to be one of the most beautiful bonsai trees in the world, with its distinctive white bark that is darker than that of the average five-needle pine tree. The tree is not only a rare luxury bonsai, but also a symbol of hope and resilience.
11. Kimura’s Zelkova Bonsai
The Kimura’s Zelkova Bonsai is one of the most famous examples of the art due to its unique appearance. It is currently on display in the Omiya Bonsai Village, overseen by its grower, Mr. Masahiko Kimura, the famed bonsai artist.
The Zelkova Bonsai has iconic grey bark and immaculately symmetrical growing patterns that define the Omiya village’s 90 years of bonsai artistry. This particular bonsai is worth $106,600.
12. Shunkaen Bonsai Museum Black Pine
The Shunkaen Bonsai Museum Black Pine is one of the most expensive bonsai trees in the world, with an estimated value of $1 million. This tree is a prized possession and has a unique appearance, with a beautifully twisted trunk that consists of expertly carved deadwood.
The Shunkaen Bonsai Museum Black Pine is often used by staff at the museum to explain how bonsai trees are valued.
What to Look for When Buying a Bonsai Plant
While you will of course need to keep your budget in mind while shopping for the perfect bonsai tree for your needs, remember that quality is everything.
When you pay for a more expensive bonsai, you aren’t just paying for its age, although it’s true that cool bonsai trees are usually more expensive because they are old specimens. Often, you will find yourself paying top dollar for trees that have been trained in a unique way or because they are rare, too.
Weigh all of your options as you shop – but remember that a bonsai tree is a smart investment that’s worth every penny, too. That’s true no matter how many pennies that might be!
FAQs
What is the rarest type of bonsai tree?
The rarest type of bonsai tree is the Japanese white pine. It is a slow-growing tree that can live for hundreds of years.
What is the most famous bonsai tree?
The most famous bonsai tree is the Yamaki Pine Bonsai Tree. It is one of the most popular bonsai trees in the world and has a unique history. It was one of 53 specimens that was given to the United States by the Japanese family Yamaki in 1976 as part of the country’s bicentennial celebration.
Check out our list of common bonsai plants and bonsai tree maintenance.
*image by arlette_lg/depositphotos
