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The following is a listing of when these various general groups of trees/shrubs were first mentioned in known
Western sources as having been seen as dwarfed potted trees. While some of the later reports might give
a species breakdown, of say, Pinus types, for the sake of standardization we have not gone into such detail
here. A date after the name of some of these plants in the first column is the earliest known date that this type of plant was mentioned in Chinese works as having been used as a dwarf tree, per our Bonsai Books, pre-1800 listing. (There were other plants which were used in China as dwarfed potted trees which are not listed here -- such as Damnacanthus, Cedrela, Lycium, Oleander, and Serissa. When we come across early Western references to these, then we will add these plants below.) We acknowledge that it is possible that a common name may have been used for more than one genus by two or more observers. Click on a chosen date to go to the respective source. Dates separated by a slash indicate the date recorded and date actually published. If a third date then follows a comma after these, this is for a later recorded but earlier published date. |
|
TYPE |
IN CHINA |
IN JAPAN |
ELSEWHERES |
|
almond (Prunus dulcis)
|
|
1889
|
|
|
apple (Malus) 1617 or 1618
|
1812
|
1870
|
1884
|
|
arbor vitae (Thuja)
|
|
1863
|
1889
|
|
azalea (Rhododendron) 1688
|
|
1863
|
|
|
bamboo 1617 or 1618
|
1834
|
1830
|
1899
|
|
banana (Musa) c.1620
|
|
1870
|
|
|
beech (Fagus)
|
|
1900
|
|
|
box (Buxus) 1617 or 1618
|
|
1860/1992 , 1898
|
1898
|
|
Camellia 1688 for tea
|
|
1860/1992 ,
1899
|
|
|
camphor (Cinnamomum camphora) 1688 for cinnamon
|
|
1870
|
|
|
carambola (Averrhoa carambola)
|
1820/1822
|
|
|
|
cedar (Cedrus / Cryptomeria)
|
1782
|
1859
|
1889
|
|
Cephalotaxus
|
|
1889
|
|
|
champaca (Michelia champaca)
|
1820/1822
|
|
|
|
cherry (Prunus)
|
|
1860/1992 , 1863
|
|
|
chestnut (Castanea)
|
1884
|
|
|
|
Chimonanthus
|
|
1904
|
|
|
citron (Citrus medica)
|
1820/1822
|
|
|
|
Cleyera (sakaki)
|
|
1899
|
|
|
crab apple (Malus) 1617 or 1618
|
|
1939
|
|
|
crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia)
|
|
1902
|
|
|
cypress (Cupressus / Chamaecyparis) c.1547
|
1846
|
1878
|
1887
|
|
elm (Ulmus) c.1620
|
1794/1827 , 1818
|
1900
|
|
|
Euonymus
|
|
1889
|
|
|
fig (Ficus)
|
1794/1827
|
1889
|
1604
|
|
fir (Abies)
|
1782
|
1830
|
|
|
Gardenia
|
1820/1822
|
1899
|
|
|
ginkgo (Salisburia ==> Ginkgo) 1617 or 1618
|
1847
|
1889
|
|
|
grape (Vitis)
|
1820/1822
|
|
|
|
hawthorn (Crataegus)
|
|
1902
|
|
|
hemlock (Tsuga)
|
|
1913
|
1913
|
|
holly (Ilex)
|
|
1900
|
|
|
hornbeam (Carpinus)
|
|
1900
|
|
|
ivy (Parthenocissus)
|
|
1899
|
|
|
Japanese apricot (Prunus mume)
|
|
1889
|
|
|
jasmine (Jasminum) 1688
|
|
1904
|
|
|
juniper (Juniperus) c.1620
|
1847
|
1863
|
|
|
Kerria
|
|
1904
|
|
|
kumquat (Fortunella)
|
1938
|
|
|
|
larch (Larix)
|
1903
|
1863
|
1898
|
|
lemon (Citrus limon)
|
|
1870
|
|
|
longan (Dimocarpus longan)
|
1846
|
|
|
|
lychee (Litchi chinensis)
|
1846
|
|
|
|
Magnolia
|
|
1900
|
|
|
maple (Acer) 1688?
|
|
1860/1992 , 1870
|
1889
|
|
Nageia
|
|
<1878
|
1878
|
|
Nandina domestica
|
|
1889
|
|
|
oak (Quercus) 1793
|
1797
|
<1866
|
c.1866
|
|
olive (Olea) |
|
1870 |
|
|
orange (Citrus) 1688 |
1797 |
1859 |
|
|
Paulownia |
|
1903 |
|
|
peach (Prunus persica) 1617 or 1618 |
1799/1800 |
1863 |
|
|
pear (Pyrus) |
1846 |
1870 |
|
|
persimmon (Diospyros) |
|
<1878 |
1878 |
|
pine (Pinus) 1506 |
1797 |
1845 |
1889 |
|
Pittosporum |
|
1889 |
|
|
plum (Prunus) 1506 |
1820/1822 |
1830 |
|
|
Podocarpus |
|
1863 |
1898 |
|
pomegranate (Punica granatum) 1688 |
|
1902 |
|
|
privet (Ligustrum) c.1620 |
|
1900 |
|
|
quince (Cydonia / Chaenomeles) 1688 |
|
1902 |
|
|
Retinospora |
|
1863 |
1890 |
|
Rhapis |
|
1863 |
1898 |
|
Rynchospermum |
|
<1878 |
1878 |
|
sago (Cycas revoluta) |
|
1863 |
1898 |
|
Sciadopitys |
|
1863 |
1898 |
|
spruce (Picea) |
1797 |
|
|
|
Styrax |
|
1902 |
|
|
tangerine (Citrus) |
1938 |
|
|
|
Ternstroemia |
|
1889 |
|
|
Thujopsis |
|
1889 |
1890 |
|
Trachelospermum |
|
1889 |
|
|
willow (Salix) |
|
1908 |
|
|
wistaria (Wisteria) |
1852 |
1860/1992 , 1892 |
|
|
yew (Taxus) |
|
1859 |
|
|
Zelkova |
|
1902 |
|