Are you looking for something more adventurous in the art of bonsai gardening? If so, you need not stick with the more traditional coniferous, deciduous or occasional fruit trees as the only items in your collection. Your choices can range to the more exotic varieties which will help expand your skills.

Wisteria is a fine alternative to the more traditional bonsai. A native of Japan, Korea and China, it can reach 30 feet in the wild. Shaping one into a bonsai is an interesting challenge, in as much as they don’t conform to any of the normal styles.

The flowers can assume a variety of colors such as white, blue, pink, or purple and are both aromatic and beautiful to the eye. They bloom in the spring during which time they need an ample amount of water, so long as there is sufficient drainage. Wisteria can do well in a wide range of lighting conditions ranging from full sun to partial shade. Provide good amount of fertilizer in spring just before they bloom, then again in late summer before the leaves drop.

If you love fragrant flowers, an excellent option is Orange Jasmine which produces a bright red fruit and fragrant white blossoms, bringing both delight to the nose and beauty to the eye.

Starting in early spring and continuing through mid-autumn, feed Orange Jasmine every three to four weeks. Except in the hotter summer months when slightly more water is needed, only light watering is adequate for the rest of the year.

Because they generally do better in moderate shade or filtered sun, Orange Jasmine is one of the few bonsai that can, and should be raised indoors.

With lovely puffy flowers and lacy foliage, the Mimosa tree offers another good alternative. They are as fragrant as either of the above choices and due to their long silky filaments they are sometimes called a silk tree.

The Mimosa blooms in late April to early July, during which time they should be given moderate water. However, you should avoid getting water on the flowers because this will cause the blossoms to wilt rapidly and deteriorate.

Mimosa grow rapidly, have large leaves and are somewhat difficult to sustain at a very small size so the Mimosa will probably be one of the larger bonsai in your collection. So be sure to give them plenty of room in your display area.

An additional exotic bonsai is the Desert Rose which can turn an ordinary bonsai collection into an exciting full color display. The Desert Rose is a native of East Africa where it grows up to 10 feet tall and produces large, pink, trumpet-bowl flowers.

Requiring lots of fresh air and ample sunshine, the Desert Rose should be kept outside most of the year. However, their very bushy habit makes them a fine complement to the more traditional bonsai set in your collection.

Since they are sensitive to cold, they need to be moved indoors during periods of cold weather below 50F (10C). They will lie dormant but healthy when temperatures are in the range of 50F-60F (10C-15C) and will need very little water during this period.

Try your hand at some of these exotic beautiful and fragrant flowering plants to expand your horizon and further develop your bonsai gardening skills. They provide a nice contrast when placed among some of the more standard evergreens, such as, pines, firs, and junipers. Additionally, as they lose their leaves in the fall and bloom in the spring, you’ll have an interesting ever-changing display.