Dwarf Rhapis palms are naturally dwarf so they do not need a lot of
root pruning to stay bonsai size. A lot of dwarf conifers are used in
bonsai. I guess some bonsai purists might consider that "cheating"
too. I read an article in Smithsonian magazine a few years ago about
people who would collect severely stunted trees from the wild and use
those in bonsai. That might be considered cheating as well.

It is a matter of opinion whether dwarf palms are true bonsai,
pseudobonsai or "offbeat bonsai." The author of the following web
article felt that purists in palm societies and bonsai societies did
not fully appreciate bonsai palms either:
http://www.pacsoa.org.au/palms/Artic...nsaiPalms.html

There is not complete agreement on the definition of a tree. Many
people do consider a large banana plant to be a tree, including the
USDA Forest Service: http://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/trees/MUSSPPA.pdf

Webster's dictionary says a tree can be defined as "a shrub or herb of
arborescent form, a banana tree." The state tree of South Carolina
is the palmetto (Sabal palmetto), which is a monocot.

Tree definitions may contain one or more of the following
requirements:
1. Minimum height, such as taller than 15 or 20 feet.
2. A single trunk, but that requirement breaks down with multi-trunk
trees such as white birch.
3. Distinct crown.
4. Woody trunk.

Banana can fit all but the last. Trunks of palm trees, cycad trees and
tree ferns could also be challenged on requirement 4 as could extinct
species, such as tree lycopods (Lepidodendron spp.). Tall bamboos are
often referred to as trees also.


David R. Hershey




(Iris Cohen) wrote in message ...
Dwarf Rhapis palms (Rhapis excelsa) and a few other palms can be used in
bonsai.

Sort of. They can be kept small by root pruning, but not everyone would
consider them true bonsai. Dwarf bamboos are also grown, shall I say, with
bonsai, rather than as bonsai.


Iris,
Central NY, Zone 5a, Sunset Zone 40