Bonsai Northwest

Bonsai Northwest Bonsai Northwest is Seattle’s premier bonsai nursery and community hub for over 40 years. Bonsai Northwest was founded by the incredibly talented Sharon Muth.

Discover trees, tools, pottery, wire, rare bonsai material, expert advice, classes, demos, workshops, and a welcoming place for bonsai lovers. Bonsai Northwest has been supporting the art and hobby of bonsai in the Pacific Northwest since 1985. She founded the business to sell her handcrafted bonsai pots to local club members. As the business expanded, it incorporated finished bonsai trees, beginn

er bonsai lessons, and fine Japanese pottery. When Sharon’s son, John Muth, took the reins of the family business, he pioneered importing bonsai trees and expanded the availability of bonsai pottery throughout the U.S. Bonsai Northwest is still dedicated to serving the bonsai community.

For those that have been interested in and asking about upcoming Bonsai classes in the fall, we have begun to post them ...
06/16/2026

For those that have been interested in and asking about upcoming Bonsai classes in the fall, we have begun to post them on the website!

www.bonsainw.com

It’s the beginning of summer in the beautiful Pacific Northwest! Make sure you stay hydrated along with your Bonsai!We ...
06/15/2026

It’s the beginning of summer in the beautiful Pacific Northwest! Make sure you stay hydrated along with your Bonsai!

We are now rotating a display of our permanent collection daily, whenever we are open - just for your (and our) viewing pleasure or inspiration.

☀️

Decandling season is upon us!Once a Japanese black pine reaches the refinement stage, decandling becomes one of the most...
06/12/2026

Decandling season is upon us!

Once a Japanese black pine reaches the refinement stage, decandling becomes one of the most important techniques in its annual maintenance. As one of the few pine species capable of producing a second flush of growth in a single season (Japanese red pine being another), Japanese black pine responds to the removal of its spring candles by pushing new buds and growth later in the summer.

When combined with proper needle plucking and energy balancing throughout the canopy, this second flush can produce shorter needles and more uniform growth from the apex to the lowest branches. Repeated year after year, the result is increased ramification, improved bifurcation, and the dense, refined canopy that makes mature black pines so impressive.

The tree featured here is part of the permanent collection at Bonsai Northwest. Throughout last fall and this spring, it was heavily fertilized to build strength in preparation for decandling. That strong growth also encouraged the formation of numerous interior buds, which will provide future opportunities for cutback and branch refinement. Each candle was cut, leaving approximately 2 mm of the spring shoot intact. Over the coming weeks, we expect to see two or more new buds emerge from the base of each cut.

Timing is critical. Usually begun in the first weeks of June in the PNW, the ideal window will vary by climate and by the needle length you're hoping to achieve. Generally speaking, the later you decandle, the shorter the resulting needles will be. Wait too long, however, and the new buds may not have sufficient time to develop before autumn, weakening the tree going into the following season.

It's also important to hold off on fertilizing until fall. Fertilizing too soon after decandling can drive excessive vigor into the second flush, resulting in longer needles and coarser growth—exactly the opposite of what we're trying to achieve.

Have you started decandling your black pines yet this season?

Bonsai Northwest is excited to welcome the work of local potter Andrew Kraft of Wood Kraft Bonsai to the nursery.A bonsa...
06/11/2026

Bonsai Northwest is excited to welcome the work of local potter Andrew Kraft of Wood Kraft Bonsai to the nursery.

A bonsai enthusiast himself, Andrew has been creating bonsai containers from his Bothell studio since 2021. In just a few years, his work has grown to include a wide range of sizes, forms, glazes, and textures—each designed with an understanding of the unique relationship between tree and pot.

The pots featured here are just three of the nine handcrafted containers currently available at Bonsai Northwest. From subtle earth tones to vibrant glazes, each piece offers an opportunity to elevate the presentation of your bonsai while supporting a talented member of our local bonsai community.

Whether you're planning ahead for next spring's repotting season, searching for the perfect container for a tree in development, or simply appreciate quality ceramic work, we invite you to stop by the nursery and take a closer look.

Supporting local artists helps strengthen the bonsai community we all enjoy—and you may just find the perfect pot while you're here.

As promised, here are some images from the Bonsai Make & Take workshop that happened also last Saturday at the Point Def...
06/08/2026

As promised, here are some images from the Bonsai Make & Take workshop that happened also last Saturday at the Point Defiance Flower & Garden Festival. They sold out all 30 spots!

Our long time friend and associate, Kerri Bailey, taught the class and current associate, Brett Pylipow assisted. Kerri worked for Bonsai Northwest in the early 2000s and continues to help us with classes, most recently with her popular Saikei class.

Thank you to Kerri, Brett and the fine folks at Parks Tacoma and, of course, all the attendees, for a successful event and platform to share the wonderful hobby and experience of bonsai!

Keep an eye on the website events section as we will soon post about our classes at the nursery that will begin in September.

It was a busy, busy bonsai day yesterday!There was the annual Puget Sound Bonsai Association auction held at the Pacific...
06/07/2026

It was a busy, busy bonsai day yesterday!

There was the annual Puget Sound Bonsai Association auction held at the Pacific Bonsai Museum, there was the Bonsai Make & Take at the Point Defiance Flower & Garden Festival and the shop was open.

Bonsai Northwest was represented simultaneously at both events - Jay, Cory and Corey were all at the auction; Kerri and Brett taught the class at the Make & Take event and Violet held down the fort at the nursery!

Enjoy the photos from the auction, which is ALWAYS a fun and enjoyable event put on by the amazing volunteers from the PSBA and there literally is no better venue than the world class Pacific Bonsai Museum.

We will share the goings on at the Bonsai Make & Take in another post, so stay tuned.

IF you weren’t one of the lucky ones to take anything home from the auction yesterday, we are here to help and are open today until 5 PM…

June has arrived and we are excited to host a Local Potter Marketplace over the weekend of the 20th & 21st! We would li...
06/05/2026

June has arrived and we are excited to host a Local Potter Marketplace over the weekend of the 20th & 21st! We would like to extend an invitation to local bonsai ceramic artists to join us for this event. Our space is limited so it will be first come, first served for table set ups. Feel free to contact us!

Please enjoy the pictured offerings of Oregon bonsai ceramicist, Mr. Sol Zimmerdahl of Zimmerdahl Productions. We are now carrying some of his containers and will be carrying works by other artists soon. Stay tuned as we celebrate the vessel that frames our trees.

We would like to thank everyone that attended the very educational Satsuki Azalea bonsai class taught by Mr. John Schmie...
05/31/2026

We would like to thank everyone that attended the very educational Satsuki Azalea bonsai class taught by Mr. John Schmied yesterday! He covered an incredible amount of information in a very well planned and structured format from proper horticulture, growing, propagation through design/styling and more. He and his wife, Marie, also brought many examples for us to see with varying degrees of maturity.

John and Marie, thank you so much for generously sharing your time and expertise with us! We look forward to hosting you again next year.

Today is the last day of our Satsuki Azalea Festival and Sale. Buy 4 or more Satsuki and receive 20% off. We’re open from 9:30 AM - 5 PM.

It’s looking like the beginning of a beautiful weekend in the Puget Sound!Join us today from 12:30 PM to 2:30 PM and lea...
05/30/2026

It’s looking like the beginning of a beautiful weekend in the Puget Sound!

Join us today from 12:30 PM to 2:30 PM and learn about Satsuki Azalea bonsai from Mr. John Schmied as our Satsuki Azalea Festival and sale continues through tomorrow.

Buy 4 or more Satsuki and receive 20% off.

If you have never had the pleasure of smelling a Gardenia flower, you are definitely missing out! You can swing by the...
05/28/2026

If you have never had the pleasure of smelling a Gardenia flower, you are definitely missing out! You can swing by the nursery and experience it for yourself, as ours are flowering at this very moment.

Also, if you have been interested in bonsai but don’t necessarily have suitable outdoor space, we are now carrying some Ficus bonsai that do extremely well indoors in a windowsill or close to one.

The Satsuki Azalea Festival and sale continues until Sunday. Buy 4 or more and get 20% off.

Address

10716 State Route 162
Puyallup, WA
98374

Opening Hours

Wednesday 9:30am - 5pm
Thursday 9:30am - 5pm
Friday 9:30am - 5pm
Saturday 9:30am - 5pm
Sunday 9:30am - 5pm

Telephone

+12062428244

Website

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