Why is the bonsai tree passed down within the family?

Bonsai Tree Gardener reports that the tradition of passing a bonsai tree from one generation to the next is rooted in the length of time it takes to sculpt the shrub. It is also a result of the bonsai's tendency to live for several hundred years.

Forming a bonsai tree requires patience, an artistic bent and plenty of time, according to Bonsai Tree Gardener. It takes many bonsai owners many years to create what they consider perfect specimens. Once they are happy with their results, they are inclined to pass them along to their children. In turn, successive generations shape their respective bonsai trees in their own unique ways.