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So recently, I’ve been looking at purchasing an older bonsai – something that is between 30 and 50 years old. One of the things that I’m struggling with however is the price of some of these trees. This got me thinking. do older bonsai trees cost more?
Older bonsai trees cost significantly more than younger bonsai trees. The average price of a 5-year-old bonsai is $45 compared to $109.46 for a 10-year-old tree, $194,45 for a 15-year-old tree, $785.87 for a 20-year-old tree, and $972.92 for a 30-year-old tree.
Trees older than 50 years old can vary significantly in price and often go for sale at an auction. These trees can cost upwards of $3000 to $54000 depending on age and size.
So what exactly are the average pricing for bonsai trees depending on their age? And why exactly are bonsai trees so expensive? Keep reading to find out more!
Just a quick heads up, over the past three years of running Plantpaladin, hundreds of people have asked for product recommendations. As such, You can find my favorite indoor bonsai tree here (link takes you to Bonsaiboy), my favorite outdoor bonsai tree (link takes you to Bonsaiboy), or have a look at all the products I recommend here.
Do older bonsai trees cost more?
One of the things that we bonsai owners have got to come to grips with when it comes to our hobby is the costs associated with bonsai trees.
Pots, fertilizer, good quality soil, and even quality tools like pliers or branch cutters start to add up.
Easily the most expensive cost however when it comes to bonsai is the cost of the actual trees themselves.
As I was recently looking to buy a new bonsai that was slightly older, I was shocked at some of the price points.
As such, I scoured the market and compared 34 of the best-selling bonsai trees from a plethora of different providers.
These trees were broken down into different species, and sizes, as well as into specific age categories to get a good understanding of if older bonsai trees cost more.
Here were the findings:
- Older bonsai trees will typically cost more than younger trees.
- The main reason for this is the cost and skill required to maintain and grow a tree to an older age
- Trees that are older (or appear older through deadwood techniques and ramifications) often do better in competitions and are one of the reasons why older trees cost more.
- Older bonsai trees are also appreciating over time, with some trees over 400 years old selling for thousands if not hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Bonsai tree price by age
- The average price of a 5-year-old tree is $49
- A 10-year-old bonsais average price is $109.46
- The average price of a 15-year-old tree is $194.45
- A 20-year-old bonsai’s average cost is $194.45
- 20-year-old bonsai on average sell for $785.87
- The average price of a 30-year-old bonsai is $972.92
- The average price of a 50-year-old bonsai is $3028.50
- An 80-year old bonsai trees average price is $3407.78
- A 100-year-old bonsai trees average price is $5060.53
- 200-year-old bonsai tree on average sell for $7640.73
- Bonsai trees that are lucky enough to make it to 400 years on average sell for $91000.
- The larger a bonsai tree is and the higher up size classification it goes, often the more expensive it will be
Do older bonsai trees cost more? – Study
I’ve enclosed a table below that shows my findings and the vendors I compared the pricing from:
| Vendor | Age | Size (height) | Price |
| Eastern Leaf (Chinese elm) | 5 years | 10 inch
(25cm) | $69
(£52) |
| Eastern Leaf
(Boxwood) | 5 years | 8 inch
(20cm) | $49
(£36.50) |
| Amazon | 5 years | 9 inch
(22cm) | $49
(£36.50) |
| Eastern Leaf
(Juniper) | 5 years | 7 inch
(18cm) | $29
(£21.60) |
| Bonsai Direct (Chinese elm) | 10 years | 10.3 inch
(26cm) | $126.73
(£94.50) |
| Bonsai Direct
(Indoor tea tree) | 10 years | 10.5 inch
(27cm) | $95.87
(£71.49) |
| Bonsai Direct
(Ficus) | 10 years | 14.1 inch
(36cm) | $126.73
(£94.50) |
| Bonsai Direct
(Chinese elm) | 10 years | 9 inch
(23cm) | $88.50
(£65.99) |
| Bonsai Direct
(Chinese elm) | 15 years | 12.5 inch
(32cm) | $174.34
(£130) |
| Bonsai Direct
(Ficus) | 15 years | 14.1 inch
(36cm) | $207.86
(£155) |
| Bonsai Direct
(Sweet plumb) | 15 years | 16.9 inch
(43cm) | $201.16
(£150) |
| Bonsai Direct
(Rose apple) | 15 years | 14.1 inch
(36cm) | $194.45
(£145) |
| Bonsai direct
(pepper tree) | 20 years | 23.2 inch
(59cm) | $536.51
(£399.99) |
| Bonsai direct
(Chinese elm) | 20 years | 20.4 inch
(52cm) | $469.37
(£350) |
| Bonsai Direct
(Ficus) | 21 years | 22.8 inch
(58cm) | $937.39
(£699) |
| Bonsai Direct
(Ficus) | 22 years | 26.7 inch
(68cm) | $1200.24
(£895) |
| Bonsai direct
(Chinese elm) | 30 years | 20.4 inch
(52cm) | $469.37
(£350) |
| Bonsai direct
(Chinese elm) | 30 years | 29.5 inch
(75cm) | $1139.89
(£850) |
| Bonsai direct
(Chinese elm) | 30 years | 27.9 inch
(71cm) | $937.39
(£699) |
| Bonsai direct
(Chinese elm) | 30 years | 28.7 inch
(73cm) | $1341.05
(£1000) |
| Bonsai delivered
(Chinese elm) | 50 years | 30 inch
(76.2cm) | $890
(£663.66) |
| Bonsai plaza
(Acer) | 50 years | 31.4 inch
(80cm) | $7324.01
(£5461.40) |
| Sutton manor nursery
(Olive) | 50 years | 90.55 inches
(230cm) | $871.72
(£649.95) |
| Bonsai plaza
(Campus Coreana) | 80 years | 26.3 inch
67cm | $8583.02
(£6400.23) |
| Bonsai delivered
(Juniper) | 80 years | 28 inch
(71.1cm) | $1500
(£1118.53) |
| Catawiki
(olive) | 80 years | 15.74 inch
(40cm) | $457.82
(£341.39) |
| Catawiki
(Azalea) | 85 years | 39.3 inch
(100cm) | $3090.30
(£2304.39) |
| Bonsai delivered
(juniper) | 100 years | 38 inch
(96.5cm) | $4500
(£3355.58) |
| Paramount Plants
(Scots Pine) | 100 years | 68.8 inch
(175cm) | $4948.47
(£3690) |
| Herons Bonsai
(Chinese elm) | 100 years | 33.4 inch
(85cm) | $4693.67
(£3500) |
| Bonsai delivered
(juniper) | 150 years | 37 inch
(93.98cm) | $6100
(£4548.68) |
| Catawiki
(olive) | 200 years | 29.5 inch
(75cm) | $1716.83
(£1280.21) |
| Garden plants online
(white pine) | 200 years | 90.5 inch
(230cm) | $13564.64
(£10114.95) |
| Seiji Iimura
(400-year-old juniper) | 400 years | 47.2 inch
(120cm) | $91000
(£40266.99) |
How much does a 5-year-old bonsai cost?
The average price for a 5-year old bonsai is $49 (£36.53). The cheapest 5-year old bonsai sell for is $29, with more expensive 5-year old bonsai selling for $69.
How much does a 10-year-old bonsai cost?
The average price for a 10-year old bonsai is $109.46 (£81.60). The cheapest 10-year old bonsai sell for is $88.50, with more expensive 10-year old bonsai selling for $126.73.
How much does a 15-year-old bonsai cost?
The average price for a 15-year old bonsai is $194.45 (£144.95). The cheapest 15-year old bonsai sell for is $174.34, with more expensive 15-year old bonsai selling for $207.86.
How much does a 20-year-old bonsai cost?
The average price for a 20-year old bonsai is $785.87 (£585.81). The cheapest 20-year old bonsai sell for is $469.37, with more expensive 20-year old bonsai selling for $1200.24.
How much does a 30-year-old bonsai cost?
The average price for a 30-year old bonsai is $972.92 (£725.25). The cheapest 30-year old bonsai sell for is $469.37, with more expensive 30-year old bonsai selling for $1341.05.
How much does a 50-year-old bonsai cost?
The average price for a 50-year old bonsai is $3028.50 (£2257.55). The cheapest 50-year old bonsai sell for is $890, with more expensive 50-year old bonsai selling for $7324.01.
How much does an 80-year-old bonsai cost?
The average price for an 80-year old bonsai is $3407.78 (£2540.28). The cheapest 80-year old bonsai sell for is $457.82, with more expensive 80-year old bonsai selling for $8583.02.
How much does a 100-year-old bonsai cost?
The average price for a 100-year old bonsai is $5060.53 (£3772.29). The cheapest 100-year old bonsai sell for is $4500, with more expensive 100-year old bonsai selling for $6100
How much does a 200-year-old bonsai cost?
The average price for a 100-year old bonsai is $7640.73 (£5695.66) The cheapest 200-year old bonsai sell for is $1716.83, with more expensive 200-year old bonsai selling for $13564.64
How much does a 400-year-old bonsai cost?
Bonsai trees at 400 years old are typically priceless. With average prices ranging from $54000 to $96000. Seiji Iimura a bonsai owner who had his trees stolen had his 400-year-old tree values at over $91,000
What makes older bonsai trees so expensive?
The amount of care, maintenance, and time it takes to create an aesthetically pleasing bonsai is the main reason why older bonsai trees cost so much money.
Bonsai trees are often handed down from generation to generation to maintain.
As such, a lot of trees are antiques and so will set expensive price tags at auctions or when they go on sale.
Even to get a bonsai tree to 10 or 15 years old, requires a bonsai owner to not do anything wrong in the maintenance and care of their tree for 10 years to perfect a bonsai.
As such, it is often the time value of the tree you are paying for as opposed to the tree itself.
Bonsai trees which also have gnarly branches or an aged look (which can sometimes be achieved prematurely through deadwood techniques) often perform better at competitions which can fetch a premium when they go for sale.
When does age no longer affect bonsai price?
After 50 years the age of a bonsai tree will impact cost less than the size of the tree, and how well maintained the tree is. This is one of the reasons why 50-year-old imperial size trees can sell more for one-hand Kumono sized trees that are 100 years old but are not well kept.
As such, working out the price of a bonsai tree as it gets older than 50 years becomes more challenging as these bonsai trees typically sell at auctions with price guidelines that can go well above or below this guideline.
More often than not, however, the older a bonsai tree is the more expensive it becomes.
It’s somewhat of a self-fulfilling prophecy.
If you think about it, if you have managed to keep, grow and maintain a bonsai tree for 100 years, it is much more likely that the bonsai tree will have been cared for very well and so will cost more should the owner decide to sell the tree.
Are bonsai tree pots expensive?
Bonsai pots cost $166.72 per pot on average. Cheap mass-produced bonsai pots will retail between $13.80 to $29.95. Medium quality bonsai pots will cost between $69.95 to $137.95. Premium quality antique bonsai pots will cost between $204 to $520. To read up more on this, I would recommend shaving a look at my blog on expensive bonsai pots or check out the table below:
| Brand | Size | Price Category | Cost |
| Happy Bonsai | Small
(5.9 x 5.1 x 2.0 in) | Cheap | $24.99 |
| Herons Bonsai | Small
(7.4 x 5.7 x 0.9 in) | Cheap | $20.69 |
| Yixing purple sand | Small
(10.6 x 8.46 x 8.14 in) | Mid-market | $87.36 |
| Antique Lingnan bonsai pot | Small
(6.8 x 4in) | Premium | $204 |
| Herons Bonsai | Medium
(17.5 x 12.5 x 5.1 in) | Cheap | $13.80 |
| Eastern Leaf | Medium
(14.5 x 11 x 3.5 in) | Mid-market | $69.95 |
| Yixing purple clay | Medium
(18.5 x 14.9 x 4.9 in) | Premium | $240 |
| Kanji | Medium
(13.4 x 20.1 x 5.7 in) | Premium | $373 |
| Kaizen Bonsai | Large
(21 x 14 x 3 in) | Cheap | $29.35 |
| Yorkshire Bonsai | Large
(27 x 15 x 2.7 in) | Mid-market | $137.95 |
| Etsy | Large
(22.3×17.71×6.22 in) | Premium | $520 |
| SEIBUN | Large
(16 x 14.1 x 5.1 in) | Premium | $309 |
Do large bonsai cost more?
Larger-sized bonsai, such as imperial-sized bonsai, will typically sell for more than smaller fingertip-sized Keshitsubo bonsai. This is because of the amount of time and maintenance it takes to create a bonsai that large. Typically larger bonsai will sell for over $2000
As you can see from the table below, the bonsai trees that are close to 100cm or over 35inches in size tend to sell for more.
| Catawiki
(Azalea) | 85 years | 39.3 inch
(100cm) | $3090.30
(£2304.39) |
| Bonsai delivered
(juniper) | 100 years | 38 inch
(96.5cm) | $4500
(£3355.58) |
| Paramount Plants
(Scots Pine) | 100 years | 68.8 inch
(175cm) | $4948.47
(£3690) |
| Herons Bonsai
(Chinese elm) | 100 years | 33.4 inch
(85cm) | $4693.67
(£3500) |
| Bonsai delivered
(juniper) | 150 years | 37 inch
(93.98cm) | $6100
(£4548.68) |
| Catawiki
(olive) | 200 years | 29.5 inch
(75cm) | $1716.83
(£1280.21) |
| Garden plants online
(white pine) | 200 years | 90.5 inch
(230cm) | $13564.64
(£10114.95) |
| Seiji Iimura
(400-year-old juniper) | 400 years | 47.2 inch
(120cm) | $91000
(£40266.99) |
To read up more on bonsai size classification, check out my post on bonsai tree size.
How to find the age of your bonsai?
To find the age for your bonsai, multiply the diameter of your bonsai by the growth rate. Alternatively to find a more accurate age count, prune a branch from your tree and count the number of rings inside. This method however may pose some damage to your tree.
To read up more on this, check out my post on bonsai tree age here.
How expensive can bonsai trees be?
Bonsai trees if, they are well kept and over 100 years old can sell for millions of dollars. An 800-year-old pine bonsai sold for $1.3 million at the Bonsai Convention in Takamatsu, Japan.
Wrapping things up
So now we know that older bonsai trees cost more than their younger counterparts, I didn’t just want to give the information I found, but did a quick study from 20 plant paladin readers and asked if older bonsai trees cost more.
Here were the results:
Finally, a lot of you reading this are in the process of getting to grips with bonsai yourself.
As such I would recommend having a look at the following posts which I think could defiantly help:
- Are bonsai trees toxic to humans
- Bonsai trunk development
- Scots Pine bonsai training
- How to bend a bonsai trunk
- Sumo bonsai technique
- Bonsai trunk chop
- Jade bonsai how-to guide
- Are bonsai trees dog friendly?
- Health benefits of bonsai
- Best potting soil for bonsai
My top picks for the gear you will need!
So like I mentioned earlier, over the past three years of running PlantPaladin, hundreds of people have asked me for my recommendations on the best bonsai gear on the market.
Having spent thousands of dollars on bonsai items these past few years and tested at least 100 bonsai-specific products, I’ve listed my favorite products below – All of which I highly recommend and think you can get great value.
They can purchase directly by clicking the link to take them to Amazon.
Bonsai Tool Set: One of the significant challenges I’ve had is finding a toolset that was not only durable but didn’t break the bank. SOLIGT has recently developed a fantastic bonsai tool set that covers all the tools you need to trim, prune, and repot your trees. – You can grab it here.
Complete Bonsai Set: Many of you will want to grow your bonsai trees entirely from scratch, but finding the varicose seeds, pots, and other items in one place can be challenging. Leaves and Sole then have created a complete bonsai set that I’ve personally used that ticks all the boxes. You can grab it here.
Bonsai wire: The number of times I’ve run out of wire for my bonsai or purchased cheap bonsai wire that doesn’t do the job is embarrassing for me to admit. After a lot of trial and error, I found that using Hotop’s aluminum bonsai wire is one of the best options on the market. This can easily be used for both indoor and outdoor bonsai. You can grab it here.
This post was written by Fehed Nicass who has been passionate about bonsai for over 3 years.