They are, in fact, only vaguely inspired by bonsai and kokedama is far from ancient. These odd plants are kokedamas, a Japanese term that translates as “ball of moss.” The seller will probably tell you that this is a thousand-year-old Japanese tradition and that sometimes they are called “poor man’s bonsais.” Of course, that’s all hype. To see one is to want one! But will you be able to keep yours alive? Then you can talk about your “string garden.” You’ll find kokedamas in garden centers and florist shops and there are even specialty shops in big cities that sell them and other fashionable plant items like mini-terrariums and air plants. It’s even more stylish to hang them from the ceiling like little green planets. They’re very trendy and often sit on decorative trays or plates on a table or shelf in a living or waiting room. You have certainly seen them: small houseplants growing in a moss-covered ball.

Kokedamas used as a “string garden.” Source: La Florida studio, Wikimedia Commons

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