"How Many Bonsai Enthusiasts Are There?"

© 2011-2022  Robert J. Baran
All Rights Reserved.


This Page Last Updated: December 6, 2023



This is an ongoing project.
Its goal is not to come up with any type of definitive scientific or legal final count, but to show just how wonderfully and profoundly widespread our interest is.
In associated and unassociated clubs, informal workshop/study groups, unaligned independent practitioners and growers and family enthusiasts,
teachers and artists, nurserypersons and collectors who do more than just pass along product --
practitioners of one form or another of magical miniature landscapes, plant or mineral or both.
Responses gathered are understood to be personal estimates and may be changed by others' responses.



Location Notes
Argentina
(Argentine Republic)
"over 600 club members" per http://www.wbff-2013.org/indexaction!bgview.action?bgId=29  (2004?)
Australia,
Commonwealth of
58 clubs and organizations per President's Message, http://www.aabcltd.org/news/president-s-message/  (2016)
Austria;
Republic of
at least 6 clubs per http://majcen.at/aba/joomla/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=17&Itemid=38  (2009)    See also: http://www.bonsaiempire.de/blog/bonsai-arbeitskreise#au.
Bangladesh
Bangladesh Bonsai Society, the present membership is around 100, per posting by Shaukat Islam, 15 May 2007 in http://robert-steven.ofbonsai.org/bonsai-teaching-trips/  (2007)
Barbados
at least one club per http://www.funbarbados.com/search/CalendarSearch2.cfm?word=flower%20and%20garden  (2010)
Belgium,
Kingdom of
15 clubs (Dutch) and 16 clubs (French) per https://web.archive.org/web/20160526161813/https://www.bonsaiempire.com/locations/clubs/europe  (<2016)
Bermuda,
British Overseas Territory
one club per http://www.greenrock.org/news/blog/39-save-the-botanical-gardens  (2006)
Brazil,
Federative Republic of
twenty-three clubs per http://www.bonsaiempire.com.br/artigos/clubes-brasil  (2012)
Bulgaria,
Republic of
at least one club per http://bonsai.bg/  (2010)
Canada
"300 active members" in the SPBM club in Montreal per http://www.bonsaimontreal.com/index/historique.htm  (c.2008) ; and "over 100 official members" of the SPBQ club in Quebec per http://www.bonsaiduquebec.com/histoire.php  (c.2008) ; and "about 170 members" of the club in Toronto per http://torontobonsai.org/Journal/Journal.2003/jun.2003/history.tbs.1.htm  (c.2003) ; plus 35 other clubs and organizations per http://www.bonsaiempire.com/bonsai-clubs/canada (2010)    See also: http://www.bonsaiempire.com/articles/bonsai-clubs/canada.
Chile,
Republic of
at least one club per http://web.archive.org/web/20101020110819/http://bonsai-bci.com/clubs~1.htm#anchor875314  (<2010)
China,
People's Republic of

"over 80 organizational members of the China Flower and Penjing Association" and "about 48 director members and 920 private members of the China Penjing Artists Association" per http://www.wbff-2013.org/indexaction!bgview.action?bgId=25  (2006?) ;
"There are over 5 million people who do bonsai" per http://www.rockymtnbonsai.org/Newsletters/NOV10.pdf, pg. 2  (2010) ;
"There are now about 1,000 penjing associations in China" per "Peace in a pot" by Wang Yuan (China Daily, 04/13/2012)
Colombia,
Republic of
"many enthusiasts are not members of clubs" per http://www.wbff-2013.org/indexaction!bgview.action?bgId=29  (2004?)
Costa Rica,
Republic of
at least one club per http://web.archive.org/web/20101020110819/http://bonsai-bci.com/clubs~1.htm#anchor36136  (<2010)
Croatia,
Republic of
at least two clubs in the Croatian Bonsai Alliance per http://www.bonsai.hr/?p=34  (2009)
Cyprus,
Republic of
"a small study group which we managed to form ....the regulars are just 4-5 ... and there are another 4 hobbyists who come occasionally" per stavros, posting to Internet Bonsai Club, 22 Dec 2010, http://ibonsaiclub.forumotion.com/t5061p30-how-many-enthusiasts-are-there#51503  (2010)
Czech Republic
at least 2 clubs per http://whoisbonsai.com/europe/vaclav-novak-czech-republic/  (2010)
Denmark,
Kingdom of
"9 clubs and study groups" per http://www.bonsai-danmark.dk/KLUBBER-1.htm  (2010?) ; Danish bonsai association with "about 200 members" per Rune Kyrdalen in personal e-mail to RJB 19 Dec 2010.
Ecuador,
Republic of
"there are over 2,000 enthusiasts from all over the country but the general concept is that there are a great many more" per http://www.wbff-2013.org/indexaction!bgview.action?bgId=29  (2004?)
England
"35 clubs" per http://www.fobbsbonsai.co.uk/mem_map.htm  (c.2010) ; "There are plenty of clubs with no affiliation with the Federation of British Bonsai Societies... a further 3 in East Anglia alone" per will baddeley, posting to Internet Bonsai Club, 19 Dec 2010, http://ibonsaiclub.forumotion.com/t5061-how-many-enthusiasts-are-there#51149  (2010); "More than 70 societies are affiliated to the [FoBBS], with an average of 50 or so members, and there are known to be thousands more who do not belong to a society but keep their love of small trees to themselves." per "Small but ingeniously formed, Don't even think of likening them to garden gnomes", The Economist, May 27, 1999.   See also: http://www.bonsaiempire.com/articles/bonsai-clubs/uk#en.
Estonia,
Republic of
at least one club with six members per http://www.bonsai.ee/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=34&Itemid=34  (c.2010)
Finland,
Republic of
at least one club per http://www.kitabi.fi/index.htm  (c.2010)
France
(French Republic)
107 clubs per http://www.bonsaiempire.fr/divers/bonsai-france  (2010)
Germany,
Federal Republic of
"over 100 regional working groups, 2,500 members" per http://www.bonsai-club-deutschland.de/content/view/299/142/  (2003); 125 clubs per http://www.bonsaiempire.de/allerlei/bonsai-arbeitskreise  (2011)
Greece
(Hellenic Republic)
"...the members of the forum http://www.mybonsai.gr are now up to 3,585" per Elsa Boudouri in Facebook Message to RJB 07/23/16  (2016)
Hungary,
Republic of
at least one club per http://web.archive.org/web/20101020110819/http://bonsai-bci.com/clubs~1.htm#anchor1136400  (<2010)
India,
Republic of
"more than 25,000 people have at one time or another tried their hand" and "Another 1,000 people ... of the Bonsai Study Group of The Indo-Japanese Association with ... 18 affiliated chapters" per http://www.wbff-2013.org/indexaction!bgview.action?bgId=27  (2009)
Indonesia,
Republic of
"The Indonesian Bonsai Society (the only bonsai organization in Indonesia which has 61 chapters countrywide) and the Indonesian Suiseki Association (the only suiseki organization in Indonesia which has 14 chapters countrywide)" per http://www.artofbonsai.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1458 (2007)
Ireland,
The Republic of
2 clubs per the Bonsai Ireland hub  (2015)
Israel,
State of
"there are at least 2 clubs but also individuals that connect mainly on-line ( via several on line forums sites )" per theBalance, posting to Internet Bonsai Club, 22 Dec 2010, http://ibonsaiclub.forumotion.com/t5061p30-how-many-enthusiasts-are-there#51530  (2010)
Italy
(Italian Republic)
"86 clubs" per http://www.bonsaiempire.it/varie/elenco-clubs  (2011)
Japan,
State of
"Japan Bonsai Association has 300 chapters nationwide with approximately 12,000 members" per "About Us" via Google Translate accessed 05/20/2011 http://www.bonsai-kyokai.or.jp/  (2011)
"There are an estimated one million bonsai enthusiasts [in Japan], most of them senior citizens [who have the time to do this]." at the 2:29 mark of Begin Japanology: Bonsai NHK World video (original airdate Feb 16, 2009) published on YouTube Jul 29, 2012 by KWEENSPLIFF.
Korea,
Republic of
"15 units branch office / members : 350 in the Korean Bonsai Association" per http://www.koreabonsai.com/en/intro.html  (>1998) and
"currently, 150,000 people enjoy Suseok culture in 600 nationwide Suseok associations" per http://eng.gg.go.kr/entry/Bucheon-Museum-of-Suseok-Bucheon-si-gyeonggi-do-korea  (2009)
Luxembourg,
Grand Duchy of
at least one club with 13 members per http://www.bonsai.lu/assocf.htm  (c.2010)
Malaysia
"approximately 400 members in the Malaysia Bonsai & Suiseki Society" per http://www.bonsaishoponline.com/bia/country/malaysia/index.shtml  (>1998)
Malta,
Republic of
"1 club... over 80 members" per http://www.bonsaimalta.org/join.htm  (2010?)
Martinique
"approximately 80 members" per http://www.wbff-2013.org/indexaction!bgview.action?bgId=29  (2004?)
Monaco,
Principality of
at least one club per http://bonsaiclubmonaco.free.fr/  (2010)
The Netherlands
at least 19 clubs and study groups per http://www.bonsaiempire.nl/diversen/bonsai-verenigingen#nl  (2010)
New Zealand
21 clubs and organizations per http://www.bonsainz.com/newsletter/BT%20Sep%202015.pdf  (2015)
Northern Ireland
at least 2 clubs per http://www.fobbsbonsai.co.uk/mem_map.htm  (c.2010)   See also: http://www.bonsaiempire.com/articles/bonsai-clubs/uk#ni.
Norway,
Kingdom of
Norwegian bonsai association with "80 paying members" per Rune Kyrdalen in personal e-mails to RJB 19 Dec and 20 Dec 2010.
Pakistan,
Islamic Republic of
at least one club with over a dozen members per http://www.pakistanbonsai.org/executive-committee/  (2010)
Panama,
Republic of
at least one club per http://web.archive.org/web/20101020110819/http://bonsai-bci.com/clubs~1.htm#anchor1660915  (<2010)
Philippines,
Republic of the
with close to 500 active members and a sizable and growing followers among over 34 bonsai societies from different parts of the country, per https://renz15.wordpress.com/2016/03/19/exciting-displays-at-the-philippine-bonsai-society-s-show/ (2016) and https://renz15.wordpress.com/2019/02/20/sanib-puwersa-philippine-bonsai-society-exhibition-at-podium/ (2019)
Poland,
Republic of
at least 2 clubs per http://bonsaiperawang.blogspot.com/2010/06/wlodzimierz-pietraszko-poland.html  (2010)
Portugal
(Portuguese Republic)
4 clubs per https://web.archive.org/web/20160526161813/https://www.bonsaiempire.com/locations/clubs/europe  (<2016)
Puerto Rico,
self-governing unincorporated territory of United States
5 clubs per ABS and BCI club listings  (2010)
Romania
"we have no club or association, we have three forums instead. From time to time we meet regularly as one workshop. It's hard to appreciate the exact number of Bonsai lovers in our country, I estimate to be between 200-300." per popan vasile, posting to Internet Bonsai Club, 24 Dec 2010, http://ibonsaiclub.forumotion.com/t5101-bonsai-in-romania#51644  (2010)
Russia
(Russian Federation)
"there is a Russian speaking bonsai forum (http://www.bonsaiforum.ru/) with slightly over 1000 registered users. In Moscow, there is yet informal National Bonsai Club with about 30 members. The former Moscow Bonsai Club headed by Mrs. Tamara Beloussova though formally still in existence is actually defunct... Perhaps about 10 or so people, including myself, are relatively active bonsai enthusiasts. Another hundred or so are somewhat interested and would like to know more about bonsai and have some limited number of largely inexpensive "commercial" trees and I guess a few hundred of those who have had some limited exposure to bonsai. However, these assumptions are based more on intuition than hard facts." per Andrei Darusenkov in personal e-mail to RJB, 10 Feb 2011.
St. Lucia
"over 80 members" per http://www.wbff-2013.org/indexaction!bgview.action?bgId=29  (2004?)
Scotland
"175 or so members of the Scottish Bonsai Association in 10 groups ...and the additional 'independents' ... easily 50" per fiona, posting to Internet Bonsai Club, 19 Dec 2010, http://ibonsaiclub.forumotion.com/t5061-how-many-enthusiasts-are-there#51164  (2010) and http://www.scottishbonsai.org/gps.htm  (2009) ; + 1 club per http://www.fobbsbonsai.co.uk/mem_map.htm  (c.2010)   See also: http://www.bonsaiempire.com/articles/bonsai-clubs/uk#sc.
Singapore,
Republic of
at least one club per http://www.bonsai.org.sg/Site/About_us.html  (2009)
Slovakia
(Slovak Republic)
at least 4 clubs per http://bonsai-sba.sk/kluby-a-odkazy/  (2013), plus 1 suiseki group (http://suiseki.sk/, 2010)
Slovenia
Republic of
at least one club per http://web.archive.org/web/20101224065412/http://www.ebabonsai.com/visartikel_print.asp?id=110&kat=70  (2010)
South Africa,
Republic of
"24 clubs representing about 800 members in the SABA" per The President's Report by Willem Pretorius, 11-22-17 ;
"with more than 1000 member's country wide" per https://web.archive.org/web/20101009004322/http://www.saba.org.za:80/index.html  (c.2010)
Spain,
Kingdom of
"68 clubs" per http://www.bonsaiempire.es/otros/asociaciones-bonsai  (2011)   See also: http://www.bonsaiempire.es/articulos/otros/asociaciones-bonsai.
Sweden,
Kingdom of
at least one club per http://web.archive.org/web/20101020110819/http://bonsai-bci.com/clubs~1.htm#anchor216518  (<2010) ; Swedish bonsai association with "30 active members" per Rune Kyrdalen in personal e-mails to RJB 19 Dec and 20 Dec 2010.
("In Sweden we have some 550 members in the bonsai society, Svenska Bonsai Sallakapet." per Stefan Sandstrom in e-mail to RJB, 8 Jan 1996)
Switzerland
(Swiss Confederation)
"22 clubs and working groups" per http://www.swissbonsai.ch/main_37_68.html  (2010)
Taiwan
(Republic of China)

"by late 1980s over 150,000 enthusiasts in the nation and over sixty clubs and associations" per Liang, Amy  The Living Art of Bonsai (New York: Sterling Publishing Co., Inc.; 1992), pg. 106
Trinidad
"about 200 registered members" per Khaimraj Seepersad, posting to Internet Bonsai Club, 19 Dec 2010, http://ibonsaiclub.forumotion.com/t5061-how-many-enthusiasts-are-there#51158  (2010)
Ukraine "In Ukraine, there is a separate Russian speaking bonsai forum at http://bonsay.org.ua/forum/?luexE1 with about 600 users. However, I wouldn't guess how many of those are practicing bonsai." per Andrei Darusenkov in personal e-mail to RJB, 10 Feb 2011.
Venezuela,
Bolivarian Republic of
at least 3 clubs per http://web.archive.org/web/20101020110819/http://bonsai-bci.com/clubs~1.htm#anchor824466  (<2010)
Wales
at least 4 clubs per http://www.fobbsbonsai.co.uk/mem_map.htm  (c.2010)   See also: http://www.bonsaiempire.com/articles/bonsai-clubs/uk#wa.
United States of America
at least 107 clubs in 37 states not listed in the following 9 associations per RJB-compiled spreadsheet of these associations and ABS and BCI club listings  (2011) ;
and for starters, "about 100 members" just in the Buffalo, NY club, per Neil Jaeger, posting to Internet Bonsai Club, 19 Dec 2010, http://ibonsaiclub.forumotion.com/t5061-how-many-enthusiasts-are-there#51207  (2010)   See also: "about 183 Bonsai clubs and organizations" per https://web.archive.org/web/20220122052232/https://www.bonsaiempire.com/locations/clubs/us (2022).
Bonsai Societies of Florida
28 clubs and societies in FL, per https://web.archive.org/web/20230514232216/https://www.bonsaiempire.com/locations/clubs/us  (2023)
Golden State Bonsai Federation
62 clubs in CA + 3 in AZ, 2 in NV, and 1 in OR, per http://www.gsbfbonsai.org/Articles.asp?ID=273  (2017)
Hawaii Bonsai Association
17 member clubs, per http://www.hawaiibonsaiassoc.org/files/Clubs.html  (2017)
Lone Star Bonsai Federation
10 clubs in TX, per https://web.archive.org/web/20230514232216/https://www.bonsaiempire.com/locations/clubs/us  (2023)
Louisiana Association of Bonsai Societies
6 clubs and societies in LA and MS, per personal e-mail from Alan Walker to RJB 19 Feb 2011
Mid-America Bonsai Alliance
32 clubs in 6 states + Ontario, CANADA, per https://web.archive.org/web/20230514232216/https://www.bonsaiempire.com/locations/clubs/us  (2023)
MidAtlantic Bonsai Societies
11 clubs in CT, DE, NY, NJ, PA, and RI, per https://web.archive.org/web/20230514232216/https://www.bonsaiempire.com/locations/clubs/us  (2023)
Pacific Northwest Bonsai Clubs Association
19 clubs in ID, MT, OR, WA, and CANADA, per https://web.archive.org/web/20230514232216/https://www.bonsaiempire.com/locations/clubs/us  (2023)
Potomac Bonsai Association
12 clubs in MD, PA, VA + Washington, D.C., per https://web.archive.org/web/20230514232216/https://www.bonsaiempire.com/locations/clubs/us  (2023)



"At the turn of the century, there were over 100,000 enthusiasts in the UK and twice that number in North America (these figures are based on sales of bonsai across those two countries [sic])." per Coussins, Craig  The handbook of bonsai (Devon, England: D&S Books Ltd., 2007), pg. 15.


Please also see When Did Bonsai Come to the Various Countries and Territories? ,

How Big Is Bonsai? , and Permanent Collections Around the World .


As with all pages on this website, if you are aware of additional or correct information,
please contact us with updates and references, rjb@magiminiland.org.
Thank-you.


Home  >  Bonsai History  >  How Many Enthusiasts