One aspect that is critical to a bonsai’s design is the proper taper of the trunk and secondarily the branches should mirror the taper as determined by the trunk and the base of the tree.

Not all bonsai need dramatic taper. Some bonsai are wonderfully designed with a long slim trunk that has little or no taper. Bunjin or literati designs often show little taper and yet they can be spectacular bonsai designs.

The most critical factor is the consisency of the pattern in the trunk. Designs that do not seem to work well are ones that mix little taper with lots of taper. Once the taper is set by the lower trunk the rest of the tree’s design should follow.