Why I Grimace When I See “Mallsai”

The other day I was at one of those ever-present big-box discount retailers, when I saw two or three different species of plants (ficus, palm, and abricola) being sold as bonsai trees, for just $20.  Clearly these “mallsai” were low quality and even had the look of mass-production to them (e.g. the rocks were glued in place).

To make things worse, there were no care instructions. I played dumb and asked an employee if she knew how to take care of it. She shrugged and told me “it’s just like a house plant. It will do fine in almost any room.” I couldn’t help but think an experienced bonsai gardener could actually save these trees, but if someone new to bonsai bought one, the tree would most likely die in just a few short days.

It’s a lose-lose situation: a frustrating experience for the shopper and one that only damages the overall reputation of bonsai today. It would be great if stores would stop selling “mallsai,” but we have to do all we can to spread the word so people will know the proper place to purchase a bonsai tree – and one that’s right for their home.  It’s our only chance at turning a negative situation into a positive experience, and one that can help bonsai’s reputation improve.