Please find attached and below an Addendum of the Presentation by Teanah Rowland.

Accent Plants – Presented by Teanah Rowland 3rd July 2025
Bonsai Empire
https://www.bonsaiempire.com/origin/related-arts/accent-plants
Kusamono or Shitakusa
草もの – Bonsai trees are sometimes traditionally displayed in a
Tokonoma, consisting of a Bonsai tree, a scroll and an accent plant
(representing men, heaven and earth respectively).
Adding a scroll, or in this case an accent plant to the composition is
done to accentuate the tree on display and create a sense of harmony.
An accent plant (or companion planting) can be a (flowering) plant,
bamboo, grass, ferns, a moss variety or even some mushrooms. It
depends on the season, style of Bonsai tree and many other factors
what kind and size of accent plant fits the design.
Selecting the proper accent plants
As mentioned above, the accent plant is added to a display to
accentuate the season, flow and style of the Bonsai.
Season: the accent plant should resemble the current season. This
means the colour of leaves and the presence of fruits or flowers is of
great importance.
Style and size: Bonsai trees that resemble a struggle to survive (like a
windswept or a growing in a rock styled tree) should be accompanied
by a not too luxuriantly growing accent plant. Taller styles, like the
literati, can be displayed with a tall grass variety. The accent needs to
resemble the story the tree tells.
Contrast: Bonsai trees with flowers or fruits should be contrasted by
non-flowering accent plants, and vice-versa.
Origins: when combining several plants to create one accent plant,
make sure these come from similar origins as we want to resemble
nature.
Accent Plants – Presented by Teanah Rowland 3rd July 2025
Pots: companion plantings can be placed in small glazed or unglazed pots, but also on a tile or slate. In the latter case, moss should be grown around the soil to create a mature looking plant.
https://youtu.be/_vqjiABkY8A
A successful companion planting is beautiful in its own right but should not become the dominant part of the three-pieced Tokonoma display. Obviously these guidelines should not work to limit your personal taste; overall accent plants are rather easy and inexpensive to grow (and the options are endless). Make sure to water regularly, as the small pots and slates do not hold much soil. Bonsai Tonight
https://bonsaitonight.com/2010/02/09/accent-plants/
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Accent plants can make a good bonsai display great. Bright accents can enliven a sombre display; subtle accents can temper displays that are rife with colour. They are the final element enlisted to enhance a display’s balance.
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There are few rules governing proper use. Keep in mind is that accent plants must be full. Like skimpy trees, skimpy accents draw attention
Accent Plants – Presented by Teanah Rowland 3rd July 2025
to what’s missing. And as accents are meant to complement and enhance displays, they need to be full. https://bonsaitonight.com/2019/04/26/learning-about-accent-plants-
at-bonsai-on-the-bayou/
Derbyshire Bonsai
https://www.derbyshirebonsai.co.uk/collections/accent-plants
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Accent plants are used to enhance the natural appearance of bonsai.
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Full size trees growing in the wild have various other plants and natural objects around them, including wild flowers, grasses, mosses, lichens and even stones or rocks.
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Small plants are most suitable as accents for the majority of displays because their size does not overpower the bonsai.
Some advice from Tony Tickle of Yamadori.co.uk
https://yamadori.co.uk/category/accent-plants-2/
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Accent plants are versatile and ideal for enhancing bonsai displays, creating miniature gardens, or growing as standalone houseplants. Use natural dwarfs or miniatures.
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Traditionally, accent plants complement bonsai trees, often displayed in mame pots to highlight the tree’s features. When thoughtfully paired, they enhance the overall aesthetic and provide a sense of harmonious balance.
Accent Plants – Presented by Teanah Rowland 3rd July 2025
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When combining accent plants with bonsai or other greenery, it’s essential to select plants with similar care requirements to ensure they thrive together.
https://eastleighbonsai.org.uk/accent-plants/
 Part of the appeal of Bonsai is how it is linked to transience and the passage of time.
 Called ‘Shitakusa’ in Japanese, accent plants can be small bamboo and grasses, flowering plants, lichen or moss.
 As part of a Bonsai or Suiseki display, they are used to depict seasonality or allude to a specific area like mountains, riverbanks or woods.
David Cheshire
https://www.davidcheshirenurseries.co.uk/kusamono.php
Kusamono / Shitakusa
Kusamono is a collection of small potted plants that are designed to be viewed alongside bonsai or displayed on their own.
Kusamono translated literally means “grass thing” and shitakusa means “undergrass”.
The term kusamono is used when plants (usually less formal planting containing a mix of grasses, mosses and flowering plants) are the focus of the display.
The term shitakusa is used when plants are displayed as an accompaniment to bonsai displays.
Shitakusa are often less fussy in their arrangement and may just contain moss or a simple grass. Such simple arrangements should not detract from the bonsai with which shitakusa are displayed.
Both kusamono and shitakusa are grown in special pots, driftwood, or even rocks and stones and the plants used typically include moss, grass, lichen, minature ferns, minature hostas and minature orchids.
Accent Plants – Presented by Teanah Rowland 3rd July 2025
David’s recommended accent plants:
❖ Japanese sweet flag (Acorus gramineus )
❖ Dwarf / Minature Hosta (Hosta sp. )
❖ Rabbits-foot and hare’s-foot ferns (Davallia sp. )
❖ Various mosses