This is extremely convenient, especially if you already own wire for a smaller tree and want to work on a tree that has since matured. You can purchase bonsai wire from specialty stores and nurseries. Some hardware stores will also supply the bonsai wire you are looking for. Bonsai wire can come in either silver or brown, depending on whether you want to still be able to show your bonsai while it is being trained. Buying and Raising a Bonsai Owning a bonsai plant can be daunting for the beginner. There is a lot that you need to keep in mind when raising and training a bonsai plant. As the bonsai grows in a small pot, they tend to be more delicate than the trees that are found growing naturally outdoors. Because of this, beginners are sometimes overwhelmed by the things they need to do to ensure their bonsai plant survives. It was originally an art limited to the wealthy, although that has changed over the course of time. Now, bonsai trees are kept by the rich and poor alike, as these plants are inexpensive to care for and easy to work with. Beginners can enjoy a bonsai tree allowed to flourish in their more natural state, while advanced hobbyists typically work to design their trees to meet a specific goal. Like most species of bamboo, the plant does not thrive well in places where frost occurs. Frost damages the bamboo and stops its growth, often shocking and killing the plant. It is for this reason that many bamboo species cannot thrive in northern climates unless they are kept indoors. For beginners, bamboo bonsai is extremely rewarding due to the fact that the plants are so quick to grow. Leaf trimming and pruning are typically used to maintain the appearance and health of the tree, while wiring, clamping, grafting, defoliation and deadwood are methods used to enhance the overall style and design of the bonsai. Each of these methods needs to be performed with care, as your bonsai trees can be killed if you over prune, over trim, or otherwise critically damage the root and structure of the bonsai trees. If you are planning on keeping your ficus bonsai in full leaf year round, you will need to ensure that the plant does not fall into dormancy. If the tree goes into dormancy, you should arrange conditions so that the tree can stay in dormancy, as this will prevent damage to the tree. Training ficus bonsai can be done by bonsai growers of all experience levels, which is one of the reasons this style of tree is very popular among growers.