The three critical variables for choosing a pot are shape, color and proportion.  Trees which have a direction are best shown in pots which have direction such as either rectangular or oval shapes. Round or circular pots compliment cascades or trees without direction such as bunjin trees.

Early in the life of a bonsai tree generic pots are satisfactory, but as the styling of the tree becomes more refined, the choice of a specific pot for the tree becomes easier. A color wheel with three basic colors, red, blue and yellow as well as the intermediate colors, purple, green and orange, is useful when glazed pots are selected. Colors opposite from each other on the wheel such as green and red gives high impact and colors adjacent on the wheel such as green and yellow blend.  Proper choice of a colored pot is very important and is complicated by the fact that the dominate color of the tree may change during the season.  For example, a maple is green when leafed out in spring and summer but might become bright red in fall color.

The choice of pot color for this tree is dictated by when you want to show the tree. One can avoid the problems of glaze color by choosing an unglazed pot which generally works well with all trees, although it does not have the visual impact that a glazed pot might produce.

The height of the pot should be equal to about the width of the trunk of the tree at the base. The width of the pot should be about two thirds to three quarters of the height of the tree.