Part of the penjing collection at the National Bonsai and Penjing Museum, this trident maple, Acer buergerianum, has its roots growing over a rock and its foliage and stems trimmed in the shape of a dragon.

Penjing, also known as penzai, tray landscape, potted scenery, potted landscape, or miniature trees and rockery, is the ancient Chinese art of depicting artistically formed trees, other plants, and landscapes in miniature. Similar practices exist in other cultures, including the Japanese traditions of bonsai and saikei, as well as the miniature living landscapes of Vietnamese hòn non bộ.

Generally speaking, tree penjing specimens differ from bonsai by allowing a wider range of tree shapes (more “wild-looking”) and by planting them in bright-colored and creatively shaped pots. In contrast, bonsai are more simplified in shape (more “refined” in appearance) with larger-in-proportion trunks, and are planted in unobtrusive, low-sided containers with simple lines and muted colors. [Source]

Located in Washington, D.C., the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum has one of the largest collections of bonsai and penjing in North America.