Yixing pots vs no name brand American pots

[ceriano]

What’s the difference between Yixing pots vs no name brand unglazed pots? are they worth it? Do both look better with age?
This is my first repotting Project. I’m trying to decide between these:

Yixing bonsai pots,Master-line unglazed bonsai pots

www.bonsaivision.com

Large Rectangle Pot - CUPG58-10

Our bonsai pots are sourced in northern China and are made from the high quality white clay. This bonsai pot comes with an unglazed finish.

brusselsbonsai.com

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Yixing is clay named after the region it’s found. It’s known as “purple” clay. You would notice a difference between the two shown in a few ways. The quality of the Yixing clay tends to be a bit finer, resulting in a smoother surface, with better-defined lines, higher density, and a richer brown/orange color. Any Yixing pot I have is also relatively heavier than a Japanese pot of the same size. The Chinese pot offered by Brussels will be slip-cast, a bit rougher in texture, more rounded lines/corners, and will be a dirt brown color. I have both, here is a side by side; cheap pot is on the left.

Is it worth the price difference, yes. I would not show a tree in the left pot, but would show a tree in a local or regional show in a Yixing Of this quality. They will both age fine, but the cheap pot will probably always look like a cheap pot.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Also, if you’re picking between these two exact pots, one is almost 3” wider than the other. That is a cosmic difference in the bonsai pot realm.

 

[ceriano]

Also, if you’re picking between these two exact pots, one is almost 3” wider than the other. That is a cosmic difference in the bonsai pot realm.

Thank you so much. It doesn’t have to be those exact pots. This is the poto I’m looks to repot, it’s currently sitting in a 11” by 8” pot, what would be next size up? 13”?

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

That pot is plenty big.

 

[ceriano]

That pot is plenty big.

So leave in the old pot and root trim? I pulled it out the other day it’s definitely root bound.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

So leave in the old pot and root trim? I pulled it out the other day it’s definitely root bound.

You certainly can do that...unless you simply want to put in something different.

 

[Lazylightningny]

I agree with Brian. What are your goals for up-potting? To put on some girth? Either way you can simply root prune and pot up in the same pot.
It will thicken up.

 

[ceriano]

I’m not crazy for the current pot. I prefer to get something better looking and maybe something a bit bigger so I don’t have to repot for another 4-5 years. To be quit honest I didn’t expect bonsai pots to be that expensive. Most Japanese pots I’m looking at are either way too small or way out of my price range.