Glass and jade decorative bonsai tree with cherry blossoms

These decorative glass and jade bonsai trees became popular in the mid-20th century, particularly from the 1960s through the 1980s. They were often produced in China and Japan as decorative items that combined traditional Asian aesthetics with durable materials that required no maintenance. These miniature trees appeal to collectors of Asian decorative arts and those interested in bonsai aesthetics without the maintenance requirements of living plants. They are valued for their delicate craftsmanship, the use of semi-precious materials like jade, and their representation of cherry blossoms which hold significant cultural symbolism in Asian art traditions.