Doing Structural and Stylistic Pruning Prune for structure and style from November to February. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. If you want some thin branches to thicken, then don't trim them. Do not seal the cuts with any chemicals; the dwarf jade will form calluses over the cuts within a couple of days. I water it once every eight to 10 days. It grows equally well in a garden setting, although it may not flower as prolifically as in its natural habitat. All clippings can be turned into new trees – Spekboom forms it’s own micro-climate under its protective thicket As explained above, trees will concentrate most growth on the top and outer parts of its stems; it is important to prune these growth areas regularly to encourage growth closer to the inner parts of the tree. Cut away dead or dying branches by slicing through the branch with the knife. Easily explained. Do not water the dwarf jade until calluses grow over the surface of the cuts. How and when do I trim my 5 year old juniper bonsai tree? The spekboom can be found in various habitats from rocky slopes, thicket and bushveld to dry river valleys in the eastern parts of South Africa and parts of Mozambique. The water retention makes the tree limbs heavy which naturally bends the trunk and branches. Even leaves that are knocked off while pruning or doing other activities may root on their own. You can't shape a jade. This latex is a defense mechanism shared by many plant species. It has small round succulent leaves and red stems that can survive arid conditions. wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. Do not water the dwarf jade before cutting, since the trunk, branches and leaves will fill with moisture and leak when sliced open. In order to grow spekboom successfully, the soil must be well-drained. The flowers are rich in nectar, bringing beautiful birds to your garden. Spekboom is indigenous to South Africa. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 110,815 times. It is a resilient plant found predominantly in the … This plant is not a real jade, staying more compact while slowly growing to 12 feet tall when planted in the ground in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 10 and 11. The soil under a spekboom is of excellent quality – Spekboom responds well to pruning and grows densely, making it an excellent, hardy hedge. All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published. If a plant bleeds white, then the substance being released is latex. Spekboom is a really versatile plant Whether you are looking for a plant that can be turned into a hedge or a bonsai, or used as groundcover or a large bush, spekboom can do it all. Outdoor Spekboom can be pruned into an evergreen hedge. However, we, as bonsai lovers, would love to read more in detail about the pruning and trimming of a, "Trimming branches and roots is species specific and environment must be very carefully considered to be successful. My solid green Elephant’s bush hangs & grows upright. Do not make a concave cut, but keep the cut flush with the branch surface. If you want to infuse the spekboom taste into the mix, pick some leaves and cut them in half before dropping into your glass. Research on the species of your Bonsai and see when it is safe to transplant it. Pretty darn amazing! We use cookies to make wikiHow great. Negative: On Jun 14, 2013, cactusmother from Scottsdale, AZ wrote: Help! If you decide to trim roots, trim the air roots. Spekboom also responds well to pruning and grows densely, making it an excellent, hardy hedge. Mak… #3 It is Water-wise and Super Resilient. Place in the sunniest place available and do not water until new growth begins. ", https://www.bonsaiempire.com/basics/styling/pruning, https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=586, https://www.bonsaiempire.com/basics/bonsai-care/advanced/calendar, https://www.proflowers.com/blog/beginner-bonsai-tree-care, https://www.evergreengardenworks.com/rootprun.htm, https://www.evergreengardenworks.com/pruning.htm, consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. All About Growing Portulacaria afra. I cut it back and now am working on branch structure. ", "Shows what I need to do with my tree. Please help us continue to provide you with our trusted how-to guides and videos for free by whitelisting wikiHow on your ad blocker. Thank you from Naples, FL. Gather a 2- to 4-inch-long stem with healthy foliage at the tip and a sturdy stem. The practice used for pruning juniper bonsai trees is known as finger pinching. Just want to clarify that ''Spekboom'' is not used by the native africans and is actually an Afrikaans word . wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. Approved. Ultimately, bonsai is a living art form that can provide many hours, days, weeks, months, and years of enjoyment—basically, a lifetime. Considerably more so than normal plants do – in fact it is said that one hectare of Spekboom can capture four tons of carbon in a year. Cut them slanted so the plant can receive lots of nutrition and water. Make sure that you occasionally trim back the root system of the tree to prevent it from growing too vigorously. Dwarf jade cuttings root quickly without callusing or using root hormone. Give it a little water every few days, and you’ll soon have a new spekboom plant of your own to help the environment and climate change! I received a p. Afra from a older guy that passed. However, you do need to prune it from time to time. I want to ensure it lives and is trimmed properly. In this case, 92% of readers who voted found the article helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. No time to water your garden? It varies from species to species. Help! Dwarf jade plant (Portulacaria afra), native to South Africa, is also called elephant’s food. It responds well to pruning and grows densely, making it an excellent, hardy screen or hedge. Why does my bonsai bleed white when trimmed? It responds very well to pruning, and you should prune it regularly to … If the plant is young, then a piece less than 2 inches wide will work. Pruning a Ficus Bonsai Part 1: Bonsai maintenance pruning . Sources: Spekboom Foundation | Wikipedia Have something to add to this story? The key is to prune the roots and the foliage to keep the plant looking dwarfed. "I received a ficus bonsai as a gift. Nell Foster says. They may also root in water. The steps below will help you to understanding the process of trimming and shaping your bonsai into a beautiful work of art. To create this article, volunteer authors worked to edit and improve it over time. Do not dig into the trunk when taking the cutting. It truly is a magnificent plant. Rinse well with clear water and dry. Simply twist the stem to remove it from the main branch or cut it with a very sharp, sanitized blade. Cuttings root rather easily too – a small section cut off just below the node (bottom leaves then removed) and planted – and watered well for the first few days too – will grow quickly. If you really can’t stand to see another ad again, then please consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. Place the cut end of the branch halfway in a small container filled with 2 parts sand and 1 part potting soil. Like most succulents, elephant bush is easy to reproduce from cuttings. If every eight days is the amount you gave it in winter, it will need more in the spring/summer as the tree is more active. I didn't know that! Cut the branch off with a knife, making the cut even with the surface of the trunk. Spekboom can tolerate cold temperatures as well as extreme heat. Portulacaria afra – the name might sound like a mouthful, so it might be easier to refer to this plant by another name. % of people told us that this article helped them. How to Propagate Plants from Cuttings Cut a 4- to 5-inch-long (10 to 12 cm) stem (or side shoot) just below a leaf, and remove all but two or three leaves at the top. Take cuttings in spring or summer for best results. Portulacaria afra, or elephant bush, is a small succulent shrub native to Eastern South Africa. Luckily, it’s a bonsai plant that has plenty of alternatives (elephant bush, porkbush, dwarf jade plant, and spekboom, in Afrikaans, just to name a few! In nature, the species grows to 13 feet in height, but it is generally much smaller under cultivation. The pruning techniques for bonsai not only reduce the size of the plant but strive to mimic the natural forms of the trees that grew in the mountainous, harsh regions where bonsai originated.. One of these popular forms is the cascade bonsai. Karen Carter spent three years as a technology specialist in the public school system and her writing has appeared in the "Willapa Harbor Herald" and the "Rogue College Byline." Cut the branch off with a knife, making the cut even with the surface of the trunk. Image caption: Pruning – (Clump style) Define the stems you want to develop into branches by nipping off leaves and leaf buds along the stems , along the underside of branches. This article has been viewed 110,815 times. When grown in containers, they stay much smaller. ", "It has given me the confidence to nurture a Bonsai tree.". No time to water your garden? wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. The above ground and underground portions of your bonsai tree will need to be kept in relative proportion. wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. Spekboom is a water-wise plant that’s ideal for low … Remove large leaves to open the plant and allow light to reach inner stems where you want new, smaller leaves to grow. Major branches should be trimmed with pruners or sharp scissors, but very small growths can be pinched cleanly away with your fingers. ", "Exactly what I was looking for. Examine the dwarf jade plant and locate a branch at least 3 inches long and 2 inches wide that will not be noticed when missing. Keep reading to learn about creating a cascade bonsai. Good post. Spekboom can be propagated from cuttings, which must be kept dry to prevent rotting. By signing up you are agreeing to receive emails according to our privacy policy. – The soil it grows in can be used to grow other plants, thus making it a nurse plant. By using our site, you agree to our. Just use a sterile blade and trim into the shape you desire. Your site informed me that, "It does help. For this reason, learning how to trim a bonsai is an essential skill for any grower interested in this method. What is the best way to prune? This article has been viewed 110,815 times. I water my bonsai every two days. References For structural reasons, you want to leave branches intact that will increase growth in weak areas. Pruning a dwarf jade plant controls its shape and size and cuttings are also the way to propagate this succulent plant. ). Elephant bush is well suited to growing in a hanging or elevated container. The art of bonsai lies primarily in the grower's ability to shape the tree in order to contain and direct its growth. More bushy than tall and thin. Remove all but two to four of the leaves near the top of the cutting. © Copyright 2020 Hearst Communications, Inc. Pruning is necessary when growing the dwarf jade plant as a bonsai. Ensure you plant plants with similar water requirements in the same beds – roses for example or other thirsty plants are not good companions of Spekboom. It’s almost all trailing now. Spekboom can be propagated from cuttings, which must be kept dry to prevent rotting. Using a cutting for garnish that can doubled-up as a swizzle stick. Deep cuts leave unsightly scars and sometimes cause branch death. I didn't know what to do with it untill I saw your post. Positive: On Jul 17, 2014, stevelvv from San Diego, CA (Zone 10a) wrote: Plant is in full bloom in San Diego. It's also known as elephant food, elephant plant, spekboom, and by its scientific name Portulacaria afra.The plant grows in the wild in Africa, where it serves as a food source for elephants. However, the flowers are not why we grow the spekboom. Allow the cleanly cut edges of the cuttings to dry out for a few days before planting it in well-drained river sand. Am I missing something? Spekboom is a water-wise plant that’s ideal for low … Pruning of new buds is done throughout the growing season. Portulacaria (Port-yoo-luh-CARE-ee-ah) is a small genus of upright, semi-woody succulents indigenous to South Africa.The stems are thick, succulent and brown to burgundy, with small, round jade green leaves. For example, leave branches in place on thinner areas of the trunk to help thicken it. Simply cut or break off a piece of a spekboom, let it dry out for one or two days and then stick it in the ground. Let the soil around the base of the plant dry out. In late winter and spring, this plant flowers bloom in beautiful pink. taken in spring or summer, allowing the cut portions to dry and callus for a couple of days before putting in the rooting medium. Pruning and wiring: Because the Jade tree is a succulent, it retains water in its trunk and branches. If you want it to trail, start by prune … Planted in the ground and allowed to grow to its full height, Portulacaria will tower up to 15 feet high. Don't cut the lower branches or clear leaves from the ground beneath: this hinders successful … How to Propagate a Longan Fruit Tree in a Pot. If the trunk leans heavily in one direction, remove branches in that direction while preserving those in the opposite direction. It’s water wise. Should I trim the main root or the air roots? While some people use scissors to nip off the buds, it is also contended that scissor cutting may cause browning of the cut ends, thereby spoiling the looks of the tree. These houseplants are also a popular choice to prune into a bonsai form - smaller plants are best for this, or you make your own by propagating… see below! Recently took a cutting from a beautiful 3m x 3m x 3m Spekboom plant in the Karoo. She has an Associate of Arts from Rogue Community College with a certificate in computer information systems. Do not dig into the trunk when taking the cutting. Trim the bonsai tree's roots accordingly. Does it need to be pruned? The elephant bush is a bush-like succulent plant that grows in a variety of sizes depending on its environment. 08/10/2020 at 7:43 pm. Insert the cutting into a box or container, filled with about 3 inches (8 cm) of moistened pure builder's sand, vermiculite, or perlite. To … Juniper and ficus are 2 of the most popular types of trees for use in bonsai, but there are dozens more that can be adapted as well. Before and … We know ads can be annoying, but they’re what allow us to make all of wikiHow available for free. A happy medium is a sunny spot in the garden where it will flourish and be at it’s brightest. Pruning: It’s really easy to prune your Spekboom when the stems get particularly long to keep it looking neat. Trim your spekboom bonsai into a tree shape by removing branches and leaves that clutter the style you desire. The Spekboom or Pork Bush (Portulacaria Afra) is a versatile, evergreen plant with numerous health benefits, especially to the environment. Allow the cleanly cut edges of the cuttings to dry out for a few days before planting it in well-drained river sand. Ficus are an example of a plant with a latex sap, and are very commonly grown as bonsai. Let the cutting dry out and callous for a couple of days and then plant the cutting in damp gritty soil in a small pot. Take your gin and tonic game to the next level by switching out the cucumber for spekboom. I'm experienced with different types of plants. ", "Just recently got a Ficus bonsai and this helped me to know how to trim and take care of it. Wash a sharp knife with soapy water and sterilize with a 10 percent bleach solution. Thank you for the information! Place the cutting in a moderately lit area where temperatures are at least 65 F (18 C). The goal of maintenance pruning is to maintain and refine the shape of a tree. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/c\/c2\/Trim-a-Bonsai-Step-1.jpg\/v4-460px-Trim-a-Bonsai-Step-1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/c\/c2\/Trim-a-Bonsai-Step-1.jpg\/aid1914258-v4-728px-Trim-a-Bonsai-Step-1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"