PLANTS FOR BONSAI HERE

GROUP III - Difficult at times
 

Special Condition Key:

A prefers more acidic soil; try 1 Tablespoon white vinegar in 1 gal. water monthly
B brown leaf tips indicate salt burn/salt build-up
C subject to iron or manganese chlorosis (best iron source is Kerex®)
D subject to random branch die-back (which may be due to wrong-timed pruning)
E when established, you can give less water
F frost-sensitive, so protect if a hard freeze is expected
I more adaptable for use as an indoor bonsai than other plants
L may drop some leaves when relocated or repotted
M very attractive to spider mites, so hose-spray and keep in good air-flow
P pinch first set of leaves when opened, the next will be smaller in size
R do not root prune if at all possible; never bare root this kind of plant
S leaves sunburn/windburn easily, so provide shelter/protection
U larger specimens can take full sun most of day here when established 
W bark is tender or branches are brittle, so wire carefully, if at all, to avoid scars and damage
^
 evergreen
%
 deciduous/semi-deciduous
*
 can bloom as bonsai

 
Note: Plants labeled as susceptible to chlorosis when grown in the ground should not have this problem in a container with a quality soil mix and regular fertilizer schedule. “Established” plants are firmly rooted and producing a good growth of new buds which have opened up into leaves.

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GROUP III - Difficult at times
 

This Page Last Updated: March 17, 2002



Trident Maple (Acer buergeranum) B,F,S %
        a fast grower that likes water; watch closely if wired to avoid scarring; the leaves grow smaller under more/fuller sun; leaf prune in August and September; the leaves change color in the winter; other dry location recommended species are A. ginnala and A. monspessulanum    [Aceraceae; Sapindales]
 

Japanese Boxwood (Buxus microphylla japonica) F ^*
        prefers alkaline soil; be careful not to damage the shallow roots; needs a little winter chill; best bark texture can be found on 5 gallon+ size specimens; best time to trim is right before monsoon season starts in June or July; "Kingsville" is smallest-leaved variety available    [Buxaceae; Euphorbiales]
 

Camellia (Camellia sp.)   ^*
        needs a little winter chill; not easily shaped; do not fertilize when in bloom; some growers recommend using R.O. water; Sasanqua varieties have the smallest blossoms    [Theaceae; Theales]
 

Hornbeam (Carpinus sp.)   %
        shade leaves and keep cool in summer; remove oversize leaves only; allow a small stump to remain when a branch is cut off, the stump will dieback    [Betulaceae; Fagales]
 

Buttonwood (Conocarpus erectus) F
         repot and root prune in hottest part of summer, remove twice as much top as root; Malathion will defoliate: if leaves drop, keep caring for -- can take quite a while to bounce back    [Combretaceae; Myrtales]
 

Fukien Tea (Ehretia microphylla) F,I,L ^
        give lots of light, but not direct sun; likes heat and humidity, but don’t keep too wet; repot in early to mid-summer; prefers R.O. water; can be attractive to scale insects: fingernail scrape off what you can, then use Safer® Insecticidal Soap     [Boraginaceae; Lamiales]
 

Jacaranda (Jacaranda mimosifolia) F %
        keep soil uniformly moist throughout the year; yellow leaves dropping could be due to too much water; shrinking brown leaves could be due to dry root ball; can be vigorously root pruned and transplanted in the spring; shorten new shoots to one or two pairs of leaves after they have produced at least four or five pairs; regularly remove all large leaves     [Bignoniaceae; Scrophulariales]
 

California Juniper  (Juniperus californica) D,M,U ^
       see other junipers above; if you get one on a dig, give it plenty of time to re-establish strong growth before you start to prune, a soil heater wire especially during winter can significantly improve the survival and regrowth of a dug specimen, don't give more than a couple of hours of direct morning sun until it's putting out lots of new growth,  may need up to a year to reacclimate to full sun exposure, use a very loose soil mix, keep foliage misted and bagged (much moisture is absorbed through the foliage), addition of SuperthriveTM is recommended    [Cupressaceae; Coniferales]
 

Creosote / Greasewood (Larrea tridentata) M,R,U ^*
        pinch buds, don't cut them; this plant is difficult to establish, but then hardy; roots grow slowly; it actually likes and does well with more water than you'd expect; trimming in the autumn may encourage spring blossoms; needs to be wired once or twice a year to keep the small branches horizontal, best in autumn, then remove in late October or November; wild-dug specimens can be large-trunked but iffy in surviving: try to get as much of rootball as possible, plant in large/over-size container, and give it time    [Zygophyllaceae; Sapindales]
 

Liquidamber / Sweet Gum (Liquidamber sp.) C,S %
        can be used instead of Japanese Maple; prefers a neutral or slightly acid soil mix; remove all large terminal buds from the branches in the spring to encourage side buds; repot less often; can throw occasional large/disproportioned leaves; give as much sun as possible to set up good autumn coloring; you don't have to leaf prune this plant    [Hamamelidaceae; Hamamelidales]
 

Magnolia (Magnolia sp.)   %*
        leaves are disproportionately large, but the flowers make this tree a worth-while bonsai; prune after flowers start to wither    [Magnoliaceae; Magnoliales]
 

Barbados Cherry (Malpighia glabra) A,C,F,I ^
        prefers high humidity and rich soil mix; water well to flush out salts; likes a lot of light    [Malpighiaceae; Polygalales]
 

Crab Apple (Malus sp.)   %*
        fertilize once in the spring; if you fertilize during the summer it could dehydrate the plant; might  show a little windburn on the leaves; needs a winter chill to do well and develop flower buds; the flowers develop out of last year's growth; needs full-day filtered sun; water only when showing wilt: watering every day unnecessarily can quickly kill the plant due to root rot; keep soil away from direct contact with the bark of the trunk; can be a very fast grower    [Rosaceae; Rosales]
 

Heavenly Bamboo (Nandina domestica) C ^*
        wiring is seldom used with; looks best in group plantings; remove the oldest stems to prune; leaves change color in the autumn; a chill brings out best color    [Berberidaceae; Ranunculales]
 

Eldarica or Goldwater Pine  (Pinus eldarica) R ^
       see other pines above    [Pinaceae; Coniferales]
 

Japanese Black Pine (Pinus thunbergii) B,R ^
        give abundant organic fertilizer in the spring and summer, including foliar feedings; requires much light; repot young specimens every two or three years, older specimens every seven to ten years; learn about proper candle and needle pinching before attempting to do so; leave all growth on an immature tree through the summer, then cut long growth off in October, repeat this several years until the trunk and branches are large enough, then start trimming candles and long growth in April/May to push out a second smaller set of needles in a single year; mist the needle ends with cold water right after cutting them to slow non-salt browning of ends; prefers neutral to slightly acidic soil    [Pinaceae; Coniferales]
 

Pistachio (Pistache sp.) U %
        [Anacardiaceae; Sapindales]
 

Yew Pine / Buddhist Pine (Podocarpus macrophyllus)  C,F,S ^
        slow growing, but still only leave wire on trunk and branches for just 2 to 3 months; gray needles mean the plant has been getting too much water; prefers slightly moist soil with adequate drainage    [Taxodiaceae; Coniferales]
 

Purple-leaf Plum (Prunus cerasifera 'Atropurpurea')   %*
        most Prunus (peach, plum, cherry, apricot, almond, etc.) species seem to have short lives of only a few years as bonsai here; possibly deeper pots will help; this is the hardiest Prunus here; gorgeous in bloom with white petals against a few green leaves before they turn purplish; susceptible to aphids    [Rosaceae; Rosales]
 

Oak (Quercus sp.)  %
        NEVER leaf prune or defoliate oaks; prefer deeper pots because they root deeply; leaf burn on edges indicates hard water salts, so use R.O. water; can be bare-rooted when dormant; some oaks have dark brown roots, healthy but not expected light color     [Fagaceae; Fagales]
 

Indian Hawthorne (Raphiolepis indica) *
       [Rosaceae; Rosales]
 

Rhapis / Lady palm (Rhapis excelsa) I ^
        a slow grower; wiring not used with; best with some shade    [Palmaceae; Arecales]
 

Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis)  E,M,R,U ^*
        do not let go dry; a fast grower: keep pruned; in Phoenix seems to have a short lifespan of only a couple of years when potted    [Labiatae; Lamiales]
 

Serissa / Snow Rose (Serissa foetida) A,I,L,M ^*
        likes humidity, but don’t overwater; give as much light as possible, but not direct sun; similar care and feeding as African violets; can be difficult to shape; remove suckers from base, or train them as smaller members of a grove planting; bugs can become a major problem without excellent air circulation around    [Rubiaceae; Rubiales]
 

Australian Bush Cherry  (Syzygium paniculatum) B,D,F,I ^
        accepts low light levels, but does better when brighter; prune lightly regularly; let soil dry slightly before watering; it is the same plant as Eugenia paniculatum    [Myrtaceae; Myrtales]
 

Cape Honeysuckle (Tecomaria capensis) D,E,F,U ^*
        trunk very slow -- seemingly slower than most other types we use -- to fatten in pot, so best to start with as large specimen as possible; fast growth spurts; need to cut back strongly once or twice a year to hold shape, some dieback might follow    [Bignoniaceae; Scrophulariales]
 

Yellow Oleander (Thevetia nereifolia) F ^*
        [Apocynaceae; Gentianales]
 

Zelkova / Japanese Gray-Bark Elm (Zelkova serrata)  S %
        treat similarly as you would a Chinese elm, but this species is less forgiving    [Ulmaceae; Urticales]

Plant List
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