Absolute Beginner questions (Portulacaria Afra)

[JRC]

Hi,

I am new to Bonsais and couldn't resist buying a Potulacaria Afra.

But I have alot of questions:

1. Is this the correct prune point? Can I just remove these big leaves and small ones will replace them?


2. Where do I cut off branches? At the joint (what is it really called?), between two joints or at an intersection?


3.There are lots of branches with no leaves, how do I make the branches more "bushy" / more smaller leaves? It has lots of big leaves, just remove the leaves? Or cut further back?

4. I have no clue what to remove, what to trim/prune. I really need help. The big leaves look like crassula

thank you!

[Bougy Fan]

Cut it back as hard as you like - it will grow back. Defoliation does work on these - I have seen some great examples. I would start with getting it into a rough shape and then concentrate on branches and leaves.

[kcpoole]

I cut mine back and leave the 1st set of leaves on each branch that I wish to keep, all other branches I cut off between the fist and second "Joint" the branch will dry and die back the to previous joint.
Q1 - on yours I cut back to the red line or even closer if it is terminal foliage

Q2 - Between the sections

Q3 - Cut them back to wherever you need, and wirethem to shape. they will backbud usually

Q4 - Remove any downward pointing leaves and braches. Remove or shorten upward pointing shoots. Wire out branches to allow light to get in and backshooting to happen and to shape the foliage into flat pads.

Ken

[dansai]

Hi JRC

As to your questions about names of things, wherever there is leaves coming out of the stems this point is called a node. At the top of the leaves where they join the stem there will be a bud, probably too small to see, but this will produce a new shoot either when the shoot elongates a long way or some damage happens above that point. Or it is cut!

The space between the nodes (where the leaf and buds are), are called internodes. There will be no buds in this section. From looking at your pictures it looks like the tree has been cut back and then just left to grow for a while. In your first pic I'ld cut back lower than the red line, just above the first set of leaves. The internode is very short there where the next ones are quite long and getting longer. If you cut back to the first set of leaves on all the new growth the foliage will be more compact and new leaves will be smaller.

[JRC]

Thanks everyone! Shall I cut/prune branches now? Or wait till the beginning of the next season?

[kcpoole]

In Brissy you can do now.
I do mine in Sydney year round.

Ken

[Ray]

Another important bit of advice with these.

With normal barked trees, you make a concave cut to let the bark heal over. If you do that with this species it will not likely heal over and you will have a scar that may never fully close. You want to make cuts flat, or with a slight stub. The stub will dry out and fall off leaving a smooth surface.

[Akhi]

These leaves look like the plant is in shade too. More light and less water makes them throw out smaller leaves