AusBonsai

Hey All,

How do you reduce the size of foliage on a Jacaranda, have read a few posts that say it's easy but no one has said how, please help.

hi mate,

foliage reduction is done via leaf defoliation, removing the leaves will make the tree grow a new set smaller. jacs have a compound type leaf, they will reduce but suit a larger tree, i dont think a shohin size tree will work to well

Jamie wrote:hi mate,

foliage reduction is done via leaf defoliation, removing the leaves will make the tree grow a new set smaller. jacs have a compound type leaf, they will reduce but suit a larger tree, i dont think a shohin size tree will work to well

Thanks Jamie for your reply, I understand how to defoliate say a Maple but how do you defoliate a Jacaranda and when.

I defloiate mine whenever the leaves get to big

I will do it many times over the growing season to maintain the smaller leaf size.
If the tree is in a small pot, the roots will tend to be restriceted and the whole tree will slow down somewhat which helps

Ken

kcpoole wrote:I defloiate mine whenever the leaves get to big

I will do it many times over the growing season to maintain the smaller leaf size.
If the tree is in a small pot, the roots will tend to be restriceted and the whole tree will slow down somewhat which helps

Ken

Thanks Ken I appreciate your help can you confirm for me if you take the whole leaf or leave the stem as with Maples.

I cut the whole leaf off, but leave about 1/2 the petiole ( the stem of the leaf itself)

Ken

kcpoole wrote:I cut the whole leaf off, but leave about 1/2 the petiole ( the stem of the leaf itself)

Ken

G'day Ken, can you get them to flower in the pot. Nice looking Jac to

Donlt think so bodhi as they flower on the end of new growth only, and wee cut that bit off all the time

If you let them go mad, then no reason why they will not

Ken

Not to sure with Jac's as I have never had one, but with other compound leaf trees I have obtained good leaf reduction by pinching out the tip of the emerging leaf. Allow the new leaf to grow to around 25mm in length (it wont have opened by this stage) and nip the tip off. The leaf will then open, as it can't grow anymore. The open leaf will look natural and wont look "cut off" as it actually is a natural leaf that just opened to soon, if you know what I mean. It is a very tedious practice and must be done to every leaf at the same stage or your leaf size will be all over the shop. Obviously as well, if a leaf is missed it will open at full size for its position on the tree.
As for flowers, I have seen one Jac Bonsai in flower, but it was a very old and very large tree, have never seen any young ones with flowers.

Thank you all for your advise, it is amazing how much i am learning on this site, the wealth of knowledge is amazing, thank you again.

I have always loved Jacaranda, growing up with one outside my bedroom window. I have also loved experimenting with them as bonsai for as long as I have been playing with trees.

Controlling feed & water at all times has a major role to play. They perform best with a dry winter & spring period, leaf colour & fall takes 3-4mths and you get very subtle but superb shifts in colouration. Once regrowth has started keep the water restricted & do not feed at all. As growth extends enough for you to get hold of the tip beyond the second leaf... break it out, this forces the leaves to open up and mature early and smaller. Now you can feed & water more, as the new buds mature at the base of each leaf & start to develop reduce the water again. Its a constant cycle of moist to dry.

Flowering is a different matter & as Ken has said they flower at the tips of new growth, pruning the growing tip out after end of summer in a temperate climate means no flowers. If your still developing a tree its best to not let it flower but rather focus energy into growth. Jacaranda can flower from as young as 3yrs old in the ground under favorable conditions.

I have had entire leaves on medium sized semi mature trees that were under 15cm and most around the 10cm length which while it sounds big for a bonsai, due to the structure of the leaves it gives a very light delicate feel.

Matt