How to Grow and Care for Small-Leaf Syzygium buxifolium

From April to June, small-leaf Syzygium buxifolium should be placed in a spot with plenty of sunshine and rain, and the potting soil should always be kept moist; use loose potting soil or growing medium, and keep the potting soil pH at 5—6; repot and change the soil once every 3 to 4 years, preferably in early April; develop branches in moderation, and do not let the branches grow too long. Prune methodically, preferably using the thinning-and-branch-development method, cutting out sections while keeping branches.

1. From April to June, small-leaf Syzygium buxifolium should be placed in a spot with plenty of sunshine and rain, and the potting soil should always be kept moist. It must not be short of water at ordinary times; once it lacks water, it will lose branches, and in severe cases the whole trunk will die.

2. Use loose potting soil or growing medium, and keep the potting soil pH at 5—6.

3. Attention should be paid to maintaining humidity. The common practice of watering potted plants only when the soil is dry and stopping when it is wet, as seen in some materials, should not be adopted in the care of Syzygium buxifolium.

4. Small-leaf Syzygium buxifolium can be repotted and have its soil changed once every 3 to 4 years, preferably in early April. After changing the soil, water thoroughly, place it in a shady spot, and keep it moist; after new shoots grow, gradually move it to a spot with plenty of sunshine and rain to encourage vigorous growth.

5. Follow the principle of not watering until dry, and watering thoroughly when you do. New trunks should be kept moist and must not lack water. Established small-leaf Syzygium buxifolium plants should not be too dry in autumn, to prevent a large amount of leaf drop. In winter, ensure sufficient water before the cold wave arrives, and do not let them freeze dry.

6. Small-leaf Syzygium buxifolium likes fertilizer, but do not apply concentrated fertilizer, to prevent the concentration from being too high and causing root rot. New trunks do not need fertilizer in the first year. From the second year on, depending on the plant's growth, apply organic fertilizer once every half month or one month during the growing season. If it bears fruit, increase the frequency of fertilization. Apply light fertilizer frequently, mainly nitrogen and potassium fertilizer, mixed with trace elements and watered on, and older trees can be given more foliar fertilizer sprays.

7. Potted plants should not be allowed to bloom and bear fruit. Blooming and fruiting not only consume more nutrients, but also easily cause branches to age, and in severe cases can cause the whole plant to decline. Avoiding flowering can be started from two aspects: controlling fertilization and adjusting the pruning method.

8. Develop branches in moderation, and do not let the branches grow too long. Prune methodically, preferably using the thinning-and-branch-development method, cutting out sections while keeping branches. The trunk-cutting-and-branch-development method should not be used. If the trunk-cutting-and-branch-development method is used, the developed branches should not exceed 1 cm in thickness, and after cutting the trunk there should preferably be branches or leaves on the inner side. Cut trunks must be sealed, and leaf-surface water should be sprayed more. The binding method should not be used. If binding is absolutely necessary, the wire must be removed in advance, otherwise branch shrinkage is likely to occur. Heavy pruning should be chosen from January to May, and pruning in August and September should be avoided as much as possible.

9. Small-leaf Syzygium buxifolium bonsai is prone in autumn to white slime mold harming small branches. You can scrape off all the white slime mold with a bamboo strip and let the bonsai get more sun; generally this can control it.