How to make a pomegranate tree bonsai? A detailed guide to the latest methods

In traditional Chinese culture, the pomegranate is regarded as an auspicious symbol, representing many sons and abundant blessings. Its flowers are large and brightly colored, and its flowering period is long, lasting from around the wheat harvest all the way to October. Its fruit is brilliantly colored. Because it offers both ornamental flowers and edible fruit, it is deeply loved by people, and bonsai made from pomegranate are especially favored. Now let us take a look at how to make a pomegranate tree bonsai!

How do you grow the stock for a pomegranate bonsai?

For making pomegranate bonsai, people mostly choose small pomegranate species with a short stature, small leaves, and small flowers and fruit, such as the dwarf pomegranate, evergreen pomegranate, and agate pomegranate cultivars. Propagation can be done by sowing or by cuttings. Seedlings obtained by sowing or cuttings must be grown in the ground for more than 3 years before the trunk can be cut back and branches cultivated to produce small or medium bonsai. If you want to make a large bonsai, you can dig up tree stumps in the wild or buy old potted pomegranate stock at a farmers' market.

How do you cultivate the branches of a pomegranate bonsai?

For pomegranate, according to the shape of the tree, cut the trunk off at an appropriate height and shorten the main branches. This can produce many styles, such as the straight-trunk style, slanting-trunk style, and curved-trunk style. In some old-stump pomegranate bonsai, the trunk is composed of two pieces of bark with wood inside, and the branches at the top of each piece of bark bear fruit, giving a stronger impression through the contrast between the withered and the flourishing. Pomegranate trees have a certain cold hardiness; in a sheltered, sunny spot they need only slight protection. To make the trees grow quickly, growing them in the ground is best. Pomegranate trees like fertilizer. In addition to applying a good base fertilizer when planting, during the vigorous growth period in spring and summer apply a thin, well-rotted organic fertilizer once every half month. Growth is relatively fast. When a branch reaches about 70% of the ideal thickness, cut the branch short to encourage the growth and development of side branches.

How do you shape a pomegranate bonsai?

After several years of branch cultivation, pruning, and training, when the pomegranate basically meets the requirements of the designed composition, plant the pomegranate stump in early spring into an ornamental pot of suitable size and style. Straight-trunk and slanting-trunk styles can be planted in oval pots of medium depth or a little shallower, while curved-trunk styles can be planted in square pots of medium depth. At this stage of cultivation, still apply a somewhat generous amount of fertilizer to promote tree growth and better refine the shape; on the other hand, you must also take the needs of appreciation into account.

How do you care for a pomegranate bonsai?

1. Shaping: Pomegranate trees have strong sprouting ability and grow new branches several times within a year. Generally, the sturdy new branches that grow in spring can form fruiting mother branches. The following spring, the terminal buds or axillary buds on these branches produce short new shoots that often flower, and the flowers from the terminal buds are the most likely to set fruit. Buds that grow in summer and autumn should be removed promptly. Bonsai shaping is usually carried out before budbreak in spring, cutting out water sprouts, overly dense branches, and thin, weak branches, while taking care to retain those sturdy fruiting mother branches.

2. Fertilizing: Pomegranate trees like fertilizer more than most flowering plants. When repotting, place a somewhat generous amount of fermented hoof pieces or cake fertilizer in the bottom of the pot. During the vigorous growth period in spring and summer, apply fertilizer with a relatively high phosphorus content.

3. Environment: From late April to early June is the pomegranate's bud differentiation period. There should be ample light and watering should be appropriately reduced so that the potting soil stays on the dry side. When the new leaves at the branch tips are slightly wilted, place the pomegranate tree in a shaded spot for 30 minutes, then water the pot thoroughly. Repeat this several times, and in about 20 days flower buds will appear.

4. Fruit thinning: After the pomegranate fruit has set firmly, cut off excess fruit that the design does not need. A medium-sized pomegranate bonsai only needs to keep 3 to 5 fruits. The fruit should be distributed at varying heights, some sparse and some dense, and must not be evenly spaced. If there is too much fruit, besides looking messy and disorderly, it will also affect the next year's fruiting.