A Detailed Guide to the Latest Methods for Creating Littleleaf Boxwood Bonsai

Littleleaf boxwood (Buxus sinica var. parvifolia), an evergreen shrub or small tree of the Buxaceae family, prefers a warm, semi-shaded, humid climate and is drought-tolerant, cold-tolerant and tolerant of pruning. It is a shallow-rooted tree species with slow growth and a long lifespan, making it an excellent tree material for bonsai.

For bonsai material, one option is to use sowing or cutting propagation, but the cultivation time is long and it is very difficult to obtain good material with gnarled roots and exposed claws, vigorous and ancient-looking. The second option is to dig up old stumps. Old stumps are best dug in summer, followed by spring and autumn, and worst in winter. After digging, the stump can be wrapped at the roots with a plastic bag to retain moisture. When planting, the downward-growing main root should be removed and most of the leaves cut off to prevent water loss and ensure survival. The stump can first be grown out in open ground, or it can be potted directly, but it must be cultivated for more than two years before shaping and creation.

For pot selection, Yixing zisha pots or light-colored glazed ceramic pots can be used. The shape and size of the pot can be determined according to the size of the stump and the style of the design. In principle, cascade style is best suited to a square or round tall cylindrical pot, while slanting-trunk style, curved-trunk style, and forest style are best suited to round, oval, or rectangular pots.

Potting soil: Littleleaf boxwood likes fertile sandy loam. For potting soil, fertile, loose sandy loam with good aeration and water permeability is best. A mix of 40% furnace slag, 40% humus soil or vegetable garden soil, and 20% river sand can also be used.

The best time for potting is between spring and summer. When planting, overly long and overly dense roots should be cut away. According to the needs of the design, the roots can be adjusted so that the root system spreads naturally in the pot. The planting depth should not be too deep. After covering with soil and watering thoroughly, place it in a semi-shaded spot, keep the potting soil moist, and frequently mist the leaf surfaces. After about 30 days, once the plant has grown, it can be moved to normal care.

Shaping and creation should be based on the plant's basic tree form, following its natural tendency, to carry out artistic shaping. Shaping techniques can use pruning or wiring, but wiring is best done in summer and autumn, when the branches are more flexible and easy to bend; pruning should be done in spring. Although littleleaf boxwood has strong sprouting ability, “it will not sprout without leaves”; therefore, whether for shaping or routine pruning, for branches and trunks that are not in place, the method of “leaving leaves section by section, and cutting back to force buds” can be used, so that it gradually sprouts downward into place. One should not blindly seek to achieve the result in one step.

Care and management: Littleleaf boxwood likes moisture and needs frequent watering. From May to August is the period of vigorous growth for boxwood, and several applications of thin, fully decomposed cake fertilizer can be made along with watering. Always pay attention to pruning vigorous water shoots, overlapping branches, and excess branches that affect the tree shape. The fruits produced by littleleaf boxwood should be removed promptly to avoid consuming nutrients. For Chinese boxwood (Buxus sinica), repotting is generally done once every 2 to 3 years for small and medium pots, and once every 5 years for large pots. Weakly growing plants should be repotted in time. Along with repotting, cut away some overly long and overly dense old roots, replace with fresh growing medium, and replant.