A Detailed Guide to Pruning Purslane Bonsai

Once purslane is made into a bonsai, it gets a new commercial name, "Golden Branch and Jade Leaf" (Jinzhi Yuye). In addition, purslane also has such aliases as tree purslane, jade leaf, green jade tree, ginkgo wood, gongsun wood, long-life lotus, and jasper lotus. As a bonsai, it still needs regular pruning and branch training during cultivation, so how exactly should this be done?

Purslane Bonsai

According to the size of the plant, purslane tree can be made into large, medium, small, and miniature bonsai of different specifications. Its forms include large tree type, slanting trunk style, straight trunk style, curved trunk style, cascade style, forest style, rock-clinging style, and so on. The crown can be trained into a neat steamed-bun shape, triangular shape, or cloud-layer style, and can also be trained into an elegant natural shape. No matter which form is used, attention must be paid to its variation, achieving clear layers and proper density. Styling is mostly done in the growing season, mainly by pruning, with wiring as a supplement. Because the stems are fleshy, do not let the metal wire cut into the epidermis when wiring, otherwise the fleshy stems will tear. The purslane tree has strong sprouting ability, so heavy pruning can be carried out according to styling needs, cutting off all unwanted branches (the cut branches can be used for cuttings propagation). Its root system is well developed, so root raising can be carried out, making the bonsai's roots hang and claws show, simple and vigorous, with relatively high ornamental value.

The branches of "Dance of Joy" (Yayue Zhi Wu) are loose and spreading, and the long branches droop slightly. The crown mostly adopts a natural style, elegant and graceful, with proper density, very distinctive. You can also make use of its feature of small, dense leaves by pruning frequently to promote small branches, training the crown into a compact triangular shape or steamed-bun shape.

For plants that have survived cuttings, you can slightly wire and prune them, plant them in a small pot, and pair them with strangely shaped stones, and they become a delicate, cute, exquisite, and unique miniature bonsai.

How to cultivate purslane tree, is purslane tree poisonous?

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      Purslane tree is also known as Golden Branch and Jade Leaf tree, ginkgo wood, and small-leaf glass emerald. It is a dicotyledonous plant of the family Portulacaceae and the genus Portulaca, a perennial succulent herb or subshrub. Do you want to know about it? Today the editor will briefly introduce the cultivation methods of purslane tree and whether purslane tree is poisonous.


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      Purslane tree originates from Mozambique in southern Africa and the Transvaal province of South Africa, where the original habitat has a tropical wet-dry season climate. This tree species likes a warm, dry, and sunny environment, is tolerant of drought and partial shade, and is not tolerant of waterlogging or cold. It can now be cultivated in many places around the world.
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      Purslane tree is mostly propagated by cuttings, carried out in the growing season. Use robust branches as cuttings; the length requirement is not strict. Before inserting, remove the lower leaves and let them dry for 2 to 4 days until the cut surface is dry, then insert them into a culture soil prepared with 2 parts leaf mold, 2 parts coarse sand, and 1 part garden soil. After insertion, keep the soil slightly moist, and it roots very easily.
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      After the cuttings survive, place the seedlings in a sunny place or a semi-shaded place for care, keeping the pot soil moist but not waterlogged. Do not fertilize for the first 2 months, so as to promote root growth. After that, apply a diluted decomposed liquid fertilizer about once every 10 days to provide sufficient nutrients so the plant grows robustly. Promptly cut off young branches sprouting from the base to concentrate nutrients and speed up the growth rate of the main trunk.
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      Purslane tree is an ornamental potted plant. Its appearance is very similar to purslane. Purslane can be eaten and tastes quite good, while purslane tree cannot be eaten, as it is an ornamental plant. However, purslane tree is not poisonous.
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      The method for making a purslane tree bonsai is mainly pruning, with wiring as a supplement. Because the stems are fleshy, do not let the metal wire cut into the epidermis when wiring, otherwise the fleshy stems will tear. The purslane tree has strong sprouting ability, so heavy pruning can be carried out according to styling needs, cutting off all unwanted branches, and root raising can be carried out, making the bonsai's roots hang and claws show, simple and vigorous, with relatively high ornamental value.
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       The branches of purslane tree are loose and spreading, and the long branches droop slightly. The crown mostly adopts a natural style, elegant and graceful, with proper density, very distinctive. You can also make use of its feature of small, dense leaves by pruning frequently to promote small branches, training the crown into a compact triangular shape or steamed-bun shape. For plants that have survived cuttings, you can slightly wire and prune them, plant them in a small pot, and pair them with strangely shaped stones, and they become a delicate, cute, exquisite, and unique miniature bonsai.
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Conclusion: Purslane tree. The old stems of purslane tree are light brown, and its fleshy leaves closely resemble purslane. The stem is tender green and fleshy with many branches, giving a sense of vigor and antiquity, and it has considerable ornamental value. Today the editor's introduction to the cultivation methods of purslane tree and whether it is poisonous ends here. Thank you all for reading.

The cultivation environment and methods of Dance of Joy

Dance of Joy is a variegated mutant variety of purslane tree. Because Dance of Joy is often distributed in the world's temperate and tropical regions, the price of Dance of Joy is relatively high. Artificial cultivation of Dance of Joy should also pay attention to matching its habits to create a suitable growing environment.

Dance of Joy

1. Light: Dance of Joy likes a sunny environment. Although it can also grow normally under semi-shade and scattered light, the distance between stem nodes becomes longer, making the plant loose and not compact, which affects its ornamental value. So full sun can be given, and appropriate shading is needed at high temperatures. In addition, pay attention to good ventilation during high summer temperatures to prevent leaf drop and root rot caused by stuffiness and humidity.

2. Watering: In summer, watering must be strictly controlled, following "do not water if not dry, water thoroughly when watering", avoiding water accumulation in the pot soil, and keeping the pot soil slightly dry. When the temperature is higher than 35 degrees, spray around the pot to increase air humidity. Do not let it be exposed to long-term rain during the rainy season, so as to avoid root rot. In winter, keep the pot soil dry, and it can overwinter safely at around 5°C.

3. Pot soil: The pot soil should be loose, fertile, and have good drainage and air permeability. Commonly use 2 parts leaf mold, 2 parts coarse sand, vermiculite, or perlite, and 1 part garden soil, and mix in a small amount of plant ash or bone meal as base fertilizer, then use after mixing evenly.

4. Fertilization: Apply a diluted decomposed liquid fertilizer or compound fertilizer once every half month. Note that the nitrogen fertilizer content in the fertilizer water must not be too high, so as to avoid the leaves carrying too much green and failing to highlight the variety's characteristics.

5. Propagation: Dance of Joy is propagated by cuttings, generally carried out in the growing season. The cuttings can be branches trimmed off during shaping; the length requirement for cuttings is not strict. After insertion, keep them slightly moist, and they root in 2 to 3 weeks.

6. Bonsai styling: The styling of Dance of Joy bonsai can be carried out by combining wiring and pruning. Common forms include straight trunk style, curved trunk style, slanting trunk style, cascade style, waterside style, and other different forms. Because the stems are fleshy, do not let the metal wire cut into the epidermis when wiring, otherwise the fleshy stems will tear. Its branches are loose and spreading, and the long branches droop slightly. The crown mostly adopts a natural style, elegant and graceful, with proper density, very distinctive. You can also make use of its feature of small, dense leaves by pruning frequently to promote small branches, training the crown into a compact triangular shape or steamed-bun shape. For Dance of Joy that has survived cuttings, you can slightly wire and prune it, plant it in a small pot, and pair it with strangely shaped stones, and it becomes a delicate, cute, exquisite, and unique miniature bonsai.