How to prune an Osmanthus (Sweet Olive) bonsai? Detailed methods and techniques

The Osmanthus tree has fairly strong growth capacity, and it can also tolerate pruning relatively well, but with a new Osmanthus bonsai, it is best to first cultivate it for 1 to 2 years before pruning. During these pruning steps, first train the main trunk into a slanted-trunk style or a curved-trunk style, but this way it will look relatively strong and powerful, and it can also encourage new branches to sprout from the base, making the Osmanthus tree look more balanced.

Above, the editor introduced how to make an Osmanthus bonsai, and also explained how pruning the Osmanthus will make it more beautiful. If any friends are tempted, you can try it yourself, place a beautiful pot of Osmanthus in your home, and be able to smell the fragrance of Osmanthus at home too.

What are the pruning methods for an Osmanthus bonsai? Why should an Osmanthus bonsai be pruned?

Carrying out reasonable pruning measures on plants not only makes the tree shape beautiful, but can also improve ventilation and light conditions, reduce pests and diseases, and make the bonsai bear many dense flowers. Pruning should run through the entire process of making and caring for an Osmanthus bonsai. So what are the pruning methods for an Osmanthus bonsai? Why should an Osmanthus bonsai be pruned?

Why should an Osmanthus bonsai be pruned:

When pruning, messy crossing branches, overlapping branches, parallel branches and opposite branches should be adjusted, that is, cut off one of them or thin one and shorten one. For the remaining branches, because nutrients are concentrated, they can grow thick and strong. When a cultivated branch grows to a suitable thickness, carry out strong pruning to shorten it and produce a second-node branch. When the second-node branch grows to a suitable thickness, prune and shorten it again. After that, treat the second, fourth and other nodes in the same way in turn. Generally, keep two small branches on each node, one long and one short. After years of pruning, the branches become short, thick and strong, vigorous and powerful, gradually forming the desired tree shape.

Pruning of the Osmanthus tree body includes measures such as pinching, cutting, thinning and wounding. Pinching means pinching the growing tip and removing leaves. During the growing season, removing the tender tip at the top of a new shoot is called pinching. Pinching can promote the growth of axillary buds, grow more branches, inhibit height growth, and help make the bonsai shape beautiful; leaf removal means removing part of the leaves, which can promote the sprouting of new leaves. Cutting means shortening the current-year branches; after shortening, medium and short branches increase and the mother branch thickens. So-called when branches are sparse, cut; when cut, branches become dense, which is good for branch shaping. Thinning refers to thinning pruning, cutting overly dense branches from the base, which helps improve ventilation and light conditions and promotes vigorous growth of the remaining branches. Wounding means carrying out scoring, ring-barking, twisting branches, twisting shoot tips and bending branches on the Osmanthus branches and trunk; Osmanthus bonsai grown for flowers can use this method to promote flowering.

How to prune an Osmanthus bonsai during the cultivation period:

The so-called cultivation period refers to the period from after the shaping pruning and planting of the bonsai Osmanthus tree to before it is processed into its finished form. The length of this period is related to the styling method. If it is to be processed into a natural large-tree style, the cultivation period after shaping pruning is shorter. If the method of accumulating branches and truncating the trunk is used for styling, the time is longer. This is because the branches must undergo multiple prunings before they take shape, and two prunings must be separated by several months or even a year.

For an Osmanthus bonsai cultivated from a tree stump, after shaping pruning, the trunk and main branches have already been determined. What needs further processing and pruning are the secondary branches and the finer tertiary branches. For the processing and pruning of these branches, the basic points to master are: a branch should have a certain degree of bending, and each branch should have a distinction between long and short, so as to show elegance.

When pruning branches, also pay attention to buds sprouting branches. According to the requirements of the styling, first, for axillary buds take one of them; second, for alternate buds decide according to the direction of branch growth; third, for water sprouts with longer internodes, generally cut them off, and for forked branches cut off one branch.

How to prune an Osmanthus bonsai during the ornamental period:

Pruning during the ornamental period refers to the pruning carried out after the Osmanthus bonsai has taken shape, in order to maintain the beautiful form of the shaped Osmanthus tree. This kind of pruning is long-term and extensive, and must be done carefully.

For an Osmanthus bonsai grown for flower viewing, strong pruning should be carried out after the flowers fade, generally leaving only 2 to 3 buds on a branch, and cutting the branch short. New buds growing from the branches and trunk in spring and summer should be removed in time if they are not needed for the styling. Generally, when a branch grows to 20 cm, and individual branches grow to about 30 cm, the top of the branch should be cut off to control the length of the branch, so as to help flower bud differentiation.

For an Osmanthus bonsai grown for viewing, pruning can be done in all four seasons, but the best pruning period is still spring before sprouting, because at this time the temperature is not high and the sap flows slowly.

Pruning methods for an Osmanthus bonsai

Pruning is one of the main methods for shaping an Osmanthus bonsai, and it is also an important means of maintaining the styling result. Reasonable pruning measures not only make the tree shape beautiful, but can also improve ventilation and light conditions, reduce pests and diseases, and make the bonsai bear many dense flowers. Pruning should run through the entire process of making and caring for an Osmanthus bonsai.

Why should an Osmanthus bonsai be pruned?

When pruning, messy crossing branches, overlapping branches, parallel branches and opposite branches should be adjusted, that is, cut off one of them or thin one and shorten one. For the remaining branches, because nutrients are concentrated, they can grow thick and strong. When a cultivated branch grows to a suitable thickness, carry out strong pruning to shorten it and produce a second-node branch. When the second-node branch grows to a suitable thickness, prune and shorten it again. After that, treat the second, fourth and other nodes in the same way in turn. Generally, keep two small branches on each node, one long and one short. After years of pruning, the branches become short, thick and strong, vigorous and powerful, gradually forming the desired tree shape.

Pruning of the Osmanthus tree body includes measures such as pinching, cutting, thinning and wounding. Pinching means pinching the growing tip and removing leaves. During the growing season, removing the tender tip at the top of a new shoot is called pinching. Pinching can promote the growth of axillary buds, grow more branches, inhibit height growth, and help make the bonsai shape beautiful; leaf removal means removing part of the leaves, which can promote the sprouting of new leaves. Cutting means shortening the current-year branches; after shortening, medium and short branches increase and the mother branch thickens. So-called when branches are sparse, cut; when cut, branches become dense, which is good for branch shaping. Thinning refers to thinning pruning, cutting overly dense branches from the base, which helps improve ventilation and light conditions and promotes vigorous growth of the remaining branches. Wounding means carrying out scoring, ring-barking, twisting branches, twisting shoot tips and bending branches on the Osmanthus branches and trunk; Osmanthus bonsai grown for flowers can use this method to promote flowering.

How to prune an Osmanthus bonsai during the cultivation period?

The so-called cultivation period refers to the period from after the shaping pruning and planting of the bonsai Osmanthus tree to before it is processed into its finished form. The length of this period is related to the styling method. If it is to be processed into a natural large-tree style, the cultivation period after shaping pruning is shorter. If the method of accumulating branches and truncating the trunk is used for styling, the time is longer. This is because the branches must undergo multiple prunings before they take shape, and two prunings must be separated by several months or even a year.

For an Osmanthus bonsai cultivated from a tree stump, after shaping pruning, the trunk and main branches have already been determined. What needs further processing and pruning are the secondary branches and the finer tertiary branches. For the processing and pruning of these branches, the basic points to master are: a branch should have a certain degree of bending, and each branch should have a distinction between long and short, so as to show elegance.

When pruning branches, also pay attention to buds sprouting branches. According to the requirements of the styling, first, for axillary buds take one of them; second, for alternate buds decide according to the direction of branch growth; third, for water sprouts with longer internodes, generally cut them off, and for forked branches cut off one branch.

How to prune an Osmanthus bonsai during the ornamental period?

Pruning during the ornamental period refers to the pruning carried out after the Osmanthus bonsai has taken shape, in order to maintain the beautiful form of the shaped Osmanthus tree. This kind of pruning is long-term and extensive, and must be done carefully.

For an Osmanthus bonsai grown for flower viewing, strong pruning should be carried out after the flowers fade, generally leaving only 2 to 3 buds on a branch, and cutting the branch short. New buds growing from the branches and trunk in spring and summer should be removed in time if they are not needed for the styling. Generally, when a branch grows to 20 cm, and individual branches grow to about 30 cm, the top of the branch should be cut off to control the length of the branch, so as to help flower bud differentiation.

For an Osmanthus bonsai grown for viewing, pruning can be done in all four seasons, but the best pruning period is still spring before sprouting, because at this time the temperature is not high and the sap flows slowly.