Experts say that caring for bonsai is a relaxing activity that helps leave episodes of stress behind. If you like gardening, putting some of these small trees in your life could help you make your hobby even more effective against stress. A nice addition to that collection is the jacaranda bonsai.
We are going to tell you everything you need to know about this miniature tree and the care it needs. At the end of this article you will know everything you need to enjoy the beauty of this species.
What is a jacaranda bonsai?
The Jacaranda Mimosifolia or Jacarandá is a semi-evergreen tree native to warm areas. We can find it in the southern United States, in South Africa, in Australia, and also in some Mediterranean countries.
In its natural state It can reach up to 12 meters in height and it has a very thick trunk.
Its leaves remind us of those of ferns, grouping together in panicles that measure up to 5 centimeters. Between spring and summer the tree produces purple flowers that can last up to two months. In addition, it is common to see large, woody-looking pods in it, which is where the seeds are found.
Depending on its growing location and the amount of light it receives, this variety loses its leaves or not during the winter.
The jacaranda bonsai is nothing more than the miniature version of this great tree. Like all these dwarf trees, it requires special care and attention to maintain a small size and, yet, be a faithful reflection of its life-size version.
How to get a jacaranda bonsai?
There are two ways you can start caring for such a tree:
- Purchase of seeds. In specialized nurseries you can find jacaranda tree seeds. If you know the location of a specimen of this species, you could get a few pods and thus obtain the seeds. Of course, keep in mind that "raising" the tree from seeds is much more expensive, and it will take a season to see the first sprouts.
- Buy a young plant. The most common alternative is to buy a jacaranda tree that is young, even one that is already being treated to become a bonsai. If you don't have much experience working with miniature trees, this is the best option. In addition, you will be able to enjoy the beauty of this species from the first moment.
First steps to care for your bonsai
Bonsai care is a skill that improves over time and where experience is especially important. You may have to experience several failures before you find the best way to care for these small trees. The good thing is that the jacaranda is quite resistant, making it a good alternative for beginners.
Choose the ideal place for him
For proper growth, this tree must be in a place where the temperature does not drop below 15º C. If you cannot have it in a space like this, you will have to be careful to protect it from low temperatures. However, even if you keep it indoors all year round, don't worry if you see that it loses its leaves during the winter, because they will sprout again in spring.
If you have your jacaranda bonsai outdoors and bring it indoors in winter, when May arrives you can take it out again to the patio or garden. But be careful of late frosts that can still occur at this time of year.
Place the pot in a place where receive a good amount of sunlight each day, so you get the energy you need to grow beautifully.
Watering the jacaranda bonsai
If you notice that the leaves of your tree seem to be shrinking and take on a brown hue, what is happening is that they are not receiving the nutrients they need due to lack of watering. This tree The substrate needs to be kept slightly moist.
Depending on the substrate used, the place where you have placed it, and the time of year in which we are, you will have to water it once or twice a week. But don't overwater, or then the leaves will turn yellow and fall off.
Bonsai pruning
One of the characteristics of this tree is that grows at a very fast rate. If you are giving it proper care and fertilizing it weekly (every two weeks in winter), you will notice that it begins to have many leaves and its branches are longer.
When leaves have grown to four or five pairs, you can prune them to leave them in two pairs. Although pruning should preferably be done in spring, you can delete sheets whenever you need.
Bonsai are “trained” to adopt that particular dwarf tree shape. The technique to do this is wiring, about which you should study a little more to be able to train the tree without damaging it. In the case of jacaranda bonsai, the wire should not be in place for more than three months.
The tree should remain dwarf, but you do not have to completely prevent its growth. The ideal in these cases is transplant the jacaranda every two years, during spring. Always choosing a substrate with good drainage capacity, and a pot that allows excess water from irrigation to be evacuated.
Cultivate patience with the jacaranda bonsai
As we said at the beginning of this article, caring for bonsai is a relaxing activity, which invites you to work in silence and enhances concentration. You will not see the results immediately, so you must be very patient when caring for your tree. Getting to have a showy bonsai is an activity that can take years of work.
What we recommend is that you do not think about the goal, but rather focus on enjoying the jacaranda bonsai care and training process to the fullest. Do you have a tree of this type at home? We would like to hear about your experience through the comments!