Hoop pine

[mimikates]

I want to lower the height of this araucaria cunninghamii either when repotted or later. The top appears to have been trunk cut at some point before I owned it - can anyone please advise the best way to lower the height as well as generally prune the tree as some of the “leaves/branches” are very long.
Many thanks.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

I am not familiar with Araucaria cunninghamii, but Araucaria heterophylla is quite common here in the US as a tropical tree - often sold as a houseplant or even as a small tropical Christmas tree. I saw them in landscape in SoCal, and have one now as a large houseplant (though at Zone 8a I can only leave it outdoors for about nine months out of the year).

I would personally locate the bottom of that straight upper section of trunk, prune the trunk down, and wire the next branch upwards as a new leader. You can trim the branches that are overly long, but the tree is quite a large species in nature, and given the leggy growth it is difficult to work with as bonsai unless you work with larger scale trees (in my opinion).

 

[mimikates]

Thank you so much for your reply - I bought it from a garden centre (here in the UK) and is the first pine of this type I’ve ever seen. I’ve searched everywhere including Facebook - YouTube wasn’t much help either - and you are the first to reply regarding this tree. Even ChatGPT couldn’t offer much other than to advise against cutting back to wood! Think I’m going to have to go with gut feeling and hope for the best.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

Since I didn't know your location, I assumed you were in New Zealand or Australia. Since you are in the UK, I would hold off on doing any work on it until spring - or whenever you might be able to put it outside. They are true tropical trees and pruning work is best conducted in the late spring or early summer... which is right now south of the equator, but several months off if you live in the UK.

PS: ChatGPT sucks. All it can do is siphon the Internet for the past. And if the past Internet can't help it doesn't know what to do and will make up garbage.

 

[mimikates]

Thanks again - yes, I should have explained my location but will now listen to your advice. One last question - do these Araucaria trees thrive in sun? I have a small south facing garden and several other bonsai - also a dawn redwood which needs to be protected from too much sun.
I appreciate your advice.