Portulacaria afra Styling Thoughts

[Angrycat09]

Hello Bonsai Nuts!

Newish to bonsai, and very new with Dwarf Jade materials.

I could use some more experienced insight around plant next steps….

I am debating doing something drastic and cutting this tree in half. Sadly, the super long stem feels very boring, and I would try to root the other piece basically making two trees.

Besides the obvious of setting the tree back…. Is this too drastic or should I maybe cut higher? See attached images.

And in all feedback, welcome!

 

[WinstonWolfe]

I think you have three trees there. But before any cutting is done, it looks a bit dehydrated.
Couple of the leaves are wrinkled. The p.afra is very drought tolerant, but you want to make sure its in prime condition for a trunk chop.
More water, wait a week or two, then chop time. They are very forgiving.
After you cut, let the cut heal over for a day or two, then plant the cut pieces into new pots with the same soil to root.

 

[Angrycat09]

Awesome insights!

I was planning on letting the tree dry out slightly if I wanted to try to bend the trunk using wire. However I am now leaning towards cutting it instead.

No issues on harming the tree with that hard of a cut back?

 

[Srt8madness]

You can bend that main trunk EZ, put some movement into it. Nothing crazy but a graceful curve is doable.

Growing indoors will take a while to get back to where it's at now, and for what? You'd likely come to the same result. You could chop for taper I suppose, but might as well grow the lower section closer to its final diameter before doing that

 

[Srt8madness]

I think you have three trees there. But before any cutting is done, it looks a bit dehydrated.
Couple of the leaves are wrinkled. The p.afra is very drought tolerant, but you want to make sure its in prime condition for a trunk chop.
More water, wait a week or two, then chop time. They are very forgiving.
After you cut, let the cut heal over for a day or two, then plant the cut pieces into new pots with the same soil to root.

Yeah, I did that a few years ago. Now every time it freezes I have to move a bajillion p afra pots in and out of the garage

 

[WinstonWolfe]

Awesome insights!

I was planning on letting the tree dry out slightly if I wanted to try to bend the trunk using wire. However I am now leaning towards cutting it instead.

No issues on harming the tree with that hard of a cut back?

Nope. You could cut it down to the base and it would smile and start sending out shoots from the cut