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

 

[cbrshadow23]

To illustrate the point above about portulacaria afra being able to withstand a big chop, here's a photo of a chop that I did on a 24" tall perfectly straight tree. I chopped it to a stump and then worked on the tree for 2 years

 

[JasonL]

Literally just purchased my first Jade (variegated) from a local nursery and am trying to soak up as much knowledge as I can about them.

Going to let this one grow and fill in a bit before I start doing anything to it (repot, style).

 

[Ply]

To illustrate the point above about portulacaria afra being able to withstand a big chop, here's a photo of a chop that I did on a 24" tall perfectly straight tree. I chopped it to a stump and then worked on the tree for 2 years

View attachment 584831
View attachment 584834

Did it leave any chop mark? I thought portacularia wounds didnt really heal over.

 

[cbrshadow23]

Did it leave any chop mark? I thought portacularia wounds didnt really heal over.

It did for a while but the chop mark will have growth around it - if that growth is allowed to continue it will smooth over the wound over time.

 

[Bonsaidoodle]

Got this dwarf jade last spring. Ive trimmed growth a couple times during that time but recently I have only pinched leaves to get fuller foliage. Just looking for advice on next steps

Should I leave it alone to grow before I try to style and maybe wire? I’m having trouble picturing how to style it and feel like it needs to fill out a bit.

Any advice/tips is greatly appreciated!