Boxwood, known for its dense foliage and slow growth, is a popular choice among bonsai enthusiasts. Its small leaves, tolerance for heavy pruning, and evergreen nature make it ideal for shaping and miniature styling. Creating a boxwood bonsai involves a thoughtful blend of horticulture, art, and patience. The following is a step-by-step guide to the process of making a boxwood bonsai, from selecting the right plant to maintaining its refined beauty.
1. Choosing the Right Boxwood
The first step is choosing the right variety of boxwood. Common types used for bonsai include Buxus sempervirens (Common Box) and Buxus microphylla (Japanese Box). Look for a healthy plant with a thick trunk and lots of branches, as these characteristics provide a solid foundation for bonsai styling.
When selecting a pre-bonsai or nursery stock, pay attention to trunk movement, branch placement, and overall health. Avoid plants with insect damage, root rot, or discolored leaves. A robust, healthy plant will be more responsive to pruning, wiring, and repotting.
2. Preparing the Plant
Once you have your boxwood, remove it from its container and gently loosen the soil around the roots. Trim away any overly long or circling roots to encourage a more compact root system. This process, called root pruning, is crucial for bonsai health and development.
At this stage, you may begin basic pruning of the foliage to remove dead or weak branches and improve visibility of the plant’s natural structure. This will help you envision the future shape of your bonsai and make decisions about its front-facing side and overall style.
3. Selecting a Style
Bonsai has many traditional styles such as formal upright, informal upright, slanting, cascade, and broom. Boxwood’s flexible branches and compact growth make it suitable for several of these forms. Choose a style that complements the plant’s natural growth and trunk movement.
Sketching a rough design or using wire to gently bend branches can help you visualize the final look. Remember that bonsai is an art of suggestion—implying the shape and spirit of a full-grown tree in miniature form.
4. Pruning and Wiring
Pruning is essential for shaping your boxwood bonsai. Begin by removing unwanted growth and thinning dense areas to allow light and air to reach inner foliage. Carefully trim branches that disrupt the desired flow or symmetry.
Wiring is used to train branches into new positions. Use aluminum or copper bonsai wire and wrap it around branches at a 45-degree angle. Gently bend them into place, avoiding excessive force which can damage the wood. Leave the wire on for a few months until the branches hold their new shape, checking regularly to prevent wire marks.
5. Potting the Bonsai
Once shaping is complete, it’s time to repot the bonsai into a suitable container. Choose a shallow bonsai pot with adequate drainage holes. Place a layer of bonsai soil (a mix of akadama, pumice, and lava rock or similar) at the bottom and arrange the tree at the desired angle.
Secure the tree with wire if necessary and fill the pot with more soil, gently working it around the roots to eliminate air pockets. Water thoroughly until water drains from the bottom, ensuring the roots are well-settled.
6. Aftercare and Maintenance
Boxwood bonsai care involves regular watering, fertilizing, and pruning. Water when the soil feels slightly dry to the touch, being careful not to let it dry out completely or stay waterlogged. Feed with a balanced fertilizer during the growing season (spring through early fall).
Prune regularly to maintain the desired shape and encourage back-budding, which promotes denser foliage. Remove unwanted shoots and maintain branch structure. Repot every 2–3 years to refresh the soil and trim the roots.
Boxwood bonsai prefer bright, indirect sunlight and can tolerate partial shade. Protect them from extreme heat or cold, especially in containers. While generally hardy, they benefit from some winter protection in colder zones.
7. Patience and Observation
Creating a bonsai is not a one-time task but a continuous journey. As your boxwood matures, observe its growth and adapt your care accordingly. Over time, it will develop character, age, and the aesthetic beauty that defines bonsai as a living art form.
With patience, practice, and dedication, your boxwood bonsai will become a miniature masterpiece that reflects both nature and the nurturing hand of the grower.
