Can You Use Succulents For Bonsai and How Are They Different?

Succulents are often overlooked when it comes to bonsai as they are not “real trees”. However, they can be used and are popular in certain parts of the world.

You will find they have a lot of differences, which I will go through below, which means you have to slightly adjust the bonsai techniques you use on them, but the end result can be the same.

You can end up with a miniature looking tree and I think you can get some pretty cool results.

How Are Succulents Different To Other Bonsai?

Succulents are very different to the normal trees we use for bonsai. We have to care for them entirely differently and the work we do is also very different.

I will go through all the aspects that make them different and you will quickly see that a lot of the traditional bonsai techniques that we take from Japanese bonsai just do not apply and will need altered to grow a succulent.

Watering

Watering a bonsai is a really important fundamental skill. Normally you want to keep a bonsai damp and never let it dry out, you always have to be on top of the watering …but everything is backwards with watering a succulents.

Succulents can withstand drought, in fact a lot of them prefer it. You usually have to leave them to totally dry out and they can go a long time in between watering. You will find that if you do water them like other bonsai then they will end up being too wet and get root rot every easily, which can kill them.

Succulent bonsais are actually perfect for people who travel a lot as you can leave them for a while and its okay if they dry out.   

Climate

Probably the biggest different with succulents compared to normal bonsai is that they need a very different climate.

Succulents are from hot, dry areas and prefer a lot of light and warm temperatures. This means a lot of us in more northern climates can look after them okay in summer, but things get a little tricky in winter.

Basically they cannot handle cold temperatures and will usually need to live inside during the colder months, if not all year round. If you expose a succulent to frost, it will die.

You may also need to get a grow light. They will still probably be fine without a light, but the growth can be painfully slow when you are just relying on the sun. I use a grow light and the speed at which my trees now grow at is phenomenal. They are really at their optimum levels.   

Pruning Response

The pruning response of a succulent is also slightly different than a normal tree. It’s not drastically different, but you can tell they are not the same.

Usually when you prune, you will get some new shoots just below where you pruned, which is exactly what you want. You can also usually hard prune succulents and they will reshoot on old wood.

However, you don’t really get multiple shoots in one location, or random advantageous shoots popping up in places.

This actually makes them easier to prune and control, you prune an area and you get growth there, that’s it, there is nothing else you need to manage.     

Bark

The bark on succulents is also very different, it’s not very thick and it can be easily damaged, but it will heal quickly. However, it doesn’t really heal in the same way as other trees, as it’s not really built in the same way.

Basically there is just a thin outer layer, and then the whole inside is made of the same sort of cells throughout. There is no cambium layer, or that sort of compartmentalisation that occurs in normal trees. This means you if make a wound on a succulent it doesn’t try and grow new bark over the wound, it sort of just dries out and changes colour over time.

You need to be aware of this as you may make a large concave wound thinking it will heal and bark will roll into it making it flat again. This won’t happen, it will just stay concave. This isn’t really a problem and you can use it to your advantage, the important thing is that you just that this is what happens.      

Succulents Are Hard To Wire

As I just mentioned, the inside of the succulents is not quite the same as a normal tree. This means they are difficult to bend, and therefore wire. As they are basically just full of cells that are full of water, they are not really that flexible.

The different layers of a normal tree, such as the cambium, phloem, etc is makes them more flexible. At certain times of the year these tubes are basically empty, so you can easily bend the tree and the inner structure can get compressed and move …and then when they are filled with sap, they become more rigid and difficult to move.

As succulents are always full of water, they are always quit rigid. You can still wire them, but it is really is not as easy.

You will also find that you damage the thin bark a lot easier, so the whole process of wiring is just not enjoyable with succulents. It is much easier to use clip and grow techniques to try and shape the majority of your tree. 

No Deadwood

Succulents cannot have deadwood.  As I keep mentioning, the inside of them is basically just made up from water. There is no hardwood layer in a succulent. This means that when an area dies, it is basically dries out.

It will just shrivel up and fall off.

You can of course have a bonsai without deadwood, so it’s not a problem, but if it is something you want, a succulent will not give you this.

Root Pruning

Succulent roots are also slightly different. You can really go hard on them, in fact you could totally remove them all and the tree would survive. It’s pretty hard to over prune a succulents roots.

However, I have found they do not response as well as other trees. They just don’t divide and ramify as well as some other species, so building a really stunning rootball or trunk flare is not as easy …all though you can still easily get them into a shallow pot. Their rootballs are naturally pretty shallow and as I said you can cut them back hard, so getting them into a smaller pot isn’t an issue.   

Propagation

One of the cool things about succulents is that you can usually propagate them extremely easily. This doesn’t really help you turn a succulent into a bonsai, but it does mean that you can very quickly and easily have a large number of trees …which you can practice on.

If you get a species that you like you can quickly start a whole army of these trees from one mother tree.

Pests

One of the areas where succulents are actually similar to normal trees is pests. Both types of tree can get infected and it can cause them health problems if you do not deal with it.

Both types of trees can get the same infestations; although I have noticed succulents seem to get a lot more mealy bugs than other trees, but really any pest can attack a succulent.

What Are The Issues With Succulents As Bonsai?

The main issue is that in general, succulents are not respected.

They are seen as an inferior tree or something that only beginners should use. They can often be looked down upon like they are not real bonsai.

I think this is due to two reasons. Firstly the differences I have already gone through make looking after them very different. The traditional bonsai techniques need to be altered in order to get the results and people then feel like they are not doing “bonsai” since they are doing alternative techniques.

The general care of succulents is very easy, so they can be hard to kill and this is often why they are enjoyed by beginners, but you will still find professionals using them, so saying they are only for beginners is a ridiculous claim.

You then have the problem that they are not really found in nature, looking like a tree. They usually grow into a wild bush and don’t really have that natural tree like structure. Some people just like to grow trees that you can find in nature, and they grow their bonsai to be miniature versions of these full size ones.

With a succulent you will have to choose a style and make just go with what you feel is right. Some succulents also have slightly different features, such as different bark texture or leaf shape, which makes them look quite different from a normal tree, and I guess this is why some people don’t really like them.      

What Succulents Can You Use For Bonsai?

There are a lot of different types of succulents and some of them look pretty unusual, if you want to use them for bonsai, you should try and find the ones that resemble normal trees, even if they look a little different. 

Dwarf Jade (Portulacaria Afra)

When it comes to bonsai in general, I would say portulacaria afra is one of the best species you can use. It also happens to be a succulent, so it is for me, the best succulent you can use for bonsai.

Of all the succulents this one looks the most like a normal tree and also probably responds the best too.

They grow extremely quickly and you can easily style them and they are also probably one of the few succulents you can wire (it’s still tricky, but you can do it).

They are going to be the tree you can look at and say “that’s a bonsai” I think they most resemble the Japanese style bonsai, they have small leaves, cool bark and you can easily style them in many different ways.  

(You can read more about – Is Portulacaria Afra  A Good Tree For Bonsai?)

Jades

Jades can be okay for bonsai and they are very similar to the portulacaria afra and have a lot of the same characteristics. The main difference is the size, where the jade is slightly large. This is exactly why the portulacaria afra is often called “dwarf jade”

The reality is that they are not related, they just happen to look very similar. However, the large size of the jade is usually what puts people off.  You can still do a lot with them, but the larger leaves are just not as appealing as the smaller portulacaria. Smaller proportions are just often better when it comes to bonsai.

There are actually a number of different jades, where the leave shape is slightly different, such as the golum jade and these can all be used for bonsai too and will give you some interesting trees.   

(You can read more about – Is Jade A Good Tree For Bonsai?)

Aloes

Aloes are strange plants, they certainly do not look or even respond like normal trees and a pretty far from what would be considered bonsai.

They can however be kept in small pots and are certainly interesting to look at.

They are not for everyone, but they are easy to care for, easy to find in shops and funky looking, so I understand why people have them …even I have one.

Personally I wouldn’t even call it a bonsai, it’s too obscure looking, but they are cool to have in the collection.  

(You can read more about – Is Aloe A Good Tree For Bonsai?)

Desert Rose (Adenium obesum)

The desert Rose is a popular succulent for those who live in more tropical climates. They can be really impressive, especially when they get quite large.

It is common to grow them in a way that gives them a really thick trunk with exposed roots. They are often really wide, but short and squat. They also flower, which looks very impressive.

I have never owned one, and I’m not too sure how well they would do in my climate. However, if ever moved to a tropical climate I would want one!

Crown Of Thorns (Euphorbia milii)

The crown of thorns in an interesting succulent, it can actually look like a regular tree, especially the leaves that look like something you may find on a deciduous tree. The bark can also look pretty cool too, however, it is covered in large thorns which is certainly interesting.

Crown of thorns are also very popular as they flower, it is also pretty easy to keep these trees small and they seem to respond well to pruning, so it is understandable why they are popular trees for bonsai.

Personally I have not had one of these, but they seem interesting, I wouldn’t be against them.  

Conclusion

As you can see succulents can be used for bonsai and if you look after them correctly you can get some good results. They will make some pretty cool bonsai.

They are very different to normal trees, so how you care for them and the techniques you use are all going to be different, but that doesn’t mean you cannot use them, you just have to approach them differently.

I think they are worth the effort so I would suggest you get a couple and enjoy something slightly alternative.