Do Bonsai Trees Die In Winter?

Bonsai Trees should not die over winter. Bonsai trees can live for many years and surviving winter is just a part of their natural life cycle.

They may stop growing and they might even look dead at some points, but if you have cared for them correctly, they will be totally fine and not die.

What Happens To Bonsai Trees During Winter?

During autumn the tree will begin to prepare itself for winter. They know the conditions are tough so they start to go into a sort of self preservation mode. 

You need to remember that a bonsai is the exact same as a full size tree, it’s just a bit smaller. This means a bonsai will do everything that a full size tree would do.

Bonsai Trees Will Prepare For Winter

Bonsai trees will stop growing as winter approaches and you will start to see any of the recent growth harden off. This means the new shoots that have formed over summer will start to change from a soft green colour to a woodier, harder texture. This will stop them being damaged by frost over winter.

Some species of tree will also start to form new buds at this time of year. This can look a bit strange and like the tree is growing, but don’t worry; they are not going to open until spring.

Once winter fully sets in the trees will be dormant. It’s kind of like they are sleeping. They are not using much energy at this time and this is why they can often look dead.

Deciduous Trees

If the bonsai tree is deciduous its leaves will start to change colour and drop off. 

This happens because the tree sucks all the nutrients and energy (sugar) out of the leaves and starts storing it in the trunk and roots. This is how it prepares for winter.

It knows that its extremities may be damaged by the cold, so its stores all this energy deep inside to use through winter and to it keep it safe until spring. 

Evergreen Trees

If the Bonsai tree is an evergreen, you won’t see the leaves/needles drop or change colour. You might actually see no changes at all, but some species do get a slight change in colour. They sometimes almost look brown, but this is totally normal.

They will still have prepared themselves for winter and be dormant, even if it doesn’t look like it hasn’t changed.

Can Bonsai Die Over Winter?

Although it is totally natural for bonsai to go through winter, it can still be a dangerous time for them.

Trees that are grown in the ground are a lot bigger which gives them more protection from the winter and also makes them a lot stronger than our little bonsai trees.

This means we need to make sure our bonsai trees are looked after properly over winter.

The amount of water and cold temperatures they are exposed too can cause issues and can result in death it they experience extremes of these conditions. We must make sure that we take this into account when caring for our trees.

I have written an article about “Working Out How To Over Winter Bonsai Trees” which discusses how to decide if your tree will need protection from the cold or not.

Protecting A Bonsai From The Cold Over Winter

If your bonsai tree needs to be protected from the cold, it is important you actually do this. A bonsai that is exposed to temperatures it cannot handle will quickly die.

Trees protect themselves by using a number of complex mechanisms. Basically they try and stop their cells from freezing.

Depending on the species they can do this by using that stored energy (sugar) they pulled in from the leaves and dissolve this into the cells to lower their freezing point.

Depending on the species and the sugars they make, these processes can only work for so long. Once it reaches a certain temperature, different species will not be able to stop the freezing process.

When a cell freezes it usually causes ice crystals to form inside of them. These crystals damage the insides of the cells beyond repair and kill it.

This is why it’s important to make sure your bonsai tree is not exposed to temperatures it cannot handle.     

(You can read more about – How To Protect Your Bonsai Trees Over Winter)

How Water Can Affect A Bonsai Over Winter

Some other trees also allow themselves to dry out and dehydrate a little bit more than usual during the winter. The less water in the cells means the less water there is to form ice crystals, so the risk of damage will be lower.

This along with the fact that the trees are not actively growing means they need less water during winter.

Too Much Water Over Winter

If you live in a wet climate there is a risk your bonsai tree may get too much water over winter.

This is why it is important to have a good draining bonsai soil that should stop the tree from being able to sit in large amounts of water for a long time.

If you feel your bonsai tree is getting too wet, you can try and place it under some shelter to stop the rain directly hitting it.

Too Little Water Over Winter

While over watering is a risk to a bonsai, so is dehydration.

Although the tree needs less water over winter, it does still need water. You cannot let your bonsai tree fully dry out.

This problem usually occurs when trees are being protected. If you bring your tree in to a garage or greenhouse, remember that you will still need to water your tree throughout the winter. I leave my trees outside and I find the rain is more than enough to water my trees throughout winter.

The rules for watering in winter are the exact same as the rules for the rest of the year. Your soil needs to be damp at all times.

You may find that you need to water far less, as it takes the soil a very long time to dry out. This is fine. So long as its stays damp your tree will be more than happy.

The key to winter watering is finding the perfect balance between too much water and too little water.    

Conclusion

Winter can be a scary time for bonsai tree owners and the fear of their trees dying can be quite strong,

However, with a little care and pre planning you can make sure your trees get a great winter rest and bounce back really strong in spring.

(You can read more information about – Can You Care For All Bonsai The Same Way?)