Is Prunus A Good Tree For Bonsai?

Prunus is a broad term used to describe a number of varieties of small fruit trees. If you think of stone fruits, it’s most likely a part of the prunus family. Plums, cherries, peaches, apricots and almonds are some of the most well known prunus.

They are of course grown for their fruit, but they are also often grown for their flowers, which is exactly why they are used in bonsai.

Personally I own a Prunus Nigra, the black plum, but I will be talking about prunus in general throughout this article.  

Is Prunus A Good Species for Bonsai?

Prunus is an amazing species for bonsai. Of course there can be a lot of variety between the different types, but overall it is a very good species to use and is very popular in Japan. They like to use Prunus Mume (flowering Apricot) and Prunus Incise (Kojo-no-mai). However you will find plenty of other varieties of prunus being used there and around the world as bonsai.

The species is easy to care for and responds really well to bonsai techniques. They suit a number of styles and sizes, but the main reason why it is so popular is due to its flowers. These trees make great bonsai, but when you get them to flower they are just stunning.  

Is Prunus Foliage Good For Bonsai?

The foliage will depend on the species you used. Some prunus have more suitable leaves than others, but over all they are great.

The colour of the leaves and flowers will again depend on what type of prunus you have. My own tree actually has leaves that are deep red in colour and white flowers, which I think are stunning.

Leaf Size

Most prunus have quite small leaves, but these can be reduced drastically with the right techniques. This is one of the reasons why they make such great trees. They just naturally look good as bonsai without much work.

Internode Length

The internode length is also something that is really suited to bonsai. It is naturally quite small and can be reduced even further. This can allow you to build some great branching.

Does Prunus Have A Good Growth Rate For Bonsai?

Prunus can grow rather quickly, especially if they are young and in the right conditions. You can take a small, young tree and grow it into some good bonsai material within a few years.

You can easily plant them in the ground and get them to thicken quite nicely.  

Once you have some good material to work with you can quickly get them to develop into a bonsai. They can put plenty of growth on in a year, so you may find you can prune them back a number of times if all is going well.

Response To Pruning

Prunus will respond to pruning very well. Being a fruit tree they are well suited to pruning and will always respond with new shoots which will allow you to easily build your bonsai structure.

Back Budding

Prunus will back bud with no problem, if you cut them back hard they will always send out new shoots all over the place.

They can often back bud in unwanted places, so you need to check that there nothing growing in the crotches of branches or places where it could form ugly knuckles of growth.

Ramification

Due to the small leaves and short internodes it is very easy to build ramification on a prunus. You will find each new shoot gets smaller and smaller which is perfect for bonsai and you can very easily have a very dense and proportionate branch structure.

Is A Prunus Styling Ability Good For Bonsai?

Being deciduous you will probably want to style you prunus in a style that suits this sort of tree. They can make very impressive formal uprights and clump style bonsai. However, they will also work in a number of different styles and it will all depend on your material to determine what style will work best for your tree.

Wiring

A lot of work can be done through clip and grow techniques, but wire is always going to help you to get the results you want a lot quicker and easier. I would probably wire the main structure into place and then after this use clip and grow to build out the trees ramification.

Fall Colours

The colour your leaves turn in the autumn will depend on your exact type of prunus, but a lot of them can get some nice colours. My tree turns from a deep red in summer to a sort of orange/pink colour as winter approaches, which is very nice to see.

Is Prunus’ Winter Silhouette Good For Bonsai?

You will also get to see the winter silhouette on your prunus as it is deciduous. This will allow you to study the tree and you can work out what needs to be focused on and what needs removed.

In Japan prunus are really enjoyed over winter. Their dense branch structures can really be examined and appreciated at this time of year.

Does Prunus Have Good Bark For Bonsai

Usually the bark on prunus is great. It is thick and ridged and full of texture. This can be wonderful to look at but it also hides wounds very well and helps them heal over faster. This is another aspect that is enjoyed over winter when you can examine it with nothing in the way. Its little details like this that helps to make it a great tree for bonsai.  

Part of the reason why my own prunus is called the dark cherry is from the bark, it can almost be black once it has aged and it looks amazing. The younger shoots are also a deep, dark red colour which makes a very nice change from the usual green shoots on all the other trees.

Deadwood Opportunities

Deadwood should not be used on prunus, but they can look great with carving. If you have an old thick trunk, some carved areas can look really powerful and can help add a lot of character to the tree.

Are The Roots Of A Prunus Good For Bonsai?

The roots are pretty good for bonsai. They are like most deciduous tree roots; they grow fast and can be pruned hard. You can easily build a great root structure over a number of years.

You will find the prunus can build up plenty of fine rooting after a number of years of work, which is exactly what you want in a bonsai and will allow you to get it into a shallow pot with no trouble. 

Are Prunus Easy To Care For As Bonsai

Prunus is very easy to care for, but being a fruit tree, it can attract insects. This is nothing to really worry about and so long as you are keeping the tree healthy and checking it often you shouldn’t have any problems.  

For more information you can read my Prunus Care Guide.

Conclusion

Prunus is a great tree for bonsai. If you want a deciduous tree in your collection, this should be high on your list. Their little leaves, great bark and ability to respond well to bonsai work are all great reasons to get one.

When you start to consider how amazing they can look when they are in flower, you will really understand why they are one of the most popular trees to use as bonsai.  

You can take a prunus to a world class level and you get to enjoy its different looks throughout the seasons.

Prunus is a tree I am certainly going to be trying to add more of to my own collection over the years