If the cherry tree in the garden remains without tasty fruit despite its great blossoms, then it can sometimes be an ornamental cherry of the plant species Prunus serrulata. Although these do not produce usable fruit, they can be trained into attractive bonsai forms, similar to apple trees and lemon trees.

The Japanese flowering cherry is also a beautiful bonsai when it is not in bloom

The attractive blossom makes the Japanese cherry a particularly appealing bonsai material

The Japanese flowering cherry also adorns the trunk and thicker branches with numerous pink flowers before the first green leaves sprout. Varieties that are not quite frost hardy should also be overwintered in a cool place so that lush flowering occurs.

Choose the right subspecies

A number of subspecies of Prunus serrulata are also hardy in this country and can therefore be cultivated outdoors as bonsai. In order for the training to become a shapely bonsai promises success, the following factors should be considered when buying a young plant:

  • select a relatively low-growing subspecies
  • select a specific flower color and growth form depending on your preference
  • pay attention to the shape of the tree root (the root may have to fit into a flat bonsai pot)
  • Examine the bark and leaves for diseases and pests

tips

When wiring your prospective bonsai from a Japanese blossom cherry, make sure to protect the trunk from being injured by the wire with a special raffia band. Otherwise, there may be unwanted traces of wiring in the bark of the plant.

Category:

Indoor plants