The succulent family is very large and diverse. Plants from this variety are not suitable for growing as bonsai. The money or penny tree, also called jade plant or jade tree, is perhaps an exception.
The jade tree is particularly suitable for bonsai cultivation
Which thick leaf is suitable as a bonsai?
For example, Crassula ovata, also known as the jade tree or jade plant, is quite suitable as a bonsai. This thick leaf is often confused with Portulacaria afra, but is not related to this plant, which is also called jade plant. In its homeland, the jade tree is about two meters tall and has a tree-like growth. This is precisely why this thick-leafed plant is well suited as a bonsai.
How do I grow a bonsai?
In the period from April to September you can pull your thick leaf to a bonsai. Aim for the tree shape, then remove the lower leaves. Then cut off transverse and inward growing branches. Wiring is also possible with thick leaves, but only with branches that are already slightly woody.
Shorten new shoots to the length you want. New shoots form, which are shortened again to two or three leaves. The cuts on the thick leaf heal faster if you leave the shoots about an inch longer than desired. The end of the shoot then dries up and can then be easily removed.
Suitable growth forms for the thick leaf:
- cascades
- semi-cascades
- tree shape
- Wiring only in exceptional cases
How do I care for a bonsai?
As a bonsai, the thick leaf is in principle not cared for any differently than usual. So it needs a lot of light for healthy growth and strong leaf colouring. Pale leaves and thin shoots indicate a lack of light or overwintering.
Don't water your succulent too much and plant it in a pot with a drainage layer. In this way you avoid waterlogging and, as a result, root rot and falling leaves. In winter, the thick leaf needs less water. It is only moderately fertilized during the growth phase and not at all in winter.
tips
If your thick leaf gets too much water, it will lose its leaves quite quickly, and root rot is also a common consequence of overwatering.