Portulacaira Afra General Care

[landon.hacker]

Hello, I am new to the bonsai world and to Bonsai Nut.

I have recently gotten a Portulacaira Bonsai tree. I have been researching some care instructions and I have read about not overwatering it, however I have a few more questions that I either researched conflicting information on or could not find any info at all...
1) When is the optimal time to wire a Portulacaria Afra?
2) I have a grow light for it because I am keeping it indoors year round, is there a need to reduce the intensity and duration of light in the winter to simulate the lighting it would get in the winter in its native South Africa?

Thanks in advance for your help. Much appreciated!

 

[AZbonsai]

I have a portulacara. Many do not think of them as bonsai. I think they are great. I keep mine outside year around. Since it is a succulent you can wire anytime. I clip and grow the one I have. You can tell when they need water the leaves are not as plump. Have fun with it.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

I have a large number of portulacaria; a couple of cork-bark ones from Frank Yee and a large number in landscape and hanging baskets. I keep them outside year round here in Southern California, and they are adaptive to a wide range of conditions. They seem to grow best in bright sun to slightly diffuse sun. They will survive in indirect lighting but they tend to grow leggier and less compact if the light is not bright enough. You can't really wire them because they don't have woody stems that will "set" with wire. It is better to use a clip and grow approach to prune them to shape. I think the only way to kill them is to overwater them in poor soil so they start to rot. If you use free-draining soil with low organics, it is almost impossible to overwater. They thrive on neglect, and seem to do best if you let the soil dry almost bone dry between waterings. Propagation is very simple - just take a cutting and let it sit out in air until the cut site dries (a couple of days). Then stick it in free-draining soil and it will root. You don't need to do anything else like put it in shade, etc.

 

[landon.hacker]

thanks for the help!

 

[Gustavo Martins]

I have a large number of portulacaria; a couple of cork-bark ones from Frank Yee and a large number in landscape and hanging baskets. I keep them outside year round here in Southern California, and they are adaptive to a wide range of conditions. They seem to grow best in bright sun to slightly diffuse sun. They will survive in indirect lighting but they tend to grow leggier and less compact if the light is not bright enough. You can't really wire them because they don't have woody stems that will "set" with wire. It is better to use a clip and grow approach to prune them to shape. I think the only way to kill them is to overwater them in poor soil so they start to rot. If you use free-draining soil with low organics, it is almost impossible to overwater. They thrive on neglect, and seem to do best if you let the soil dry almost bone dry between waterings. Propagation is very simple - just take a cutting and let it sit out in air until the cut site dries (a couple of days). Then stick it in free-draining soil and it will root. You don't need to do anything else like put it in shade, etc.

X2

They are not fussy at all...

 

[Bonsai918]

Do y'all think I took too much off or was this a good cut back?

 

[Carol 83]

Do y'all think I took too much off or was this a good cut back?

I would cut those two tall ones on the left side back farther, then stick them in some soil.