Styling help for bougainvillea

sfeagan

Yamadori
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This was a cutting from summer of 2020 and it's done pretty good. Should I do any wiring while the branches are still somewhat flexible? I read that once they harden up they're brittle. Any styling ideas? I'm still new to bonsai and it's hard to visualize a design.
 

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Lorax7

Omono
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This was a cutting from summer of 2020 and it's done pretty good. Should I do any wiring while the branches are still somewhat flexible? I read that once they harden up they're brittle. Any styling ideas? I'm still new to bonsai and it's hard to visualize a design.
Yes. If you're going to do any wiring, do it while the growth is still young and green. Even then, take it slow and easy. Bouganvillea branches become brittle quickly. Even the roots are brittle, which is worth keeping in mind whenever you repot it.
 

crab apple

Shohin
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More than likely your just developing the trunk, all that top stuff is eventually gonna get cut off
 
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just bend the straight trunk a bit.
I know people don't like S curve, but for a small plant like that, it is an acceptable and much better option than the straight one
 

Zerobear

Yamadori
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Yes, they brittle up very quickly. In my experience, once the limb begins to go brown, it will likely be too brittle for wiring. I try to limit my Bougainvillea development to ramification and be satisfied with that.
 
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