Chinese Privet
(ligustrum sinense)
Country of Origin : Japan, China, and Korea
Bonsai Styles : Informal upright, broom, slanting, root-over-rock, clasped-to-rock, twin-trunk, clump, group
Zone : 7 – 11
Almost all privet species can be made into beautiful bonsai.
As a deciduous plant, Ligustrum sinense bonsai tree has green leaves, white blossoms, and purple-black berries.
They produce oval leaves in pairs on straight shoots that emerge abundantly from both young and old wood as a result of pruning or pinching.
Another Chinese private variety which can be used to make a bonsai is Ligustrum lucidum.
However, L. lucidum should not be confused with L. sinense. Unlike L. sinense, L. lucidum is evergreen. It has small, glossy, dark green leaves, white flowers and blue-black berries.
Nevertheless, both the varieties are fast growing privet species and can be easily trained as a bonsai tree.
The instructions mentioned in this guide can be applied to both L. sinense and L. lucidum bonsai trees.
Do not confuse Chinese privet bonsai tree with common privet bonsai tree (Ligustrum vulgare). Common privet aka European privet, is a different variety, hardy to different zone.
Best location to keep Chinese Privet Bonsai
Chinese privet bonsai tree survives well in both a centrally heated house and a garden, making it one of the few plants that can thrive in both.
When grown indoors, privet needs as much light as possible all year, but outside, it will thrive in the sun or shade.
The leaves on plants grown in shade will be larger, more lush in color and texture, but will fall more frequently in winter.
Spraying water on the tree will keep it safe from the heat.
It can tolerate brief periods of freezing. However, it will start loosing leaves at that point.
In winter, keep the bonsai tree at a temperature below 68°F.
Refer sunlight requirements for indoor plants for more indoor gardening ideas. Also, refer to do bonsai trees need sunlight for more indoor and outdoor bonsai location ideas.
Propagation of Chinese Privet
Chinese Privet tree can be propagated by sowing seeds, air layering or stem cuttings.
Watering Chinese Privet Bonsai
Ensure that the bonsai soil has an even moisture level throughout the year. Avoid over-watering. Lower branches will die back due to dry roots.
Especially if peat-based organic matter is used in the bonsai soil mix, dry soil can be difficult to re-wet.
Every 2-3 weeks, immerse the Chinese Privet bonsai container in a bowl of water. Immerse it till the water level matches the level of the bonsai soil. As soon as the soil appears sufficiently wet, remove the bonsai pot from the bowl and drain excess water.
If the atmosphere in a room is very dry, misting may be beneficial.
Wiring Chinese Privet Bonsai
Summer is a good time to wire the branches.
New shoots should be wire trained while they’re still green (after the midsummer pruning).
Ensure that the wires are not digging deeply into the bark. Remove in case they do.
While the branches are setting, initial training wires can remain on the bonsai three for one to two years.
Pruning Chinese Privet Bonsai
When to prune Chinese Privet bonsai?
How to prune Chinese Privet bonsai?
When compared to common Privet (Ligustrum vulgar), Chinese Privet have a less vigorous growth rate. Hence, these plants require light pruning.
Late spring or early summer is a good time to prune the branches. However, as long as there is no danger of frost, branches can be pruned at any time of the year.
Congested spurs should be cleared in midsummer.
Pinching Chinese Privet Bonsai
Pinch out the growing tips of new shoots as necessary to maintain the bonsai style.
From early summer onward, you can let your large bonsai grow unpinched to maximize flowering.
However, for smaller bonsai, the flowers should be sacrificed and all new growth should be pinched back as needed to keep the tree tidy.
Repotting Chinese Privet Bonsai
When to repot Chinese Privet bonsai?
You should repot your Chinese privet bonsai tree between mid-to-late spring (with hard woody root pruning). However, repotting can be done as late as late summer if there is minimal root disruption.
Repotting the tree every other year is a good practice.
These plants are not finicky about the soil too much and can grow in any compost as long as it is free-draining.
You can use a standard soil mix or Akadama.
OR
Use a mix of 60% organic matter and 40% grit.
OR
You can also use a bonsai soil which is a mix of sharp sand and loam in the ratio of 1:2.
Must Read: Bonsai Soil Recipes
Must read : Choosing the right bonsai container
Feeding Chinese Privet Bonsai
During the growing season, use low-nitrogen fertilizer to maintain vigor and to induce flowering.
With one application of nitrogen-free feed in fall, plants kept outdoors will become tougher.
For more details, read how to use bonsai fertilizers depending on the season.
Diseases and pest of Chinese Privet Bonsai
Scaled insects are the most dangerous, but they can easily be eliminated with systemic insecticides.
In poor conditions, plants can be attacked by mildew and silver-leaf fungus.
Additionally, they are susceptible to sap-sucking insects such as aphids and whiteflies. If you cannot pick them off by hand, spray or apply a systemic insecticide.
Sometimes, branches can die back seemingly out of nowhere. You should cut back the damaged stems to healthy tissue when this happens.
Chinese Privet bonsai care
This privet is generally trouble-free, but prefers a relatively cool environment.
If they’re kept in a room that’s too warm, especially in the winter, they’ll produce leggy shoots.
Despite being somewhat tolerant of dry soil conditions, Chinese privet cannot tolerate roots that are too dry for too long.
In addition, if conditions are too wet, the roots will soon begin to decay.
Furthermore, dense, fibrous roots filling up the bonsai container can slow down water penetration in the pot as well.
What to look for when buying Chinese Privet Bonsai
A nursery tree watered on a regular basis may develop root rot, so make sure the tree is firm in its bonsai container before you buy it.
For trees offered for sale indoors or in greenhouses, the leaves should be fully developed. Privet bonsai that is grown indoors but has lost or is losing leaves is likely unhealthy.
In smaller Chinese Privet bonsai, branches and surface roots may appear a little too straight due to the vigorous growth. This problem is less common in larger Chinese Privet bonsai. The branches of a bonsai specimen can, if necessary, be regrown – look for ones with natural-looking roots.
