Citrus bonsai care

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Citrus bonsai is easy to keep and makes a very attractive bonsai specimen.

Despite the fact that citrus trees grow pretty much the same fruit, they can have different leaf structures. Their only difference is in the size of their leaves.

The evergreen leaves are shiny and range from a medium to pale green color and are borne on often spiny stems.

From late spring to summer, these plants bear fragrant white flowers that are followed by yellow or orange fruits.

Another citrus variety which is used for making citrus bonsai is Fortunella hindsii (dwarf kumquat). It produces fruits that resemble miniature oranges.

Best location to keep Citrus Bonsai

Citrus trees need protection in winter if they are grown in northern Europe and northern parts of America.

If grown in zone 8 – 11, you can keep it outside all year. However, in case you are growing it in zone 4 – 7, you will need to move the bonsai container indoors in winter.

During the summer, the bonsai can be kept in sunny, sheltered locations.

When temperature goes below 37 to 41°F (3 to 5°C), make sure you bring the bonsai indoor. Provide it with sufficient light in indoor settings.

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 Citrus

Citrus can be propagated by using stem cuttings, grafting and sowing seeds.

Watering Citrus Bonsai

Water the plant generously in summer. Make sure that the bonsai soil never dries out.

However, do not let the soil become waterlogged by over-watering.

During the winter, reduce the frequency of watering, just keeping the soil moist.

Spray mist on the foliage in case the indoor environment is dry.

Read watering bonsai tree for more details about immersion technique.

Wiring Citrus Bonsai

You can wire the branches of citrus bonsai tree in late spring. In case the tree is very young (less than year old) do not attempt to wire.

Remember that the plant is young, so the weight of the wires will also bring them down.

Wires can be left on the citrus plant for almost an year.

Pruning Citrus Bonsai

When to prune Citrus bonsai?

How to prune Citrus bonsai?

Pruning can be done in spring and summer. But take care not to remove flower buds during the process.

Established indoor citrus bonsai trees only need light pruning. Remove the dead branches. You can check if the branch is dead or not by scraping a small amount of bark from the branch.

For younger citrus bonsai tree which still needs some establishing, prune 1-2 leaves from the canopy. This will encourage the tree to spread a little instead of just growing straight up.

Pinching Citrus Bonsai

Pinch the twigs on the tree all throughout the growing season.

When the structure has become too dense, thin out the twigs. Make sure that all fruits are removed from the plant at the end of the winter season.

Repotting Citrus Bonsai

When to repot Citrus bonsai?

Citrus bonsai tree can be repotted in early spring or late winter.

These trees can be repotted every 3 years or so. It basically depends on whether the plant is pot bound or not.

When repotting, remove the roots which were damaged during the cleaning of the roots.

Also, you might find the roots on one side of the truck bigger than the other side. Trim these roots a little to create a balance on both sides.

These plants love neutral to acidic soil, so choose the soil accordingly.

You can use a basic free-draining bonsai soil mix as a potting soil.

Must Read: Bonsai Soil Recipes

Must read : Choosing the right bonsai container

Feeding Citrus Bonsai

During the summer, after flowering and after the fruits have set, apply a balanced feed to these plants once a week. Avoid feeding in spring.

Adding too much fertilizer to these plants will cause the leaves to turn yellow and drop.

Read more about applying feed to flowering bonsai in bonsai fertilizer and its application.

Diseases and pest of Citrus Bonsai

Scale insects can pose some problems for citrus trees. Use a systemic insecticide.

Citrus bonsai care

Over-watering and overfeeding a citrus bonsai tree will lead to leaf drop.

What to look for when buying Citrus Bonsai

If you feel adventurous and are confident that you will be able to handle the patience required, you may decide to buy some seeds and begin your bonsai project from there. This will be a cheaper option as well.

However, if you are like me, and would rather prefer directly jumping to the step of training and establishing your bonsai, you can buy any citrus bonsai.

These are usually small and are a suitable choice for your indoor bonsai collection.