Bonsai is the art of growing small trees or plants in containers, and wisteria is a beautiful flowering plant that can be grown as a bonsai. Here are some general steps to follow to bonsai a wisteria:
1. Choose the right type of wisteria
There are several species of wisteria, but the Chinese and Japanese varieties are the most commonly used for bonsai. Choose a young plant that is healthy and has a thick trunk with good root development.
- Chinese Wisteria tends to have more delicate, slender branches than Japanese Wisteria, and its leaves are smaller and more delicate. Chinese Wisteria also has longer flower clusters than Japanese Wisteria, with each cluster containing 20-30 flowers.
- Japanese Wisteria has thicker branches than Chinese Wisteria and larger, more vibrant flowers. The flowers of Japanese Wisteria are typically a deep purple color and are produced in shorter clusters of 4-18 flowers.
- In terms of care, both species require similar care as bonsai trees. They both need regular pruning and wiring to shape the branches and maintain the desired form, and they both require well-draining soil and regular watering. For detailed care guide, please read: Wisteria bonsai care and How do you take care of a wisteria bonsai in the winter.
2. Obtaining the plant
You can either grow wisteria by sowing seeds, planting softwood cuttings or buying a young wisteria tree with a reasonably thick trunk.
Growing wisteria from seeds can be a time consuming process. A wisteria plant that is grown from seeds can take almost 12-15 years to bloom. Gather the seeds in fall and plant the seeds in soil. Maintain a temperature around 65 °F (18 °C). Germination will take almost 30-60 days.
For growing wisteria from cuttings, take softwood cuttings in early summer or late spring. In 4-6 weeks, the cuttings will root. Plant the cuttings in large container or ground. This will give the roots of the plant plenty of space to expand, and gain a thicker trunk.
You can also buy your bonsai material from a plant nursery. Choose a young, healthy plant with a thick trunk and good root development. Look for a plant with a straight trunk and branches that are well spaced and evenly distributed.
3. Perform structural pruning
Use sharp, clean pruning shears to remove any dead, damaged or diseased branches. Trim back the remaining branches to the desired shape and size of the bonsai. Continue reading about essential and advanced bonsai tools.
Take your time while deciding the the shape of your bonsai tree. This will not only prevent you from making any mistake but also help you in deciding the final form of the trunk. Later you can maintain the shape of the tree by maintenance pruning.
This is also an appropriate time to decide the bonsai style of your bonsai tree.
Please read how to prune a bonsai tree for more details.
4. Shape the trunk
Wisteria bonsai should have a thick, gnarled trunk that looks old and weathered. Use wire to gently bend the trunk into the desired shape, being careful not to damage the bark or roots.
Be careful not to bend the trunk too much or too quickly, as this can cause damage or even break the trunk. When pruning the trunk, use sharp pruning shears and make clean cuts. Avoid leaving stubs or tearing the bark, as this can damage the tree and introduce disease.
Shaping the trunk of a wisteria bonsai can take time and requires patience. Take your time and make small adjustments over time to create the desired shape.
Please read how to wire a bonsai tree for more details.
5. Repot the plant
Repot the plant into a bonsai pot that is slightly larger than the root ball, using a fresh soil mixture of loam, sand, and peat moss. Wisteria trees need a well-draining soil mixture that is rich in organic matter. After this repotting, you can perform repotting every 2-5 years. (Younger plants can be repotted every 2 years and older specimens can be repotted every 3-5 years).
Read wisteria bonsai tree care – This will provide you with all the details on how and when to repot the wisteria bonsai. Also refer to how to repot a bonsai tree and best soil for your bonsai – These guides will provide you with all the guidelines on repotting and bonsai soil selection.
This is also a good time to transfer the tree to a suitable bonsai pot. Choose your bonsai pot wisely (preferably a deep pots for wisteria bonsai) as the art of bonsai is not just the tree but a combination of the pot and the tree. Continue reading how to choose a bonsai pot for your bonsai.
6. Train the branches
As the plant grows, train the branches into the desired shape using wire. Be careful not to over use the wire or damage the branches. It is important to note 2 vital information about wisteria bonsai: (1) Most of the wisteria bonsai shaping is done with pruning. Wire training is not used very often. (2) The branches of wisteria have a tendency to snap without any indication, hence wire very carefully.
7. Perform maintenance pruning
To maintain the shape and size of your wisteria bonsai, prune and shape the plant regularly. Use sharp, clean pruning shears and wire to shape the branches and trunk as desired. This is a process that is performed throughout the life of the bonsai (preferably twice a year for wisteria bonsai). Remove seed pods to focus more tree energy towards flowering, shorten the shoots to maintain the shape of the tree and also to reduce the size of the leaves. Leaf size reduction can also be achieved by complete defoliation of the tree. In early spring or after late summer, do not prune to avoid unintentionally removing next year’s flower buds.
8. Water and fertilize regularly
Wisteria bonsai need regular watering to keep the soil moist but not waterlogged. Utmost care has to be taken while watering the wisteria plant. Long periods of excessively wet soil will certainly lead to root rot. Continue reading about how to water a bonsai tree.
Fertilize the plant every two weeks during the growing season with a balanced fertilizer. Continue reading about how to fertilize a bonsai tree.
Although, this tree is mostly pest free, keep checking the tree for any symptoms of pests and diseases.
Because the wisteria bonsai needs more care and attention, it is not usually recommended to bonsai beginners. You need patience and a decent level of bonsai skills. However, with proper care and attention, a wisteria bonsai can be a beautiful addition to your home or garden.
