Matt_09
Full Member
Posts: 20
Joined: Sat Feb 07, 2009 10:12 pm

Cherry Tree For Bonsai

Hello Everyone,
I've recently been thinking about making a cherry tree a bonsai. I read a few articles on the topic and some say that a cherry tree can be a challenging project but others say the opposite, so I would like to ask a question; is a cherry tree difficult subject bonsai-wise? I really like the cherry tree so I thought about being able to see one everyday by having it as a bonsai. But, I have specific preferences: the Japanese, Yoshino, and Higan cherry trees, I do not wish to have any other type of cherry so if this is possible please reply. I have searched a little bit so I'll continue doing that in the meanwhile, thank-you for reading.

The Helpful Gardener
Mod
Posts: 7491
Joined: Mon Feb 09, 2004 9:17 pm
Location: Colchester, CT

Matt the biggest issue you face with a cherry is the fact that genus Prunus is infamously suceptible to fungal diseases. How do we go about keeping fungus out of a tree? Well, we shouldn't stress it or get the foliage wet much, or open wounds on the tree much, in short a lot of the things we usually do with bonsai. So, a beginner's tree? Nosir. Possible? Certainly...but it will take a good deal of thought and care to make it work out right. Don't see a lot of old cherries nowadays...

HG

User avatar
IndorBonsai
Senior Member
Posts: 268
Joined: Sat May 02, 2009 5:15 pm
Location: Seattle area WA

Bonsai does not have to be tiny trees. It could be a large tree in a pot, I have seen some Bonsai in Japan that must have been at least 20 feet tall.

I am trying something similar with a local nursery bought plum tree. I am hoping with training I can keep it about 4 or 5 foot tall, in a pot. And still get good fruit from the tree. I might be able to go smaller but time will tell.

I say give it a try and see what happens :)

User avatar
snowblind
Cool Member
Posts: 90
Joined: Tue May 26, 2009 11:55 am
Location: uk kent

go for it hunny you will onely lurn by doing it.

as for the size I say big is nice =P the largeist bonsai ive seen was around 6ft it was amazeing it was in a court yard in the center of a pond on its own little island . so go for it as for them being hard to work with I really belive the more you put into a tree the more likely its gonna live and become sumthing pretty

Matt_09
Full Member
Posts: 20
Joined: Sat Feb 07, 2009 10:12 pm

Thank-you all for your help,
I think I'll try to make a cherry bonsai. I read up a little bit more on the subject and I learned that the cherry is indeed quite susceptible to fungi, like TheHelpfulGardener said. And thank-you to both IndorBonsai and snowblind for your encouragement, also to TheHelpfulGardener for a little feedback on the subject, I'll try my best to make a beautiful tree. I think that a cherry would look best in a wide curve informal upright style, just an opinion. Any other information would be greatly appreciated. :()



Return to “BONSAI FORUM”