Bonsai defoliation, pruning leaves to to reduce leaf size
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Bonsai defoliation involves cutting all or a significant part of the leaves of a tree during the summer.
Leaf size shape and texture is quite variable from plant to plant with a typical leaf being elliptical and mildly pointed and about 4 inches long. Compare this to a Ficus benjamina leaf which has a longer tip and whose leaf is thinner.
To reduce the leaf size, defoliating, especially towards the end of summer, is the way to go. You must be sure to remove the growing tip or sheath when you do this however. Prune throughout the whole year by cutting back to about two or three leaves.
Reductions of leaf sizes accompanied by a transfer of the photosynthetic functions to the stems reduces water loss.
Removing top growth during the growing season when storage is high above, but low below, weakens a plant, and resultant internode growth and leaf size will be reduced. This is how we ramify and reduce leaf size.
In general the more branches and fine twigs, or ramification of the tree, will create smaller leaf size. Defoliating can also create smaller leaves but should only be attempted with advice.
What to look for is - taper of trunk.
This method increases branch ramification, encourages growth in non-pruned branches, and reduces leaf size (Defoliating is another effective method for reducing leaf size).
Across the range of the species there is much variation in growth habit, leaf size, leaf shape and spring, summer and autumn colour.
In bonsai, defoliation decreases leaf size and increases ramification and overall number of leaves which together fulfil these requirements of the 'wild tree' schema.
It helps keep leaf size and internode distance down and is a must for good flower color. One year I had left some pink azaleas in the shade house where they also had some shade from a large tree. They were almost white when they opened.
The Snowbush, also called Snow on the Mountain, is a beautiful tree that has great leaf size and wonderful color, which depending on the lighting, changes.
A smaller plant on a larger rock will appear to be farther away - a struggling tree dwarfed by the massive rocks. Leaf size should also be taken into consideration.
Leaf and Branch Pruning: Ligustrum are vigorous growers and constant pruning is necessary to ensure the plant stays in shape and that the leaf sizes are reduced.
It is easy to reduce the leaf size on deciduous trees by leaf trimming, this is of course not possible with pines and other conifers.
Leaf pruning can be used to reduce leaf size. Ficus can be wired, but become quite stiff when lignified, and thus are best wired while the shoots are a bit green.
It was potted into a Pat Kennedy ( Mirkwood Forest) pot in 2006. Branch refinement and leaf size reduction are now the main emphasis as the trunk has developed its ‘pile-of-pancakes’ look.
Due to the large nature of the tree's leaves, it can be hard to bonsai them, but, with the process of defoliation, you will be able to promote smaller growth over time. It is entirely possible to reduce leaf size by 70%! ...
for the tree it is important not to reduce the foliage too early. The sugars produced by photosynthesis are necessary to develop the trunk and branch structure. Cutting and trimming the tree will also have the effect of reducing the leaf size.
most interesting of the many fascinating characteristics of this entire genus is its high probability for genetic "accidents" or "sports", which may partially explain the remarkably large number of species, color variations and flower and leaf sizes ...
They describe many characteristics specific to that plant such as: the place of origin, color, growth habit, leaf size, bark texture, etc.
Botanical names all have two main parts: a genus (generic) name and a species (specific) name: ...
 See also: Bonsai, Plant, Tree, Growing, Pruning
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