Defoliating Bonsai

Tools. Leaves and buds may sometimes be pinched off with the fingers, but it is best to have a good pair of sharp pruning scissors to ensure cuts are clean and heal well. Keep shears clean by wiping them with antiseptic or rubbing alcohol before and after each use to prevent transmitting bacteria to cutting wounds.

Timing. Do not attempt this technique during the dormant seasons of spring, fall and winter. Defoliate bonsai trees in summer, when trees are actively growing leaves. The exact timing varies with the species: May is the right time for privet, oak, fig, elm and hawthorn bonsai; defoliate maple, hornbeam, crabapple and fuchsia in June. The trauma of leaf removal is spread over the growing season, usually beginning in May and ending in late August.

Method. Begin by clipping off the largest leaves, which are generally found at the branch tips. This allows more light to reach the smaller branches at the center and lower parts of the tree and stimulates more vigorous growth. More growth means more opportunities to shape and train the bonsai. Continue removing only the largest leaves as the growing season progresses; tiny leaves will replace them toward the end of summer.

Aftercare. After partially defoliating a bonsai, place it in a sunny spot and give it plenty of water to help it recover.