How to Shape a Gardenia Bonsai

Study the gardenia before you prune, noticing which branches are the strongest, longest and most graceful. Plan your cuts to retain the limbs that give your bonsai balance of form. Also, consider the future flower-bud formation points on the plant.

Work slowly and carefully, using small, very sharp bonsai pruners to remove unwanted leaves and twigs. Remove dead leaves and twigs as well. You’re working in a small space, so take care not to clip or break a branch inadvertently. Make pruning cuts at an angle. If a large cut is necessary, daub the raw area with protective wound paint.

Make a branch grow in a particular direction by pruning just above a bud growing in the desired direction. When seasonal growth resumes, the directional bud will develop into a new branch. Make multiple prunings of this type over the span of a few years to create a branch with a crooked, gnarled appearance.

Select a branch you want to train, and gently coil copper wire around it. The wire should be snug, but not tight enough to scar the bark. Carefully bend the wire to hold the branch in the correct position. Wire training is typically done in several increments over a period of time. Shaping bonsai by wire training is a gentle and slow process that allows the plant to permanently adjust to the new shape.

Wire the trunk to create a low cascade style of bonsai, if desired. Anchor one end of the copper wire into the soil at the base of the trunk, and spiral the wire up the trunk. Use one long piece of wire to extend up the trunk and along a branch. Bend the trunk and branch to create a smooth, gracefully cascading form.