Rosemary bonsai?

I have spring fever, big time, and was looking at my rosemary, which I've had for 10 years or more, and bring into the sunroom every winter since they are not hardy here. It was blooming so I took a picture of the flowers with my new camera, then I got to admiring the bark....and tried to think of how this could be made more bonsai-like. Ditch the huge pot, sure, but what I'm really wondering is how it might respond to careful pruning. It doesn't seem to grow anything on the old wood. I thin out the exuberant growth every fall when I bring it inside, not paying much attention to aesthetics, and it always looks kind of silly afterward. What can you do with this plant to avoid the poodle haircut look? I see some great looking rosemary bonsai when I google it, but I imagine they were pruned from a young age. Anyone know what would work with this one?

More pictures

sorry about this, there doesn't seem to be a way to change the picture if you accidentally post the same one twice, nor can you delete a post!

This message was edited Feb 19, 2010 7:29 PM

hey Granite...I had the same problem. I believe that the shaping has to be done on the active growth and not the aged branches. I was at the same point you were but never got to finish it because it succumbed when I went on vacation. The next one I tried, I shaped and kept pruned to the desired shape rather than letting the shoots get large and then pruning. But if you did cut those branches down and maintained water and heat...wouldn't it almost have to send out new shoots?

Well, that or die...but it might pick die.

I know that you can cut it back to the nearest new shoot. And I see from your picture that you have quit a few. The thing about rosemary is that they grow fast. If you fail in your pruning it can readily be replaced and you learn something from it.

I went to a bonsai dealer this weekend, and asked him about it while I was there. He suggested doing it in stages, never cutting any branch such that all green is removed (unless you don't want that branch anyway). This way, it will likely force some new buds from the dry wood. Give them time to grow a bit, and cut back more, etc. which seems to be the same as what Riceke was saying. I'm going to get started tomorrow.

So how's the Rosemary bonsai coming?

Very promising. One branch that was cut back to no leaves at all has two 1/2 inch shoots coming along from the old wood! I'm going to cut some more (on other branches) in about a month. Right now the plant is in a large pot. Normally I put it outside in the garden for the summer (removing it from the pot). Since I don't want rampant growth anymore, should I keep it in a pot and bury that in the garden?

"Since I don't want rampant growth anymore, should I keep it in a pot and bury that in the garden?"

Standard Rosemary has a very rampant root system, often outgrowing the pots they are put in. In the ground I had one grow to about 5-6'. For bonsai I found that the trailing types (there are several that at this time can't remember their names) are better suited to bonsai. Their growth isn't as rampant and their shape has a natural twisting and gnarling that makes them a fascinating bonsai subject.

I like twisting and gnarling. I was mad at myself when I bought the prostrate one, thinking it was the wrong one. So now I have 2 :-)

love your 10 year old



And please share any new discoveries.

This message was edited May 7, 2010 7:46 PM

I have a similar Rosemary and am new to bonsai, thinking I may try to do something with mine. I know it's been a while. How has yours done?

Doing fine, but nothing exceptional. Certainly a good plant to play with to gain experience. I plant it pot and all outside for summer, then bring in for winter. I'll post a picture when I get around to bringing it in. Been away and swamped with gardening work to catch up on.

Granite...just be carefull of the watering, especially when you bring it in for the winter (I would only bring it in during freezes). Too much water will rot the roots and the plant will start wilting, dropping needles that makes one think it needs more water. It will take cold (light frost) but not severe freezes especially in pots (altho I have left mine out during freezes that survived). I have a prostrate in 14" pot under semi shade that I only watered about 4 times this year during our summer drought. But I have killed a couple with too much water. Next time you trim roots and repot add granite grit (chicken grit from feed stores) to your soil and as a mulch layer to drain excess water. By the way I lost my other prostrate last Winter-Spring when I left it in the rain too long with a saucer underneath it during our mild Winter. I forgot it was there and didn't drain the saucer. By the time I discovered it the needles were dropping and roots were beyond help. But this is a good plant to experiment with Bonsai because it grows quickly and really doesn't need alot of attention. And if you mess it up it cost very little to start a new one.

it looks beautiful, nice project with much potential. ;)