Bring the bonsai into shape
With regard to the already mentioned difficulty of tying the long spring leaves, you shouldn't keep your robinia too small, even as a bonsai. A height of one meter is recommended. Then the fan leaves create a coherent overall picture again. Suitable designs for the robinia are
- the cascade
- the half-cascade
- or the multiple stem
also read
- Clear the garden of a robinia
- When does the black locust bloom?
- Tips and instructions for cutting a robinia
Cut the locust tree for bonsai
A low, shaping cut is possible all year round. You should still make the main radical cut in autumn. At this point the robinia ceases to produce new shoots. This means that less sap will leak out of the branches if you are cut. A black locust forms up to 23 leaflets on one leaf. Feel free to cut these back to three to four leaflets. In addition, the deciduous tree tends to develop root runners. These are of no interest for bonsai keeping and should be removed immediately at the base.
Be careful when wiring
With regular pruning, the shaping wire is actually not necessary with the robinia. If you would like to use this measure anyway, it is best to start in June. However, you have to remove the wire after a year at the latest so that it does not grow into the wood. Be very careful when doing this. The shoots of the robinia are extremely fragile.
More care tips
Place your black locust bonsai in a sunny spot. You should not expose the deciduous tree to strong winds. Regular watering and fertilization every other week are also part of the maintenance. Ideally, you should enrich the substrate with bonsai unit soil.
