Euonymus Burning Bush

[remist17]

When do you trim this type of plant back to encourage more growth? I have several in the ground now and was not sure the best time of year to make serious cuts.

I was thinking either late winter or early spring.

 

[JudyB]

Outside in the ground, I'd wait till late winter. That's when I do any deciduous shrub pruning, except for flowering varieties.

 

[Ang3lfir3]

Euonymus commonly only have one major growth push per year.... and if you want to get good coverage of wounds I would wait until mid spring.... this will give the plant some time to heal the wound as well as throw some new growth. I have a small one that I have been working on for a few years (it will never be show worthy but its a fun project tree) and it has just started to produce the bright orange fruit that make the winter viewing of the tree so exciting.

good luck.

 

[the bonsai kid]

Hey Ang3lfir3 do you have any pic of that tree i have a few i been working on also

 

[Ang3lfir3]

Hey Ang3lfir3 do you have any pic of that tree i have a few i been working on also

I'll see if I can get a picture of it sometime soon...

 

[Ang3lfir3]

as I promised.... some quick pictures... like I said... its nothing special...

Needs to be wired again to give those straight branches some shape

And one of the Fruit

 

[DaveV]

Ang3, I bet that has beautiful color in the fall.

 

[Ang3lfir3]

Ang3, I bet that has beautiful color in the fall.

Yes it has a wonderful dark red color.... tho the leaves have not yet reduced as much as I would like so they still curl quite a bit ... this is normal however as I have seen it on several examples...

i forgot to post this for the OP last time...
http://www.rgbonsai.com/burningbush.htm

a decent write up of a burning bush's development .... also for more information you can see if Bill V still has a copies of Internation Bonsai 2004 No3 which has serveral articles on burning bush... including one by the author in the above link (Reiner Goebel) ...

 

[the bonsai kid]

Thanks! it looks to be coming along nicely. Thats the site that got me to start a few of my own.

 

[Jason]

Thanks for the post. I have one in the ground. I can echo the dieback problem. It is a pretty big deal. Just when you think you have something worth potting up......

 

[edprocoat]

Euonymus commonly only have one major growth push per year.... and if you want to get good coverage of wounds I would wait until mid spring.... this will give the plant some time to heal the wound as well as throw some new growth. I have a small one that I have been working on for a few years (it will never be show worthy but its a fun project tree) and it has just started to produce the bright orange fruit that make the winter viewing of the tree so exciting.

good luck.

I find the "show worthy" thing to be a moot point for me. The only worth a Bonsai has for me is if I find it pleasing to work with or to look at, thats as far as I find it needs to go to keep me happy, but to each his own. By the way I like your burning bush, the trunk makes it look very old and it reminds me of many large old gnarled trees I see in the midwest, I would love to see it all leafed out.

ed

 

[Ang3lfir3]

I find the "show worthy" thing to be a moot point for me. The only worth a Bonsai has for me is if I find it pleasing to work with or to look at, thats as far as I find it needs to go to keep me happy, but to each his own. By the way I like your burning bush, the trunk makes it look very old and it reminds me of many large old gnarled trees I see in the midwest, I would love to see it all leafed out.

ed

Thanks ed it is intended to give the feeling you describe.... its not so impressive in leaf as they haven't reduced much yet (not enough ramification) but hopefully soon it will look less like a small bush.... I have trees in both classes this one fits in the "for me" class many others fit into the "for me and show worthy" class.... but they all start out because I love them

 

[remist17]

That is a great photo. thank you. I will start working on mine. I was given 6 plants that were grown from seed. Several have a 3/4" maine trunk and I will cut them back this winter in hopes of them back budding in the spring.

 

[the bonsai kid]

I had did some pruning last year late fall and one tree in this forest died so now i prune in early summer

 

[Ang3lfir3]

That is a great photo. thank you. I will start working on mine. I was given 6 plants that were grown from seed. Several have a 3/4" maine trunk and I will cut them back this winter in hopes of them back budding in the spring.

I would probably wait to cut them back .... best to cut back just before bud break this way you will eliminate die back and increase the chances of improved healing....

 

[Ang3lfir3]

I had did some pruning last year late fall and one tree in this forest died so now i prune in early summer

these don't really lend themselves to being a forest... you will find yourself fighting with it over the years in an attempt to get tiny branching etc which just won't appear. You would be better served to plant these little guys in your landscape and enjoy them for 10yrs.... then dig them up and give em a go....

now if you want a great forest...... chinese hackberry....

 

[crust]

What have you heard about American Hackberry for bonsai or is this another unstable dieback species. Chinese Hackberry does not like our late hard freezes where I am at. American hack is hardy for me here though, at least as a regular tree.

 

[monza]

Ang3 do you know how old your burning bush in the photo is?

 

[Ang3lfir3]

Ang3 do you know how old your burning bush in the photo is?

I've had it a couple of years (maybe 3) ... it was nursery stock before that... so prolly not more than another 5 (maybe less) .... so between 6 and 8 years old?