The “tree in a pot”, the Japanese term bonsai means nothing else, is an extremely attractive room decoration that is finding more and more fans. The trick is to keep the plants small by expertly pruning the roots, leaves and branches and still make them look like fully grown specimens in the wild. But does this also work with palm trees, which actually shouldn't be pruned?
Is a palm tree suitable for bonsai culture?
Can you cultivate a palm tree as a bonsai? Real palm trees are not suitable for bonsai cultivation due to their primary growth in thickness and the absence of a growth layer in the trunk. Alternatively, slow-growing species or plants such as yucca, which resemble palm trees but are not real palm trees, can be cultivated as bonsai.
Peculiarities of growing palm trees
Common bonsai plants such as oak, pine or beech show secondary growth in thickness. This means that they initially strive upwards, with the trunk constantly increasing in strength. They permanently form wood in all areas on the inside and living tissue mass on the outside. This means that these plants can cope with pruning relatively well and can be trained into the desired shape.
The special characteristics of palm trees
Palm plants, however, show primary growth in thickness. The trunk is missing the Kabium ring, the growth layer. As a result, palm trees do not have a real tree trunk, but initially only grow in width and develop their final diameter at a young age. The trunk is also unbranched and only receives additional stability from the woody, dead leaf bases.
This results in the fact that pruning measures can hardly influence the growth of palm trees. Their special growth also explains why they don't like being cut back.
A palm tree between bonsai plants
Nevertheless, lovers of small trees do not have to do without palm trees. Select:
- a still very small palm tree
- an extremely slow growing species.
Over the years, with good care, this palm tree will also develop into a magnificent houseplant. But is this so bad? It then creates an extremely attractive visual contrast to the bonsai plants.
And what about the holly?
The Ilex aquifolium, the “holly”, which is often offered in bonsai shops, is not a real palm tree. Like all shrubs, it has secondary growth and is therefore easy to train as a bonsai.
Tip
In the German language, numerous plants are referred to as palm trees, which are ultimately not a real palm plant at all. This includes the yucca, an asparagus plant, which can be found in many living spaces. It is very easy to cut and can be cultivated as a bonsai with a little skill and expertise.
