Premna Bonsai Care Guide

Premna

Premna Bonsai

Native to China, Australia, South East Asia and the Philippines. Premna are curious bonsai distinct for their characterful trunks yet stinky leaves, similar to Serissa foetida. Premna microphylla and Premna serratifolia are the two species predominantly sought by Bonsai aficionados. 

Premna Bonsai Care Tips

These are subtropical plants that require a minimum 10 degrees C temperature. Premna like good aeration with full sun but be sure to protect them from the full glare of the midday sun. In a temperature climate like the UK, Premna will require an indoor spot with lots of humidity and light. 

Premna bonsai grow vigorously and will developt many roots. They should be given lots of water, particularly in the growing season. Across the winter, keep the soil moist. 

Across the growing season, feed your Premna bonsai once a week with a liquid feed or once a month with solid organic feed. In winter, these trees show little activity and can be fed once a month with liquid feed.

Pruning your bonsai is important not only to create or maintain an aesthetic style but to also ensure optimal health. For shaping use scissors or secateurs, and time long shoots to a leaf pair or two after several have formed. Hard pruning of large branches should take place in the summer as the plant will heal faster. Cut paste can be used to encourage calluses.  

Premna bonsai have such rugged and characterful growth of their trunks, branches and twigs they do not require wiring. 

Repotting your tree is an important way to provide a fresh and suitable soil mix and ensure appropriate root health. Spring is the best window to repot your Premna bonsai, every other year. 

Trees that are ready for repotting will require root pruning, a suitable new pot and appropriate soil mix.

When repotting, do not cut back the root mass by a large amount, and choose a well-draining soil mix that has a neutral or slightly higher PH value of 5-6 but not over 7. We tend to use a mixture of different speciality bonsai soils on our trees. Every species is different so please contact us for free soil-mix advice or to take advantage of our repotting service.

Bonsai make for a one-of-a-kind indoor plant offering elegance, nature and art all in one minute form. Across an array of exquisite and erudite species, they all demand their own specific care and cultivation needs in order for their beauty to flourish. We have an extensive library of care guides for indoor bonsai trees so you can make an informed and considered choice. It’s not about selecting the perfect bonsai, it’s about selecting the perfect bonsai for you. 

Premna Bonsai - Typical Queries

Premna bonsai can be propagated with both cuttings and seeds. Air layering is also an option but can be a technical and challenging option.  

Cuttings should be 2-3 inches long from a mature tree, but between the stem and the leaf node. The cut end should be dipped in a rooting hormone. Plant the cutting in well-draining bonsai soil. The pot needs a humid, warm location that can provide indirect sun light. Rooting should take place from 6 to 12 weeks.   

While rare to attract pests, Premna can incur scale, red spider mites or aphids. Pesticides and an address of the plant’s environment should take care of these. This tree can also develop powdery mildew with improper care. 

 

 

 

 

As an indoor bonsai for temperate climates, Premna is not an easy bonsai to care for. They need considerable light warmth and humidity. There are much more straightforward bonsai for a beginner to care for than Premna and its high demands. 

This being said, if growing in a tropical climate akin to Premna’s native regions, an outdoor spot and plenty of water should be simple enough for the beginner.