My Trees > Dwarf Jade 1

About Dwarf Jade 1

This is Mary’s Jade, a legacy wrapped in succulent leaves. Grown from a cutting in 1975 by Polly in Seattle to commemorate her daughter Mary’s birth, this Portulacaria afra has spent half a century basking in the light of their back sliding glass door and summering on the back patio, growing with quiet determination. With its thick, muscular trunk and sweeping branches, it speaks of both endurance and kindness.

Now part of my garden, this tree marks a bridge between generations. It arrives not just as a tree, but as a time capsule of maternal care and devotion. Its limbs carry the weight of years and the potential for countless more; already, a few branches have given way, offering themselves up to propagate new lives. And that is its true spirit: generosity, resilience, and a readiness to become the origin of many.

There’s artistry to unlock here, yes, but there’s also reverence. Mary’s Jade doesn’t ask to be rushed. She invites to observe, to consider, and to collaborate. And in that slow unfolding, I'll not only guide her transformation into bonsai, but also cultivate an ever-widening forest of her offspring. Each new cutting will be an echo, a whisper from 1975, still growing.

10-year Plan for Dwarf Jade 1

Here’s a full 10-year development plan for Mary’s Jade, a resilient, massive Portulacaria afra with age, history, and potential. This roadmap balances aggressive early shaping with long-term refinement, all grounded in Graham Potter’s philosophy (pdf), instinctive care, and her remarkable vigor.

YEAR 1: 2025 – “Orientation & Operation”

Goal: Establish foundation, begin structural reduction, and initiate legacy propagation.

Mid–Late Summer (July–August)

• Structural pruning (completed): Large branches removed to initiate primary styling. Focused on removing bar branches, reverse taper, and downward-growing limbs.
• Propagation (completed): Dozens of cuttings taken and staged by size across Anderson flats and deep pots. Shaded under Cotinus canopy during root initiation.
• Recovery: Tree recovering in warm courtyard, gradually transitioned into full sun. Monitoring water carefully; no fertilization until new growth resumes.
• No wiring: Clip-and-grow only due to species brittleness.

Early Autumn (September)

• Assess vigor only. Postpone repotting unless explosive regrowth occurs in next 3–4 weeks.
• Plan for spring repot as default. Avoid stressing roots ahead of winter transition.

Autumn – Early Winter

• Transition indoors once nighttime temps drop below 50°F.
• Keep cool, bright, and dry. Avoid forced heat or overwatering.
• No fertilizer. Observe for winter growth; prune only if legginess appears.

YEAR 2: 2026 – “Silhouette & Survivors”

Goal: Begin selection of primary branches, re-establish energy balance, prep for container transition.

Early Spring (March–April)

• Repot: Move to shallower bonsai or training pot with excellent drainage. Expose nebari if possible. Remove circling roots and reduce overall mass by 20–30%.
• Hold water for 4–5 days post-repot; monitor closely as warmth increases.

Spring – Early Summer

• Secondary pruning: Remove weak, leggy, or misdirected growth from post-recovery flush.
• Select primaries: Begin to define major trunks or scaffold arms. Reduce or remove less promising lines gradually.
• Clip for taper: Reduce strong verticals; encourage backbudding on interior nodes.

Mid–Late Summer

• Light root work only if needed (unlikely in year of major repot).
• Begin container stabilization: Terracotta or mica slab training pot may be selected depending on development.

Autumn

• Propagate again: Take opportunistic cuttings from trimmed material.
• Sacrifice branches: Designate 1–2 sacrifice branches to encourage girth or help close pruning scars. Monitor strength distribution.

YEAR 3: 2027 - “Momentum”

Goal: Lock in primary structure, start transitioning to bonsai form.

• Spring–Summer:

  • Hard prune again if needed to reinforce taper and movement.
  • Begin gentle apex development, don’t rush height.

• Summer: Possibly first aesthetic pot, but not required.

• Winter: Evaluate proportions. Begin fertilizing rhythm more intentionally next season.

YEAR 4–5: 2028–2029 | “Refinement Begins”

Goal: Ramification, branch positioning via clip-and-grow, defining silhouette.

• Pruning for pads: Encourage pairs and trios. Pinch back excessively long internodes.
• Consider carving (if desired): Remove scars or stubs for taper or natural deadwood look.
• Start to reduce pot size in year 5 if she's thriving.

2028 milestone: She’s a bonsai now, not just in training, but truly presenting her identity.

YEARS 6–8: 2030–2032 - “Identity & Image”

Goal: Strengthen artistry. Refine pads, crown, silhouette. Finalize composition.

• Spring–Summer:

  • Clean structural lines each year.
  • Stop cutting large wood—focus entirely on refinement.
  • Experiment with show placement: slabs, stone, minimal pots.

• Fertilize gently.

• Begin thinking about her exhibition voice: “Mary’s Jade, daughter of time.”

YEARS 9–10: 2033–2034 - “Legacy”

Goal: She's not just my tree, she’s a story. Now I'm its narrator.

• Maintain her form through pruning alone.
• Propagate sparingly—only for gifts or legacy.
• Photograph annually. Begin drafting her bonsai résumé: origins, major changes, philosophy.
• Enter her in a local show, or feature her on the Mossy Spot homepage.

Throughout

• Water only when dry—no moisture meters, just feel.
• Rotate gently to ensure balanced growth.
• Never force. Let her speak. She will communcate when she's ready.

Care Log

• July 28, 2025

  Observation, Photos

  Mary's Jade - Prop Photo Shoot Here are all the pictures of the props I took from Dwarf Jade 1 (AKA Mary's Jade). So many!

  
• July 27, 2025

  Propagated

  Mass Planting I planted all the props this afternoon in bonsai media. All small props in one Anderson flat All the loose leaves in another Anderson flat All medium sized cuttings 3-5 to a pot in midsize deep pots 9 large cuttings in their own gallon deep pots I have them in the back corner of the yard under the shade of my European Smoketree. Pictures coming tomorrow. It got dark this evening.

• July 26, 2025

  Pruned

  Getting Down To Business Since there were a few branches already broken in transit, and they needed to be cleaned up with a sharp knife, dried for a day or two (to prevent rot in the medium), and planted to root, I decided to quickly research the timing on when to do rooting of Dwarf Jade cuttings. Turns out it's okay up to early August, and I'm just in time. Otherwise they may not establish well enough before they go more dormant for the winter. I took a number of cuttings - to say the least. They will keep me busy for a while getting them potted. All the little ones I'll put in some larger trays. The larger ones will go directly into some deeper pots to give them the best chance. What is left is far more sparse. If Polly saw her now she'd probably cry. I know that it's going to burst back. It's one of the healthiest Portulacaria afras I've seen. It's going to push new growth hard. I'll let it recover in my warm courtyard for a couple days then give it some good hot sun in the warmest part of my yard. She has multiple nice thick trunks. Once she's exploded with new growth and come back, I can look for opportunities to prune back more. She's still a little leggy and could use some additional work. I'll do a repot and find the nebari before that though. Another update coming soon with all the props. Then the next time you see them will be with the ones that make it and become starters or pre-bonsai.

  
• July 24, 2025

  Other, Acquired

  I picked Mary's Jade up from Polly, who lives in the Wedgewood neighbord of Seattle. "Planted a cutting when my daughter was born, and she is now 50 years old. I keep it indoors October to May and outdoors June to October. Now I need to downsize..." Polly planted it in January 1975 and said the plant is in honor of Mary, her daughter. She is now preparing to relocate to a retirement community and was seeking a good home. In training as a bonsai as of today. ($105 on CraigsList)