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, instinctive care, and her remarkable vigor.

YEAR 1: 2025 - “Orientation & Operation”

Goal: Establish foundation, unlock nebari, begin structural pruning, and start propagation.

Mid Summer (Now)

• Structural pruning: shorten large branches that don’t serve my vision. Prioritize bar branches, no taper, or downward-growing arms.
• Propagate broken & pruned branches - there will be many, some fairly large.
• No wire. Clip-and-grow only.

Late Summer (Sept)

• Repot into shallower container(s) with excellent drainage. Expose nebari carefully. For now she appears to have multiple trunks.
• Root work: Reduce by 20–30% if needed. Remove circling roots.
• Hold watering for 4–6 days post-repot.

Autumn – Early Winter

• Transition her indoors once nighttime temps drop below 50°F.
• Keep dry, bright, and warm. Little or no fertilizer.
• Observe new growth or dormancy response post-repot and prune.

YEAR 2: 2026 - “Silhouette & Survivors”

Goal: Develop a clear front, reduce chaos, encourage backbudding, select primaries.

Spring – Summer

• Secondary pruning: Cut back leggy or weak growth.
• Select primaries: Identify 3–5 major trunks or arms worth keeping long-term. Others can be reduced/propagated over time.
• Clip for taper: Reduce dominant verticals; promote internal budding.

Summer – Late Summer

• Light root work if necessary.
• Repot into training pot if not already done. Maybe terracotta, maybe a mica slab.

Autumn

• Propagate again.
• Consider leaving 1-2 sacrifice branches for trunk thickening or healing.

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.