Home

As summer rolls in and we approach the longest day of the year, it's the perfect time to talk about a powerful technique in bonsai care—summer defoliation. This is a technique where we remove leaves from certain types of bonsai to help promote better growth, improve branching, and refresh the tree’s energy. This video was recorded in summer 2025. Chapters: 0:00 - Defoliation explained 1:55 - Case study: Horse chestnut 7:24 - Case study: Japanese maple For tree-species specific information, go to: www.bonsaiempire.com/tree-species Species that respond well to defoliation: Japanese maple (Acer palmatum) — one of the most popular for defoliation; produces significantly smaller leaves on the second flush Trident maple (Acer buergerianum) — very vigorous, handles defoliation well Chinese elm (Ulmus parvifolia) — reliable and forgiving; a good species for beginners to practice on Beech (Fagus spp.) — can be defoliated but is less vigorous, so only do it on very healthy trees Hornbeam (Carpinus spp.) — responds well; good leaf-size reduction Zelkova — handles it well, similar to elm Ficus (many species) — tropical/subtropical; can be defoliated but needs warmth and strong light to recover Bougainvillea — tolerates defoliation in the growing season Pomegranate (Punica granatum) — can be defoliated when vigorous Species to approach with caution: Oak (Quercus spp.) — possible but risky; only on very strong, established trees Wisteria — defoliation is sometimes done but not standard practice Species you should NOT defoliate: Conifers (pines, junipers, spruce, etc.) — they do not regenerate lost foliage the same way and defoliation can kill them Weakened or recently repotted trees — regardless of species, never defoliate a tree that isn't in peak health In this video, we’ll be walking you through the defoliation process on two very different bonsai species: a Japanese maple (Acer palmatum) and a Horse chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum). While defoliation may sound drastic, it’s an effective way to encourage finer ramification, better air circulation, and a more compact growth habit for your trees. But, why do we do this in the middle of summer? The longest day of the year marks the peak of the growing season, and it's the point at which the trees have the most energy for recovery. By removing the leaves, we can encourage new growth that’s smaller and more refined, which is especially important for trees like Japanese maples, where fine details are key to their beauty. Some species can be defoliated twice - some not at all. The time we defoliate is species specific, but usually around late spring to early summer. We’ll show you step-by-step how to carefully defoliate these trees, when to remove the leaves, and how much is too much. You’ll also see the kinds of benefits defoliation can bring—like new, smaller leaves and a more balanced overall shape. Serious about growing your own Bonsai trees? Then consider enrolling in one of our online Bonsai Courses, taught by expert teachers. For the curriculums and free lectures, go to: https://www.bonsaiempire.com/courses

What happens when a bonsai artist and a visual artist create together — in the same space, at the same time? The result is an intimate look at the intersection of bonsai and contemporary art, and a glimpse into a larger project still to come. Thomas Nevar is one of the most brilliant and powerful creatives Mirai has had the pleasure of working with. Through his graphic design, sculpture, and painting, Thomas has had a multi-faceted influence on Mirai as a brand, informed compositions within the garden, and altered spaces guests of Mirai interact with. During one of his visits, Thomas and Ryan discussed an informal collaboration to see how creating in the same space at the same time might inform both artist’s work. Six months later, they gathered at Mirai to test the concept and explore the influence of collaboration. The project was captured as a component of a more involved and ambitious concept to come. ?️ Want to go deeper? Listen to Ryan and Thomas on the Asymmetry Podcast: https://bonsaimirai.com/blog/mirais-asymmetry-podcast-how-bonsai-relates-everything ? This film was also featured on Mirai Live — our subscription platform for in-depth bonsai education: https://live.bonsaimirai.com/ CREDITS Featuring: Ryan Neil @bonsaimirai | Thomas Nevar @nevarstudio Executive Producer: Ryan Neil Production Manager: Josh Porter Director of Photography & Editor: Chris Janjic @ctjanjic Additional Cinematography: Jason Jazzy Greene @jasongreen_ Music: Graintable @graintable Thanks To: Elliott Specialty Metal #bonsai #bonsaiart #contemporaryart #ryanneill #bonsaimirai #artcollaboration #sculpture #painting #graphicdesign #bonsailive #asymmetrypodcast

Thomas Nevar is one of the most brilliant and powerful creatives Mirai has had the pleasure of working with. Through his graphic design, sculpture, and painting, Thomas has not only inspired projects at Mirai, Thomas’s work has had a direct impact on Mirai as a brand, compositions within the garden, and the spaces people at Mirai interact with.  During one of his visits, Thomas and Ryan discussed an informal collaboration to see how creating in the same space at the same time might inform both artist’s work. Before beginning the project, Thomas and Ryan sat down to discuss the scope of work, their thoughts about art and creativity, and to have a soulful discussion of how art and life dovetail together to form a symbiotic manner of moving through the world. The result was a really nice meeting of creative minds and a soulful conversation between two artists  

Serious about growing your own Bonsai trees? Then consider enrolling in one of our online Bonsai Courses, taught by expert teachers. For the curriculums and free lectures, go to: https://www.bonsaiempire.com/courses

In this video we show the tree's progress over 3-4 years time - and place it into a brand new Bonsai pot which brings the tree to the next level! If you're based in Europe, most of the trees and products we use in our videos can be bought in our online store: English: https://www.bonsaishop.uk Dutch: https://www.bonsaishop.nl German: https://www.derbonsaishop.de French: https://www.bonsaishop.fr Also, if you'd like to keep track of your collection and receive care notifications on your phone (based on species and location) you could try our Bonsai Care App. It is a free download for your phone: https://www.bonsaicare.app Serious about growing your own Bonsai trees? Then consider enrolling in one of our online Bonsai Courses, taught by expert teachers. For the curriculums and free lectures, go to: https://www.bonsaiempire.com/courses

Serious about growing your own Bonsai trees? Then consider enrolling in one of our online Bonsai Courses, taught by expert teachers. For the curriculums and free lectures, go to: https://www.bonsaiempire.com/courses

In this video, we visit a unique bonsai garden near Tokyo, created by Adam Jones - and named Treehouse Bonsai. Known for his expertise in the art of bonsai, Adam has developed a collection that reflects both traditional and modern approaches to bonsai cultivation. His garden near Tokyo is home to a variety of bonsai species, including stunning pines, junipers, and maples. Like many bonsai gardens in Japan, this space emphasizes the precision and care required to cultivate these miniature trees, some of which are decades or even centuries old. https://uppbeat.io/t/soundroll/all-the-things-you-love License code: LTBPLLGMBFF49MJX https://uppbeat.io/t/t-check/trend-setter License code: R01XWBZCILXZ6WKE Serious about growing your own Bonsai trees? Then consider enrolling in one of our online Bonsai Courses, taught by expert teachers. For the curriculums and free lectures, go to: https://www.bonsaiempire.com/courses

Serious about growing your own Bonsai trees? Then consider enrolling in one of our online Bonsai Courses, taught by expert teachers. For the curriculums and free lectures, go to: https://www.bonsaiempire.com/courses https://uppbeat.io/t/yawnathan/orimasu License code: W4MKYKIWVFEUQYUU

Serious about growing your own Bonsai trees? Then consider enrolling in one of our online Bonsai Courses, taught by expert teachers. For the curriculums and free lectures, go to: https://www.bonsaiempire.com/courses https://uppbeat.io/t/oliver-massa/true-wonder License code: BIXSO8XWBEMV0ZLK

From raw material to refined bonsai — in just one year? This Lonicera (Honeysuckle) started as rough, unworked material with potential hiding beneath the surface. Over 12 months, we shaped it into a semi-cascade design and paired it with a crescent pot that ties the whole composition together. In this video you'll see the full process: the material we started with, the key styling decisions, seasonal progression, and the final result. Don't sleep on Lonicera — it's one of the best species for this style. Chapters: 0:00 - Introduction 2:35 - Repotting and first styling 7:52 - Summer pruning 8:19 - Crescent pot and 2nd styling https://uppbeat.io/t/atm/amazing-feeling License code: E2AKUAXJJINDDJ4I https://uppbeat.io/t/mountaineer/wolves License code: R2PO5RKML9NOWNYK https://uppbeat.io/t/konstantin-garbuzyuk/nightwave-drift License code: YOVVH3IQAHZN3HEK https://uppbeat.io/t/dope-cat/chilled-whisper License code: ROJYMZHUHL7NZDBV If you're based in Europe, most of the trees and products we use in our videos can be bought in our online store: English: https://www.bonsaishop.uk Dutch: https://www.bonsaishop.nl German: https://www.derbonsaishop.de French: https://www.bonsaishop.fr Also, if you'd like to keep track of your collection and receive care notifications on your phone (based on species and location) you could try our Bonsai Care App. It is a free download for your phone: https://www.bonsaicare.app Serious about growing your own Bonsai trees? Then consider enrolling in one of our online Bonsai Courses, taught by expert teachers. For the curriculums and free lectures, go to: https://www.bonsaiempire.com/courses