Hi all - complete newb here so be gentle

I'm in the UK. I planted this Brazilian pine (aka Paraná pine or candelabra tree - Araucaria angustifolia) from seed last May. I kept it in a small pot indoors through the winter and watered sparingly. It looks like this right now (it's about 9 inches high).


My objective is to keep it small and healthy and maybe even one day end up with a beautiful bonsai

Should I start pruning it (and if so, how? I've googled pruning pines but I'm not quite sure what category this falls into)? How about root pruning? Repotting?

regards
alpen

It'll be a few years before there's anything to prune.

alpenlupe wrote:

My objective is to keep it small and healthy

You can forget about both. You cannot keep it in a pot, you cannot keep it indoors, you cannot keep it small and it is not suitable for bonsai.

I had to register to this forum and I hope I`m not too late..!
Making a bonsai out of Araucaria Angustifolia is a real challenge but it is possible.. There is one example in the world and the owner is Renato Hoenig, owner of a bonsai garden in Curitiba - Paraná (our estate flag has an Araucaria on it so yeah.. its a big deal)

Here it is on natural scale:


And here is the bonsai example.. Currently some are trying (as myself) to make another one but its a rather longe journey.. He took about 15 years of development to produce his.. But he is very willing to teach on how to make it.

Here`s me with it to proof:
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There are some problems with it such as the root base, but it was an experiment and he`s doing more of them as we speak.. Naturally the tree dont have a nebari (just a subtle flare on the base of the tree and the trunk is ALWAYS straight. Contorted examples dies..!

You CAN keep it in a pot, you CANNOT keep it indoors, you CAN keep it small and IT IS not suitable for bonsai.

Here`s a short video from a local news of him and his bonsai:

Thanks for your response!
Mine is still in the container shown in my original post and is now 18 months old. It's looking healthy. I kept it indoors until about 2 months ago and have now put it outside for the winter. I've not done anything with it except water it and give it a little fertilizer in the summer.

I`m still trying to learn about it but the tree`s growth pattern is to grow vertically sending lateral shoots from the same spot.. those lateral shoots CANNOT be bent to become new leaders.. The tree will die off it loses its apical leader, side shoots don`t behave as apical leaders.. Dont ask me why but it is what it is! As the tree gains height and vigor on the top, the former lateral shoots down bellow start withering and then die off.. Just like a Japanese Black Pine does with its lower growth eventually.

So in order to aquire the 'candelabra' form one must let the tree grow strongly, when the tree emits 4 lateral shoots (recommended minimum of 4) you prune of the apical leader (beginning of spring, when the tree starts pumping growth) and from that cut point several smaller shoots will emerge.. select the weakest one and prune the rest.. That weakest new leader will produce smaller internodes and you let that shoot develop more lateral shoots and you keep the cicle untill you have enough lateral shoots to build the candelabra form.. Keep in mind you also must let the tree grow in height to get a decent thickness from it.. Its all about balancing the vertical growth to build girth on the trunk and not letting the internodes go wild so you can still develop the crown... remember theres no first branch, second branch, back branch, etc.. Its more like a spokewheel..\

Here following a graphic example (Elio Nowacki is the author of the drawings so don`t blame it on me LOL)
1. Cut the apical leader when 4 lateral shoots emerge


2.Several shoots will emerge from the cut point


3. Select the smallest of the shoots
[img]]http://i1181.photobucket.com/albums/x430/elio2011/RASCUNHO%202016-2017/PN3_zpsou7l9lbc.png[/img]

4. When this new leader send out new shoots you prune the apical leader again and so on


And this is just for the initial branching.. You also have to prune and develop the lateral branches and ramification!

Hope it helps.. It is very difficult to find information about the process because only one person in the world has done it and he does not uses internet forums and such... There is no guidelines on caring and developing the species but as we develop our own experiments with his experience and help I believe theres lots of great Araurarias bonsais on the way.. Please continue to develop your own.. Maybe someday you will be the first and only on the in your country to have one!

All credits goes do Renato Hoenig and Elio Nowacki!

Regards from Brazil.

alpenlupe wrote:

Thanks for your response!
Mine is still in the container shown in my original post and is now 18 months old. It's looking healthy. I kept it indoors until about 2 months ago and have now put it outside for the winter. I've not done anything with it except water it and give it a little fertilizer in the summer.

I do not know if the tree withstands frosts... It is natural from a subtropical environment and it thrives here where I live (Capital of Paraná state).. Our summer temps range from 20 to 30+`s degrees Celcius.. And in winter seldomly we get -1... 0 degrees Celcius.. And it likes a lot of sun!

And also, sorry about my English.. I`m rusty and actually never been outside of Brazil to a English speaking country so pardon my mistakes

Your English is fine!

Thanks for all the info, I will try pruning it in the spring as per your graphic examples. I'll protect it from frost in the winter but there's nothing I can do about the lack of English sun!

Here`s one in the process:
Not mine.. Mine is much like yours.. I`m now into this bonsai thing hehehehe


This is from 'BonsaiBecker', sourced the image from the internet


From Renato Hoenig, again:

This is mine right now.