White Cedar

$29.90
Size:
Quantity:

Eastern White Cedar: (Thuja Occidentalis) belongs to the cypress family and is a slow-growing tree or shrub that develops very distinct deadwood and makes some of the most striking Bonsai specimens. They are native to the northern hemisphere and are very hardy trees that don't mind being potted up and react well to Bonsai training techniques and root pruning. Eastern White Cedar can be placed in full sun and although they are very frost-hardy, being planted in a container means they will need winter protection from extreme cold. The only real challenge with the Eastern White Cedar is that they need light when winterizing, so planting them in the ground in early fall or placing them in a cool location that gets sunlight during the winter months is recommended. 


BONSAI CARE


The Eastern White Cedar can be taken out to the garden or balcony when the first signs of spring appear. They will thrive in full sun, although offering them some mid-day shade during extreme heat would be better. Misting your Eastern White Cedar on warm days will promote healthy needles and growth. 


Watering:

  1. Eastern White Cedars are often found near bodies of water, and the root ball should never be allowed to dry out. To better regulate moisture around the root ball, planting them with sphagnum moss around the root ball will ensure the roots stay moist with standing water which can cause root rot. 
  2. During the growing season, ensure water before the soil dries out. 
  3. During the winter, light watering is recommended every time the soil starts to dry out. 


Training:


  • Pruning: Eastern White Cedar's new shoots can be pinched back to promote ramification whenever they grow too long. Eastern White Cedars bud back very well, so they can be pruned down to the hardwood during a heavy pruning. Heavy pruning should be done in late fall. 
  • Wiring: Eastern White Cedar can be wired year-round. 


  • Repotting: Eastern White Cedar in development need to be repotted every 2-3 years in a good draining soil mix like an even mixture of Akadama, Pumice and Lava Rock. Mature Eastern White Cedar can be repotted at longer intervals. Another good mix for the Eastern White Cedar is 50% Horticultural Clay, 25% Pumice and 25% Pine Bark Fines. This mix is excellent for promoting development. 


PRODUCT DETAILS 

YOUNG: 8"-12" tall, comes in a 6" grower's pot. 



 

These are not seeds - But an Actual Living Bonsai Tree.

Please see our Choosing a Bonsai page for the age and dimensions regarding the different stages of our Bonsai (Baby, Young, & Mature).

 

Soil (Substrate)

Bonsai soils are usually a mixture of organic potting compost (Pine Bark or Forest Floor), Akadamapumice, lava rock in varying amounts. 

It is important for the soil have good water retention while also draining well, along with very good aeration. The quality of the soil directly affects the health, size and growth of your tree. One of the worst things you can do to your tree is plant it in regular garden soil. Garden soil hardens when it drys and can often lead to a disadvantage when growing a Bonsai. 

Soil mixtures can be purchased here, but given their weight and cost of shipping, you can also easily make your own. 

 

Depending on the type of Bonsai you're growing, here are the general formulas for successful mixtures. 

Deciduous Tree (Leafy and looses leafs in the fall)

50% Akadama

20% Pumice

20% Lava Rock

10% Potting Compost

 

Coniferous Tree (Evergreen like Juniper, Cedar)

1/3 Akadama

1/3 Pumice

1/3 Lava Rock

 

If you are not able to check on your Bonsai's moisture levels daily, add more Akadama to the mix. 

Given how these soils erode over time, repotting every 2-3 years is required. 

 

Here are some suitable replacements if you cannot find the recommended types of soil.

  • Akadama - fine fired or baked clays, some even recommend cat litter as a substitute. 
  • Pumice - fine crushed aggregates, expanded shale and vermiculite.
  • Lava Rock - This can be replaced with fine gravel or you can also look into purchasing a larger lava rock at a hardware or gardening centre and crushing it. 

 

Fertilizer

One of the best and easiest ways to fertilize your Bonsai, is to add a liquid fertilizer mix when water your Bonsai's once a month during the spring/summer. If your Bonsai looses leaves in the winter there is no need to fertilize it then. If you have a coniferous tree, fertilizing the tree once in the beginning of winter and once in the middle of winter should be sufficient.

  

Customer Reviews

Based on 1 review
0%
(0)
100%
(1)
0%
(0)
0%
(0)
0%
(0)
D
Danay Perez (Toronto, CA)
Esta muy bonito

Tiene buena salud y su follaje se ha puesto de un color muy verde y bonito 😍

You may also like

Recently viewed