Chinese pepper bonsai, Ref. 3041

Chinese pepper (Zantoxylum piperitum) is one of the most popular bonsai species due to its easy care and shiny green leaves. An evergreen shrub, the plant does not shed its leaves. Chinese pepper is considered a tree of health. It is easy to shape. Since it grows quite quickly, periodic pruning is necessary. It quickly thickens the trunk and has a beautiful bark texture.

Age: 8 years
Height: 39 cm

Location
This is a light-loving steppe shrub. In the shade, it stretches out and branches poorly.
It tolerates light partial shade well.

Temperature
In summer - normal, tolerate heat well.
The optimum temperature in summer is between 15 and 22 °C.

Watering
Regular and medium watering, allowing the soil to dry out slightly between waterings. Excess moisture is detrimental. Chinese pepper signals insufficient watering with drooping leaves. It is best to water with settled water at room temperature.

Fertilization
Spring and summer: once every 2–3 weeks with a complex fertilizer with a low nitrogen content so that the tree does not increase its green mass.
In autumn, fertilization is stopped.
Pepper itself can partially enrich the soil with nitrogen (there are nodule bacteria on the roots).

Pruning and shaping
Pruning is carried out in spring before the buds open or in mid-summer after the first wave of growth.
After pruning, the plant quickly produces new shoots from dormant buds.
Thorns can be partially removed if they interfere with the composition.
To thicken the branches, pinch young shoots in summer after 6–8 leaves, leaving 2-3.
On aging branches, the bark becomes beautiful, grayish with cracks - this gives the bonsai expressiveness, emphasizing its age.

Repotting
Young plants are repotted every 1–2 years, mature plants every 3–4 years.
Time: early spring (before bud break). Roots: shorten moderately, as pepper does not like heavy interference with the root system.

Soil
Akadama — 40%
Pumice — 30%
Coarse sand or gravel — 20%
Black/leaf mold — 10%
Drainage: required.

Wintering
Resists for frosts up to -25 °C, but in a pot the plant's roots must be protected from frost, preventing them from freezing, for example by keeping them in a cold greenhouse or unheated rooms (0...+5 °C).
The soil should be slightly moistened, without drying out.

Pests and diseases
Usually resistant, but root rot and leaf spot are possible if moisture stagnates.
Aphids may appear on young shoots.