When to do itBC-03

When to Prune Bonsai: Months for 13 Species, Pinching vs Candle Cutting vs Defoliation, When Not to Cut, and Wiring

Published 2026-10-22 · By Bonsai Calendar editors

Your guide: KouKnows everything. Sometimes writes things that are wrong. Sorry in advance.Bonsai Calendar editors · Checked against bonsai writers, nurseries and garden product makers: 2026-10-22

Kou

When to prune bonsai depends on the type of tree. Prune conifers and deciduous trees around dormancy, and flowering trees right after bloom, never after the flower buds form in summer.

In this article (14 sections)

In short: when should you prune bonsai?
How do pruning, pinching, candle cutting and defoliation differ in bonsai?2
How should you think about when to prune conifer bonsai?
How should you think about when to prune deciduous bonsai?
How should you think about when to prune flowering and fruiting bonsai?1
1. Jump to this section
2. Can you prune satsuki in spring?
When should you not prune bonsai?
How do you shift when to prune bonsai for your area or the year?
When should you wire bonsai?1
1. Jump to this section
2. What if the wire bites into the branch?
What should you do when bonsai pruning goes wrong?
What should you check before pruning bonsai?
What terms come up when talking about bonsai pruning?
What else should you know alongside bonsai pruning?
What are common questions about when to prune bonsai?5
Sources

In short: when should you prune bonsai?

When to prune bonsai depends on the group the species belongs to. For conifers and deciduous trees, the basic times are just before and after dormancy; for flowering trees, right after the flowers finish.

A common saying is that "as long as you avoid midsummer and midwinter, you can prune almost all year." A bonsai publisher's guide also says it is enough to avoid strong direct sun in midsummer and freezing in midwinter.

Mistakes still happen because each species has times when it should not be cut. Maples cut in winter keep bleeding sap, and satsuki or cherries cut after summer bloom less the next year.

This site has put the months for pruning and bud work for 13 species into tables. The months are a guide for lowland Kanto (the Tokyo area). Shift them later in colder areas and earlier in warmer areas.

What this article covers:

When to prune 13 species, and when to do bud work
How pruning, pinching, candle cutting and defoliation differ
The times not to cut for each group of trees
When to wire, and how to remove wire that is biting in
What to do when pruning goes wrong

Pruning
	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12
Japanese black pine
Japanese white pine
Shimpaku juniper
Needle juniper
Japanese maple
Trident maple
Japanese zelkova
Japanese apricot (ume)
Flowering cherry (e.g. Asahiyama)
Satsuki azalea
Chojubai (dwarf flowering quince)
Crabapple (hime-ringo)
Banyan fig (gajumaru)

Source (13)

The table above shows the pruning months for 13 species. For many species, the months fall into two peaks: early spring before bud break, and autumn into early winter.

The needle juniper and the banyan fig are weak to cold, so only the warm months are marked. Ume is marked only after flowering, and Japanese white pine only in autumn.

The key point: choose the day to prune bonsai from within the marked months, based on the tree's vigor and the weather.

Bud work
	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12
Japanese black pine
Japanese white pine
Shimpaku juniper
Needle juniper
Japanese maple
Trident maple
Japanese zelkova
Japanese apricot (ume)
Flowering cherry (e.g. Asahiyama)
Satsuki azalea
Chojubai (dwarf flowering quince)
Crabapple (hime-ringo)

Source (12)

This table shows the months for bud work. Pruning cuts branches, while bud work tidies new shoots that have just started to grow.

What bud work means depends on the species. For black pine it is candle cutting, for white pine it is pinching (candle pinching), and for satsuki it is pinching shoots after flowering.

Group of trees	Pruning basics	When not to cut	Why
Conifers (black pine, white pine, shimpaku, needle juniper)	Thick branches before bud break, tidy up in autumn	The coldest part of midwinter. For needle juniper, the cold months	Branches tend to die back from the cut
Deciduous (maple, trident maple, zelkova)	Around leaf fall, and before bud break	Maple in winter	The sap does not stop and branches die back
Flowering (ume, cherry, satsuki, chojubai)	Right after the flowers finish	After the flower buds form in summer	You cut off next year's flower buds
Fruiting (crabapple)	Before bud break and in autumn	While it flowers and the fruit grows	You remove branches carrying flowers or fruit
Indoor (banyan fig)	Warm months	Winter	Damage starts from the cut

How do pruning, pinching, candle cutting and defoliation differ in bonsai?

Bonsai pruning means cutting branches, while pinching, candle cutting and defoliation tidy up buds and leaves. Each has a different purpose and suits different species.

Job	What you do	Main species	Aim
Pruning	Cut unwanted or overgrown branches	All species	Shape the tree and let in light and air
Pinching	Pinch off new shoots as they start to grow, with fingers or scissors	White pine, shimpaku, deciduous and flowering trees	Build fine branching and keep growth in check
Candle cutting	Cut the new shoots that grew in spring at their base	Black pine (and red pine)	Bring out second buds and keep the needles short and even
Defoliation (leaf cutting)	Cut off the leaves in early summer	Deciduous trees (maple, zelkova and others)	Bring out small new leaves

The Omiya Bonsai Art Museum explains pruning as removing unwanted or overgrown branches. A cut branch cannot be put back, so it says to picture the finished tree before you cut.

Is candle cutting done on white pine too?

Candle cutting is a black pine technique, and it is not done on white pine. Komeri's guide also says white pine does not get candle cutting like black pine.

In material from the Omiya Bonsai Art Museum, candle cutting on black pine means cutting the new shoots at their base. This brings out weaker second buds and grows shorter needles.

Candle cutting asks a lot of the tree. Skip candle cutting on trees repotted that year and on weak trees. A bonsai writer's material also says to do it only on vigorous trees.

Which trees are defoliated?

Defoliation is done on deciduous trees that drop their leaves, such as maples and zelkovas. If you cut the leaves in early summer, small new leaves come out before winter.

Vigorous trees sometimes have all their leaves cut. On small or weak trees, keep it partial, for example by cutting each leaf in half.

It is safest to think of defoliation as a job only for vigorous deciduous trees. It is not done on conifers or flowering trees.

Kou

Candle cutting and pinching have similar names, but they are different jobs. Do not copy the black pine routine on a white pine.

How should you think about when to prune conifer bonsai?

The basic rule for pruning conifer bonsai is to cut thick branches before the buds move, then tidy lightly in autumn. Avoid the coldest part of midwinter.

Bonsai care calendar by species
Species	Pruning	Bud work	Wiring
Japanese black pine	Feb–Mar, Oct–Dec	Jun–Jul	Mar–Apr, Oct–Dec
Japanese white pine	Sep	Apr–May	Feb–Mar, Sep–Nov
Shimpaku juniper	Feb–Mar, Sep–Dec	May–Oct	Feb–Mar, Sep–Dec
Needle juniper	May–Sep	May–Sep	May–Sep

Source (4)

Black pine has its thick branches pruned before bud break. A bonsai writer's material says that hard cuts in the coldest season tend to cause dieback.

White pine pruning is only one month in autumn, as the table shows. Some sources also list spring pruning. This site uses a strict value that takes only the months where the sources overlap.

Shimpaku is marked over a long period, from autumn until before bud break. Shoots that grow in the growing season are tidied by pinching, not pruning.

Needle juniper is weak to cold. Unlike the other conifers, needle juniper bonsai is pruned in the warm months.

How should you think about when to prune deciduous bonsai?

The basic times for pruning deciduous bonsai are around leaf fall after the autumn color, and before bud break. Do not cut maple branches in winter.

Bonsai care calendar by species
Species	Pruning	Bud work	Wiring
Japanese maple	Feb–Mar, Jun, Oct–Nov	Mar–Apr	Jun, Oct–Nov
Trident maple	Feb–Mar, May–Sep, Nov–Dec	Apr–Sep	Feb–Mar, Nov–Dec
Japanese zelkova	Feb–Mar, Jun–Sep, Nov–Dec	Apr–Sep	Feb–Mar, Jun–Jul, Nov–Dec

Source: Kimi's Mini Bonsai Days (Japanese maple), e-Bonsai (repotting), Saitama City reports on the museum collection / Kimi's Mini Bonsai Days (trident maple), e-Bonsai (repotting) / Kimi's Mini Bonsai Days (zelkova), e-Bonsai (repotting)

A bonsai writer's material says that maples cut in winter keep bleeding sap. Because of the risk of dieback, it says the safest time to cut is from after the autumn color through leaf fall.

Maples dislike wounds. Avoid cutting thick branches where you can, and if you must, do it before bud break, when wounds heal quickly. That is what the early spring marks in the table are for.

If you wait for the leaves to fall on their own, you may miss the time to prune. The same material removes the leaves after the autumn color and then cuts back the twigs.

Trident maple and zelkova have many pruning months, as the table shows. Summer pruning of deciduous trees is light work: tidying shoots that have grown, together with defoliation.

Kou

If you are unsure about a thick maple branch, leave it uncut. Cuts on maples heal more slowly than on other trees.

How should you think about when to prune flowering and fruiting bonsai?

The basic time to prune flowering and fruiting bonsai is right after the flowers finish. Cutting after the flower buds form in summer removes next year's flowers.

Bonsai care calendar by species
Species	Pruning	Bud work
Japanese apricot (ume)	Feb–Mar	May
Flowering cherry (e.g. Asahiyama)	Mar–Apr, Nov–Dec	Apr–Jul
Satsuki azalea	Apr–Jun, Oct	Jun–Jul
Chojubai (dwarf flowering quince)	Feb–Mar, May–Sep, Nov–Dec	Apr–Sep
Crabapple (hime-ringo)	Mar, Sep–Oct	May–Jun

Source (5)

Satsuki flower buds form in summer (mid-July to mid-August). For satsuki grown for their flowers, finish pruning and pinching as soon as flowering ends.

Cherry flower buds also form in summer (mid-July to August). A bonsai writer's material says not to cut cherries grown for flowers from the end of the rainy season onward.

Ume is cut after flowering. Ume is a tree that likes fertilizer. Pruning and feeding after flowering grow next year's flower buds. Feeding is covered in when to fertilize bonsai.

Can you prune satsuki in spring?

Hard pruning of satsuki before flowering is done to rebuild the tree's shape. It means giving up that year's flowers.

The spring marks for satsuki in the table are for this rebuilding. If you want to enjoy the flowers, prune satsuki only after flowering.

Kou

With satsuki, the motto is "cut right away" once the flowers finish. Put it off until summer and you will cut off next year's buds too.

When should you not prune bonsai?

The times to avoid pruning bonsai for each species are shown in the table below. For every species, avoid strong direct sun in midsummer and freezing in midwinter.

Species	Time to avoid	What happens	Source
Black pine	The coldest part of midwinter	Hard cuts tend to cause dieback	Kimi's Mini Bonsai Days
Needle juniper	Cold months	Weak to cold, so do the work in the warm months	Kimi's Mini Bonsai Days
Japanese maple	Winter	The sap does not stop and branches die back	Kimi's Mini Bonsai Days
Satsuki	After the flower buds form in summer	You cut off next year's flower buds	Kimi's Mini Bonsai Days
Cherry	From the end of the rainy season on, and the coldest season	Flower buds are lost. Branches die back	Kimi's Mini Bonsai Days
Banyan fig	Winter	Damage starts from the cut	Hyponex
All	Strong midsummer sun, midwinter freezing	The tree weakens	Kindai Shuppan

The times to avoid in this table mostly match the unmarked months in the pruning table. If in doubt, prune within the marked months in the pruning table.

A bonsai publisher's guide says the best time to remove a thick branch at its base is around the spring equinox (higan). It says the best time to cut back twigs is right after leaf fall for deciduous trees and early spring for conifers.

How do you shift when to prune bonsai for your area or the year?

The months are a guide for lowland Kanto (the Tokyo area). Shift them later in colder areas and earlier in warmer areas, then pick the day by watching the buds.

Sources vary in their months. This site took the months where sources written for bonsai overlap. The details are in how this site sets its timings.

Sign to watch	What it tells you about pruning
The buds have started to swell	Finish pruning before bud break soon
New shoots have grown and the leaves have opened	Hold off on thick branches and move on to bud work
The flowers have finished	Time to prune flowering trees
The leaves have colored	Time for autumn pruning of deciduous trees
Frost has started	Finish autumn pruning and prepare for winter

Even within Kanto, the buds move earlier or later depending on how cold the year is. When to prune bonsai depends more on the buds in front of you than on the calendar month.

When should you wire bonsai?

Wiring
	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12
Japanese black pine
Japanese white pine
Shimpaku juniper
Needle juniper
Japanese maple
Trident maple
Japanese zelkova
Japanese apricot (ume)
Flowering cherry (e.g. Asahiyama)
Satsuki azalea
Chojubai (dwarf flowering quince)
Crabapple (hime-ringo)

Source (12)

The time to wire bonsai also depends on the species. For most, it is when the leaves have fallen and the branches are easy to see, and before the buds move.

Komeri's guide says to avoid wiring pines while the buds and needles are extending. During the work, the needles easily fall off or break.

A bonsai writer's material says winter wiring can cause dieback on satsuki. Black pine, too, may die back if it is wired in the growing season.

Like pruning, wire in the months marked in the table. After pruning has thinned the branches, they are easier to see and the work is easier.

What if the wire bites into the branch?

Remove it as soon as it starts to bite in. Grip the end of the wire with pliers and unwind it one turn at a time, in the opposite direction to how it was wound.

As the photo shows, if you are late taking it off, deep wire scars remain. Branches thicken fast in the growing season, and on maples the wire can bite in within about a month.

Wire condition	What to do
There is a gap between the branch and the wire	Leave it. Mark it so it does not hide behind the leaves, and check on it
Marks are starting to show on the bark	Remove it. Rewire if the bend is not enough
It has bitten in deeply	Do not pull. Remove it one turn at a time without breaking the branch
It was put on after leaf fall	It can stay on longer, but the branches are stiff and break easily

Wiring is not finished when the wire is on. The job ends only when you take it off. Using a tool rather than your fingers is safer, so you do not tear the branch off while removing it.

What should you do when bonsai pruning goes wrong?

For most pruning mistakes, the fix is to let the tree rest rather than trying to make up for it at once. Sort out its spot and watering, and wait for the next suitable time.

Mistake	What happens	What to do
Cut too many thick branches	The tree weakens	Protect it under the eaves or in a cold frame in winter. Skip the next pruning
Pruned a maple in winter	Sap bleeds and branches die back	Put wound paste on the cut. Tidy the dead parts after the spring buds appear
Cut after the flower buds formed	Fewer flowers next year	Give up that year's flowers, and next year cut right after flowering
Candle-cut a weak black pine	The second buds are weak or do not appear	Skip candle cutting the next year and let it regain vigor
The wire bit in	Marks remain on the branch	Remove it at once
The tip of a cut branch is dying back	The dieback spreads toward the base	Cut back to where it is green under the bark

A bonsai writer's material says to protect black pines that have had thick branches cut under the eaves or in a cold frame in winter. Just after cutting, a tree is more vulnerable to cold and dry wind.

Put a protective paste or wound sealant (a product that seals the wound) on the cuts. This stops the wound from drying out and keeps germs from getting in. Follow the product instructions.

When a branch tip dies, scrape the bark lightly and look at the color. Green means alive, so cut back to where green shows. If you are unsure, wait for the new spring buds.

Kou

Do not try to make up for over-pruning by adding fertilizer. First sort out the tree's spot and watering, and let it rest.

What should you check before pruning bonsai?

Before pruning bonsai, check the tree's vigor, the other work done that year, the flower buds, the weather and the month in the table. If any of them does not fit, move the day.

What to check	OK to cut	Hold off
Tree vigor	The new shoots grew strongly	Poor leaf color, few buds
Work that year	No other major work piled up	Heavy pruning in the same year as repotting
Flower buds	Before they form, or right after flowering	After they have formed
Weather	A mild day	Strong midsummer sun, midwinter freezing
Month in the table	Marked	Not marked

Material on shimpaku warns about juvenile needle foliage (pointed young foliage). It tends to appear when heavy pruning or wiring is done in the same year as repotting.

It is safest not to pile major work into the same year. Repotting is covered in when to repot bonsai.

What terms come up when talking about bonsai pruning?

Term	Meaning
Pruning	Cutting unwanted or overgrown branches
Hard pruning	Cutting back heavily, down to thick branches, to rebuild the tree's shape
Branch removal	Cutting an unwanted branch off at its base
Cutting back	Shortening a grown branch just above a bud partway along it
Pinching	Pinching off new shoots as they start, to keep growth in check
Candle cutting	Cutting the new shoots of black pine at the base to bring out second buds
Second buds	The weaker new buds that appear after candle cutting
Defoliation (leaf cutting)	Cutting the leaves of deciduous trees in early summer to bring out small leaves
Flower buds	Buds that become flowers the next year. On flowering trees they form in summer
Wiring	Winding wire around branches to set their direction
Wound sealant	A product put on cuts to seal the wound
Conifers and deciduous trees	Evergreens such as pines and shimpaku, and trees that drop their leaves such as maple and zelkova

What else should you know alongside bonsai pruning?

Bonsai pruning is linked in timing with repotting, feeding and winter care. You can check the flow of the year in the year calendar.

Year calendarHow to Care for Bonsai: A Yearly Calendar for 13 Species, Seasonal Care, and 3 Basics for BeginnersHow to care for bonsai with a yearly calendar for 13 species, from black pine to maple and satsuki. Repotting, pruning and feeding by group, and fixes.

When to do itWhen to Repot Bonsai: Months for 13 Species, How Often, Rootbound Signs and AftercareWhen to repot bonsai, by month for 13 species. Spring before bud break is the rule. Exceptions, how often, rootbound signs, steps and aftercare, with sources.

When to do itWhen to Fertilize Bonsai: Months for 12 Species, Why Stop in Midsummer and Winter, Solid vs Liquid, and Fertilizer BurnWhen to fertilize bonsai, by month for each species. Feed in spring and autumn, stop in midsummer and winter. After repotting, solid vs liquid, fertilizer burn.

Watering and seasonsBonsai Winter Care: Where to Keep 13 Species, Why Frost Comes First, Cold Frame Alternatives, Winter Watering and Checking for Dead TreesBonsai winter care: winter spots for 13 species, why trees take 2 to 3 frosts first, cold frame or under the bench, winter watering and spotting dead trees.

What are common questions about when to prune bonsai?

Can you prune bonsai in winter?

It depends on the species. Species marked for early winter or before bud break, such as black pine and shimpaku, can be cut.

In the coldest part of midwinter, avoid hard pruning on every species. Maples keep bleeding sap if cut in winter, so prune them around leaf fall.

Can you prune bonsai in summer?

Defoliating deciduous trees and lightly tidying shoots that have grown can be done in summer too. Avoid pruning thick branches under strong midsummer sun.

Flowering trees cut after their flower buds form in summer bloom less the next year. In summer, do not cut flowering trees; protect them with watering and shade.

Can you prune a bonsai you just bought right away?

First check in the table whether it is a pruning month for that species. If the month is not marked, wait until the next suitable time.

While you wait, decide the front of the tree and the branches to keep, so you will not hesitate on the day. A bonsai artist's guide also says to decide the front first, then start cutting from the top of the tree.

When do you pinch white pine buds?

The months for pinching white pine (candle pinching) are shown in the bud work table above. White pine does not get candle cutting like black pine.

White pine buds are pinched to keep growth in check. Do not cut the new shoots of white pine at the base at the same time as black pine.

Can you prune and wire on the same day?

If the tree is vigorous, you can do both at the same time. Pruning thins the branches, which makes the branches to wire easier to see.

But avoid piling them onto a repotting year. On shimpaku, combining repotting with heavy work tends to bring out juvenile needle foliage.

When to Prune Bonsai: Months for 13 Species, Pinching vs Candle Cutting vs Defoliation, When Not to Cut, and Wiring

In short: when should you prune bonsai?

How do pruning, pinching, candle cutting and defoliation differ in bonsai?