Bursera, operculicarya, commiphora, boswellia: the tree-forming caudiciforms we train as bonsai. They think like trees. Shape them in growth, rest them in winter.
Bonsai caudiciforms · family notesUpdated 2026-09-16
Full sun in growth. Outdoors from late spring to first cold if you can; a deciduous trunk needs strong light to push a dense canopy.
Water
Water freely while in leaf, and let the surface dry between; these drink more than the rest of the caudex bench. In leafless dormancy, a light watering once a month.
Soil
Bonsai-style mix: pumice, lava, and a little bark, sifted of fines. Shallow pots dry fast, so check daily in summer heat.
Dormancy
Deciduous. Leaves yellow and drop in fall; the tree sits bare until spring. Cut water when the leaves go, resume when the buds swell.
Keep above 40°F, and out of frost entirely. Bursera and commiphora will drop branches after a cold snap.
Feeding
Balanced fertilizer at half strength every two weeks in the growing season; switch to low-nitrogen in late summer to harden growth.
Repotting
Every two to three years in spring as the buds swell. Root-prune lightly, keep the trunk at the same height. Wire only in growth and remove it before it bites.
Watch for
Aromatic sap when pruning is normal. Branch dieback after winter usually means it got wet and cold. Spider mites on fresh growth in dry rooms.
Boswellia sacra 3.5" Pot B · Bonsai caudiciforms · family notes · botanicwonders.com/care/boswellia · Botanic Wonders, 2705 Sarver Ln, San Marcos, CA 92069 · (760) 519-9987