Question
I just purchased one of these plants for my dorm, there are 3 in a 5 inch pot, and they are about 1 foot tall. This question is more for future reference. I've read that I am supposed to increase the pot size once it dries the soil too quickly (< 3 days). Is is possible to clip the leafs or branches of the plant so that I will not have to transplant it? If so how often and how should I do this?

Answer
Hi Silvio,

Lucky Bean plant (Castanospermum) is often used and sold as a bonsai plant. Bonsais are potted in small shallow dishes and kept carefully pruned or miniaturized so they stay in that small dish indefinitely. From your question I suspect yours may be in a shallow dish, but I cannot be sure. Nonetheless, my point is that this plant can be kept in the same pot virtually forever as long as it is pruned regularly.

Understand that new growth will emerge on any healthy stem starting just below wherever you make a pruning cut. So if you prune a 12" stem back to a height of 2 inches, then new growth will emerge on that stem at the 2" height and grow upward from there. So it is up to you to decide just how tall you want each stem to be and where you want new growth to emerge. As long as the plant has proper light and watering, you can prune as much or as little as you like. In general, it is best to prune back as much as you can stand and as frequently as possible.

That said, pruning a healthy plant rarely leads to a reduction of watering frequency unless the roots are also pruned. I suggest that you not root prune, but just water every 2 or 3 days or as needed. If you are serious about creating a Bonsai Castanospermum, then I suggest you purchase a book on Bonsai that will explain in detail how to go about root pruning and keeping your plant permanently miniaturized.

I have written an article on Bonsai that I will email for free to you (or anyone else) who sends a request to me at [email protected].

Please let me know if any of this is unclear or if you have any additional questions.

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Regards,
Will Creed, Interior Landscaper
Horticultural Help, NYC