This tree would grow very easily in our climate with the native soil. It does best when temperatures stay between 40-75 degrees F, which matches Spring and Autumn here. It enjoys more frequent waterings. In Summer it often suffers from heat stress, unless it has plenty of cool shade.

The thick older branches with no shoots are dead. Normally I prune off all the dead branches, but sometimes deadwood is a valuable artistic part of the bonsai design. On this tree I chose to let them remain since they are so thick and visibly show the twisting nature of the tree. Deadwood can be interesting, because it is a fossil representation of the tree's past. I do not use any preserving chemicals to maintain the deadwood. Peeling off the bark is popular on deadwood, as it causes the wood to turn bone white.