Repotting guide

When & how to repot Buttonwood Bonsai (Conocarpus erectus)

Also called buttonwood, buttonwood bonsai, silver buttonwood.

More about buttonwood bonsai

About Buttonwood Bonsai

Conocarpus erectus · also called buttonwood, buttonwood bonsai · houseplant

Buttonwood is a coastal mangrove-associate beloved in bonsai for its dramatic, weathered deadwood and twisting silvery trunks collected from Florida and the Caribbean. The silver form carries soft grey, fuzzy leaves. It is a sun-loving, salt-tolerant tropical that demands warmth and heat, making it a specialist's tree rather than a casual indoor subject.

Mature size: Kept 30-90 cm as bonsai; in the wild it reaches 6-12 m, occasionally taller.

How to tell buttonwood bonsai needs repotting

Repotting on a calendar is less reliable than reading the plant. For buttonwood bonsai, watch for these signs:

Roots growing out of the drainage holes, or the rootball lifting the plant proud of the rim.
Soil that has shrunk away from the pot sides and no longer holds water.
The pot is unstable because the plant has grown top-heavy.
Old, compacted, broken-down mix that stays wet too long — for a succulent that is a rot risk, so refresh it even if the pot size is fine.

For the underlying biology of a pot-bound root system and why it stalls a plant, see our guide to spotting and fixing a root-bound plant.

How often to repot buttonwood bonsai

Every 2–3 years, into bone-dry mix. Buttonwood Bonsai's growth habit — evergreen tropical shrub-tree that develops thick, contorted trunks and extensive natural deadwood; slow, dense growth makes it a deadwood-feature bonsai rather than a fast clip-and-grow tree. — sets the pace. Buttonwood is a coastal mangrove-associate beloved in bonsai for its dramatic, weathered deadwood and twisting silvery trunks collected from Florida and the Caribbean. The silver form carries soft grey, fuzzy leaves. It is a sun-loving, salt-tolerant tropical that demands warmth and heat, making it a specialist's tree rather than a casual indoor subject.

What size pot to step buttonwood bonsai up to

Use a pot only one size up — or even the same pot with fresh gritty mix if the roots have room. Buttonwood Bonsai stores water and rots in a large pot of slow-drying soil. A tight terracotta pot that dries fast is far safer than a generous plastic one. Never up-pot a succulent by several sizes.

Not sure of the exact diameter? Our pot size calculator takes the current pot and root spread and tells you the right next size — it deliberately recommends a single step up, never a big jump.

The best time of year to repot buttonwood bonsai

Spring or summer, while buttonwood bonsai is in active growth and warm, is best — roots recover fastest then, and the plant is not sitting in cool damp soil. Avoid repotting a succulent in winter dormancy.

Step-by-step: repotting buttonwood bonsai

Repot dry. Do not water buttonwood bonsai for several days first. Working with dry roots and dry mix dramatically lowers the rot risk for a succulent.
Pick a snug, fast-draining pot. Choose terracotta one size up at most, with a drainage hole. Have gritty coarse, fast-draining bonsai mix ready.
Tip it out and clean the roots. Slide the plant out, crumble off the old soil, and trim any black, mushy or dead roots with clean snips.
Pot into dry mix. Set buttonwood bonsai at its original depth in dry gritty mix, firming gently. Do not bury the stem deeper than it was.
Wait a week before watering. Leave it completely dry and out of harsh sun for about 7 days so any damaged roots callus. Only then water lightly.

Aftercare

Keep buttonwood bonsai completely dry and out of fierce sun for about a week so any nicked roots callus before they meet moisture; watering a freshly repotted succulent is the classic way to rot it. Then resume the normal lean, dry rhythm. Do not fertilise for about 3 weeks — fresh mix already carries nutrients and feeding freshly disturbed roots scorches them.

The right soil mix for buttonwood bonsai

Buttonwood Bonsai wants coarse, fast-draining bonsai mix. Use a gritty inorganic blend high in pumice and lava with some akadama. As a mangrove-associate it copes with poor, sandy substrates and needs sharp drainage to avoid root rot. Always use fresh mix when you repot — reusing old, broken-down soil reintroduces the compaction and poor drainage you are repotting to fix.

Repotting buttonwood bonsai — frequently asked questions

How often should you repot buttonwood bonsai?

Every 2–3 years, into bone-dry mix for buttonwood bonsai. Repot buttonwood bonsai every 2–3 years into a snug pot of coarse, fast-draining bonsai mix, ideally in spring or summer. Let it sit in dry soil and do not water for about a week afterwards so any nicked roots can callus. Over-potting and watering straight away is what rots succulents.

What size pot does buttonwood bonsai need?

When is the best time of year to repot buttonwood bonsai?

Should you water buttonwood bonsai after repotting?

No — not straight away. Repot buttonwood bonsai into dry mix and wait about a week before the first watering so any damaged roots callus over. Watering a freshly repotted succulent is the single most common way to rot one.

Should you fertilise buttonwood bonsai after repotting?

Not immediately. Wait about 3 weeks after repotting buttonwood bonsai. Fresh mix already contains nutrients, and feeding freshly cut or disturbed roots burns them. Resume your normal feeding routine once you see new growth.