This Branch Can Help Make Your Bonsai Look Like a Real Tree!

It might look out of place — but keeping this branch can be the key to making your bonsai look more like a real tree.




In this video, we explore sacrificial branches and structural pruning and how they help develop powerful, tapered trunks that give your tree natural character and maturity.

You’ll learn what sacrificial branches are, why we leave them on (even when they spoil the look), and how they play a crucial role in shaping the long-term structure of your bonsai. Whether you're growing a pine, maple, or another deciduous species, this principle applies — and could be the difference between a thin twig and a strong, mature-looking tree.

Perfect for beginners who want to understand trunk development.

Also useful for intermediate growers refining early-stage design.

More Bonsai Design Basics:    • Design Series  

Got QUESTIONS about your own tree's development? Drop them in the comments.

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00:00 - Intro
00:25 - Background
02:03 - Taper
04:06 - Pruning
05:56 - Scars
07:50 - Branch Selection
09:51 - An Exception
12:45 - Drawing the Structure