Standards and Bonsai

To grow fuchsias as bonsai requires time and attention, choose a variety with a small leaf for example Encliandra or Magelancia. When choosing your variety you should consider the hardiness, this is because whatever its degree of hardiness in the ground this will be less in a bonsai pot. You can use your own cutting or an established plant, look for one with a thick trunk that tapers from bottom to top. Also preferably with a flared root system as this will help with the illusion of a mature tree. Bonsai is all about patience so don't be in too much of a hurry to get your plant into a bonsai dish, it's more important to get the shape and style right first and may take more than one growing season to achieve this.

Fuchsia trees need to be pinched back weekly to control fast growing shoots and leaf size during the summer months. To help the tree conserve energy required for growth it is recommended you remove flower buds continually. Fuchsia trees do not like having their branches wired this is because they are not heartwood like a tree, the inside of a fuchsia tree is pithy. The best way to shape is by the 'cut and grow' method, this means remove a leaf and a bud at a junction or internode on the side you do not want growth. Which will encourage branching on the side you do want growth and direction you want.

Fuchsia bonsai trees prefer bright, sunny situation if you wish to grow extensive flowers, otherwise provide it with afternoon shade. The tree needs to be protected from temperatures below 5 degrees C or 41 degrees Fahrenheit

Watering -  is the same as for other fuchsias and mist as the trees like high humidity.
Feed - in Spring give a high nitrogen feed at half strength and a balanced feed June to September.
Pruning - regularly prune or pinch the tree through the growing season, if you want thicker branches or a thick trunk you must remove the flowers and DO NOT prune the branches.
Repotting - a free draining compost is better (1 part compost, 1 part grit and one part sand) to re-pot your tree annually as the root system grows rapidly.

Bonsai should be shaped with an outline roughly triangular :

Formal upright -

the plant should have a straight upright trunk. 

Branches maybe paired or alternate up the trunk​.

Slanting -

may have a gentle curve to prevent looking as if it is falling over.

Windswept - 

this should reflect the tree

in nature on a cliff top, constantly 

exposed to high winds.

Semi cascading -

this style reflects a tree clinging to a cliff face. the lowest point must not go below the base of the pot.

Below are a few examples...

Start with a vigorously growing rooted cutting that has not had the top pinched out. For standards it is better if you can find a three leaf cutting, the advantage being the resultant head produces 50% more branches. You want to train a trunk that is as straight as possible and protect the growing tip at all costs until the whip has reached the desired height. You would normally 'pinch out' the growing tip to encourage bushy growth, 'DO NOT DO THIS' when growing a standard, by leaving the growing tip on the plant all of the plants energy will go into to this one tip and it will shoot upwards. When the whip is growing strongly put a thin cane as close as possible and tie loosely (use something soft so that it will not cut into the brittle young stem) but firm enough to hold the stem against the stake. Place a tie every two to four inches as the stem grows. Any side shoots which develop in the leaf axils should be removed but do not remove the large leaves on the main stem as these will manufacture food to support the plant and fall off naturally. Continue to tie supports and remove side shoots until it reaches the height at which you want the head to form, leave the new side shoots in the next five or six joints. Pinch out the top growing tip when it reaches the desired height. On all these side shoots you need to pinch them at every 2 pairs of leaves, do this on each stem to produce a nice tight shaped head. Once you have a head that is approximately a third of the height of the plant, stop pinching and allow flowers to form. Do not forget to feed with a balanced feed NPK 20-20-20.

Full Standard - *​Clear stem no less than 30'' or exceed 42''

Half Standard - *Clear stem no less than 18'' or exceed 30''

Quarter Standard ​- *Clear stem no less than 10'' or exceed 18''

Mini Standard - *Clear stem no less than 6'' or exceed 10''

 *Measurement of clear stem is from the compost level to the lowest stem.