I have a Jacaranda that grew from seed in my parents front yard. I never
really wanted a bonsai Jacaranda, but there it was so I pulled it up and put
in a pot. Over the last 12 years I have been looking after it, trying to
get it to branch and it just will not. I know this is their native growth
habit (there are lots around here) and this is why I never really wanted
one, but over the years I have become fond of it. Maybe one day it will be
a nice "large" tree. It now has a main trunk maybe 5cm, where it splits to
2 smaller trunks. One of these as 1 branch. Other than that there is just
the canopy.

Anyway, each year it develops lots of buds along the trunks, the buds swell
and open but then they just sit there - little green "furry" buds. The top
of the tree grows well, but I need some more side branches. I have tried
just letting it grow for a whole season - this was great for the trunk size,
but no new branches. I have tried cutting it back hard (pinching tip buds)
all season - still no branches. But, I was not very rigorous with this :-)
I have tried letting it grow long sacrifice shoots (from the top) and then
cutting back hard.

I am thinking that next season I might try being *really* hard on the bud
pinching - I mean every week.

As an aside - can I ever expect this to flower?? Any tips for encouraging
this?

Thanks,

Brian

Sydney, Australia