Saflax Bonsai - Mahaleb Cherry

The Mahaleb cherry grows mainly in warm wine-growing regions and produces a profusion of pleasantly scented white blossoms. These appear in April and May and are a valuable food source for bees. The stone fruits of the Mahaleb cherry are inedible for humans but very popular with birds. Due to their high coumarin content, the young shoots of the tree also have a very pleasant scent.

Interesting Facts

• The Mahaleb cherry originally comes from the northern Mediterranean region in Morocco, Spain, and southern France.
• In the eastern Mediterranean, the kernels of the Mahaleb cherry fruits are ground into a spice called Mahlab.

Our Tips:

• Place seeds in the refrigerator for one week before sowing to improve germination
• Cover cultivation containers with film and provide them with holes so that the soil does not dry out
• Remove the film every two to three days for two hours to prevent mould formation
• Keep the potting soil moist but not wet
• Ideal germination temperature: 20°C
• Loves a full sun and very warm location
• Tolerant of longer dry periods as well as calcareous water
• Water rarely but thoroughly - avoid waterlogging
• Fertilisation with special bonsai fertiliser is recommended every four weeks from April to September
• Young plants can be pruned for the first time after six weeks - otherwise, prune three to four weeks after the first shoot
• One- to two-year-old branches can be shaped with wire in spring before the leaves sprout
• Young plants should be repotted once a year, older ones every two to three years
• Overwintering should take place outdoors, protected from strong winds and direct sunlight