# Bucida Buceras (Black Olive) Defoliation

**URL:** <https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/t/bucida-buceras-black-olive-defoliation/2820>\
**Category:** Horticulture\
**Created:** [March 17, 2019, 8:54pm UTC](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/t/bucida-buceras-black-olive-defoliation/2820 "2019-03-17T20:54:38Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Cjlopez4](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/forum.bonsaimirai.com/cjlopez4/32/140_2.png) [@Cjlopez4](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/u/Cjlopez4)\
**Post date:** [March 17, 2019, 8:54pm UTC](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/t/bucida-buceras-black-olive-defoliation/2820/1 "2019-03-17T20:54:38Z")

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![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/uploads/bonsaimirai/original/2X/0/07c76d79d955857a435d53b5ad28cd8eb7b89c8b.jpeg) Just picked up a Black Olive in a wiring class. Can this be defoliated now ? How often should a tree be defoliated ? ![imimage|314x500 age](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/uploads/bonsaimirai/original/2X/f/f489114a0c8185dab31d09ff502fa45428f74894.jpeg)

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**Author:** ![Nate\_Andersen](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/forum.bonsaimirai.com/nate_andersen/32/3943_2.png) [@Nate\_Andersen](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/u/Nate_Andersen)\
**Post date:** [March 18, 2019, 4:03am UTC](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/t/bucida-buceras-black-olive-defoliation/2820/2 "2019-03-18T04:03:33Z")

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Might I ask why? Without any context the answers to your questions are as follows: Yes you can. As often as the tree can take.

Why do you defoliate a tree?  
Why does this tree need a defoliation?

Other questions like these will help make the choice whether to defoliate or not:

Is this tree strong enough to handle a defoliation?  
Does defoliation accomplish what I’m trying to accomplish?

For the TL:DR version: Don’t defoliate it. You need to thicken the trunk and that won’t happen if you take away all the solar panels of the tree. #MyOpinion

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**Author:** ![geoffm5eay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c67d28/32.png) [@geoffm5eay](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/u/geoffm5eay)\
**Post date:** [March 20, 2019, 11:51am UTC](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/t/bucida-buceras-black-olive-defoliation/2820/3 "2019-03-20T11:51:46Z")

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I agree, it will only slow down the development and with a young tree like this has no purpose. The size of the leaves do not matter when the tree is being developed like this one.

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**Author:** ![geoffm5eay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c67d28/32.png) [@geoffm5eay](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/u/geoffm5eay)\
**Post date:** [March 20, 2019, 12:01pm UTC](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/t/bucida-buceras-black-olive-defoliation/2820/4 "2019-03-20T12:01:45Z")

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Just had a look to see what the species is as I had not heard of it. It is not an Olive of course, that is the problem with common names. It is a tropical species, but I still think that there is no reason to defoliate, let it grow, then you will be able to start styling the tree.