Sophora Little Baby and how to care for it

Sophora prostrata, known by the common name kowhai, is an interesting tree species with twisted branches and tiny leaves. Fully grown sophoras are a common sight in city parks, while the “Little Baby” cultivar, with its smaller size, is just right for homes. Has its delicate, minimalist look caught your eye? Want to know exactly what kind of plant it is and how to care for it properly? You will find the answers to these very questions in this article.

 

Meet the sophora

Sophoras are broadleaf trees that come from East Asia (mainly China, Japan and Korea). There they are grown, among other things, for their flowers with medicinal properties. Chinese medicine uses sophora flowers, for example, to bring down fever or relieve headaches, to cleanse the liver or even to stop bleeding. According to some sources, flower extracts can be used for various eye problems (such as conjunctivitis).

Sophora prostrata, nicknamed “Little Baby,” is a cultivar that comes from the cool subtropical South Island of New Zealand. This kind of sophora was originally bred as a bonsai, the old art of miniaturizing trees grown in shallow dishes. Sophora “Little Baby” makes a splash in any interior, though, whether as a bonsai or as a classic houseplant.

The small size of this sophora really shows off its twisted zigzag branches, decorated with green oval leaves that grow in pairs. Thanks to its delicate, even fragile look, “Little Baby” is a popular choice for interiors.

 

Photo: A healthy sophora will captivate you with its minimalist look

 

What to do with it: sophora care

Sophora may seem like a low-maintenance houseplant, but do not be fooled. This little shrub has certain preferences when it comes to watering and location that are worth knowing. Not knowing them can give beginner growers a bit of trouble.

Sophoras like to bask in a bright spot. Sunshine really does them good, so you can, for example, leave these houseplants outside for the summer. This also affects watering. Sophoras are prone to both overwatering and drying out, so you need to check at least the top layer of the potting mix regularly. If this top layer of soil is dry, you can water the sophora. At the same time, make sure the plant is not standing in water.

Since this plant comes from the cool parts of New Zealand, it will do better where temperatures are lower. Especially in winter, this little shrub will appreciate a cooler spot (such as a hallway) where it is not directly exposed to heating.

Although it may seem that, like other shrubs, sophora is suitable for shaping, looks can be deceiving. That is probably because the branches of this species already grow into interesting shapes on their own. Sophoras do not really benefit from shaping and taking cuttings. So with “Little Baby,” we can calmly forget about scissors and knives and simply enjoy whatever it comes up with on its own.

Last but not least, the potting mix also plays an important role in sophora care. Since sophora is sensitive about getting the watering just right, we help both the plant and ourselves by not making the potting mix too airy. Why? Well, the plant likes to drink, yet it is sensitive to drying out or overwatering: if we use a regular potting mix without too much aeration, we will not need to water the plant as often, because the potting mix holds water a little longer. We can add a little perlite to the potting mix, but we should not make it much airier than that. Likewise, we can skip pebble or other drainage with this plant, since drainage also helps carry more water out of the planter.

It is generally recommended to repot the plant into a slightly larger planter after purchase, especially in winter. This also helps the plant hold more water, so we are not watering it constantly.

If we decide to grow sophora as a bonsai, we can use special potting mixes and shallow, dish-like planters. Keep in mind, though, that as a bonsai, sophora dries out even faster, so watering needs real care, and we have to keep checking whether it is getting enough.

 

Photo: Sophora is not a bonsai, but it can be grown as one and looks very much like one

 

Down go the leaves

If there is one thing more typical of Sophora “Little Baby” than its twisted branches, it is its reaction to stress, figuratively speaking. This kind of sophora is very sensitive to changes in its growing conditions. And how can you tell? The sophora starts dropping its tiny leaves.

The sight of bare zigzag branches can make a grower panic. One of the most common mistakes is assuming the sophora is drying out, which leads to overwatering, which triggers another reaction, and the sophora drops its leaves again. Stressful situations that can make your sophora lose its leaves include unsuitable watering (too little or too much) and a change of environment (especially in temperature and light). Often, sophoras lose their leaves in winter, when the heating comes on in homes and temperatures change sharply

Fortunately, the sophora will not stay bare forever. As soon as the little tree gets used to its new conditions or the watering settles down, its twisted branches will start growing new leaves again. So let's be patient in our care and give sophoras the time they need to acclimatize.

 

Watch out for uninvited guests: bugs

Sophoras are not only popular with us growers. Scale insects and spider mites love them too. So when you stop to admire your plant now and then, it is a good idea to check that one of these pests has not settled on your sophora.

Spider mites are tiny bugs that can look like aphids. They cluster together and suck the tissue out of the leaves. Even if you do not notice the bugs themselves, fine webbing can alert you to their presence.

Scale insects look like a kind of brown shell that clings to the stem or leaf of the plant. That is why it is a good idea to check sophoras really thoroughly: at a quick glance, scale insects can blend in with the sophora's trunk.

Both of these pests can do considerable damage to the plant, so it is important to act quickly if they attack. To treat your sophora, we can use any product designed for the specific type of pest, following the instructions for that product. Let's also think of our other green treasures and make sure the pests have not attacked other plants too. All infested houseplants then go into quarantine, which keeps the pests from spreading uncontrollably through the rest of the green jungle.

 

Photo: Sophora Little Baby that has dropped almost all its leaves after a spider mite infestation

 

“Personally, I swear by Careo products, whether it is their fertilizer sticks (which I also use as prevention) or the spray, which has never let me down so far.”

 

A few final words

Finally, we can mention that although it is not clearly established whether sophora can be toxic to animals (especially dogs or cats), its toxicity to humans has been proven. So let's admire sophora as much as we like without tasting it, and just in case, put it where no fingers or claws can reach it.

Author: Jana Beránková