Birthday Bonsai

Vide

Hello everyone, I just got a bonsai for my birthday and I need some help with starting out with it.

Firstly, I need a positive identification, amusingly enough. I was told that it is a Serissa but nothing else, really. It is approx. 5 inches from the base of its trunk to the tops of its branches and is currenty unstyled, but looks like it has propensity for a broom style. It's root system, however, is raised about one inch above the level of the soil, which is 2 inches deep (the dimensions of the pot are 6' x 4.5' x 2'). If I had to decide whether or not it was done in root over rock style, I couldn't honestly say.

I don't see a rock, and couldn't feel one but there is a wire holding one of the larger roots down (why, I don't know). It has small green oval leaves with whitish/yellow edges and centres but no flowers, which I thought was characteristic of a Serissa. Anyways, I hope someone can help me identify my tree and what I should do with it, which leads me to my next query:

If my tree is indeed a Serissa, what would you recommend in terms of care? It's warming up where I live (calgary, AB) but during the winter it can get down to -20 or -30 celsius with heavy heavy snowfall. In the spring and summer, the mean temperature is around 20 degrees celsius but it ranges from 10 to 30. It is very windy all year-round. It was recommended that I keep it inside next to a window with lots of light and that I water it every day in the summer; every 2-3 days in the winter.

Other than your thoughts on this advice, can you give me some hints about what fertilizer I should use and how as well as the other basics of bonsai (I'm very new at this). Thanks a lot in advance,

Vide.

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Tony

From your description it sounds like a serissa but I think we'll need a picture to say for sure. Here's a care sheet for serissa.

http://www.bonsai-bci.com/species/serissa.html

Vide

Thanks for the information page, i just have a few more questions now.

1) I just recieved it and it looks as though it's just been repotted. The plant appears healthy but there are no flowers. Should i prune back some of the longer branches now to maintain shape or should I wait until it gets settled?

2) The tree is done in an elevated root style, which seems to be held down by a wire. The purpose of the wire was not explained to me and I wonder if i shouldn't remove it. Should i get rid of the wire, or is it there for a reason? Another thought: it may be there to prevent the tree from tipping backwards (it leans slightly backwards and the wire is at the front of the root ball).

3) I have it indoors at the moment (where it will probably stay) in a west-facing window that gets tons of direct sunlight for several hours in the afternoon and evening. In the morning, the sun is indirect, but still fairly bright. Should I keep it where it is or is the sun too bright which may result in damage to the tree? There are many other places i can move the tree (north facing windows) if I should.

4) Since my plant is indoors, how can I keep it humid besides spraying with a mister (which is advised against while the tree is in bloom)?

5) Why does my tree not have flowers and when should they come?

6) What should I do with
a) yellow leaves?
b) leaves with black tips?
c) torn leaves?
d) aging/browning flowers?

and finally,

7) Should I prune older (brown) wood, or stick to only the new green growth?

Thanks a lot,

Vide.

zeb

Hi there,
We've got quite similar temps according to the first post. I also grow my serissas inside with lots of sunlight. They are in a corner with windows in both directions and the corner is pointing to the south.

1. I've always waited about two weeks after purchase (until it has sprouted some new leaves) before I've pruned my serissas.

2. I can't answer this one, because I really don't know the case. It may be holding the tree in the pot or it may just be a wire to bend that root.

3. Look at the text before no.1. Got it?

4. You can put your tree on a humidity tray, or just about any tray that can hold water. Just make sure your tree doesn't get 'wet feet' by standing the pot in water. The roots will die if they get no air. Put the tree on a couple of small stones, for example.

5. I have no idea. Serissas should bloom 10 months of the year from January to November, but my serissas have never bloomed either. Maybe it's because I use to pinch back the new growth and flowers should appear in the ends of the twigs.

6. a) If there aren't too many of them, just pinch'em off and forget it. If there are, then ... Ask Dr.Bonsai!
b) Hmm. Black leaves = bad lighting conditions. Maybe they were there in the shop or what?
c) What's that? Tear-torn-torn. Torn leaves? You've torn them off, right?
d) You probably just cut them away. Never done this part.

7. Go ahead! It was (more than 90% possibility) probably trained by letting the tree (or shrub to be exact) grow in the ground and then trunk chopped to achieve a broom style bonsai. But beware of the mighty smell! There are rumors telling about people that died when they were pruning a serissa; they had fainted and hurt themselves.

8. Oops, no such question..


Hope this helps!
Zeb

__________________
Two men were walking down a road. The one on the left was interested in bonsai. The one on the right had no money either.

zeb

Oh yeah, forgot to mention that I use growing lights in the winter to make the day longer to the plants. I also mist the serissas every day and in the summer I take them out in partial sun. They all have done well for over a year.


Zeb

__________________
Two men were walking down a road. The one on the left was interested in bonsai. The one on the right had no money either.

Vide

Thanks a lot for the advice, it was very helpful. Finnish weather must be a lot like Canadian weather, eh?

I just got back from the store with a mister and some 20-20-20 water soluble fertilizer that I'll begin using at the first sign of growth. As for the wire, I'll just have to ask someone who can see the plant.

Thanks again Zeb, you've been most helpful.

Vide.

zeb

I don't really know how your summers are, but the winter temps sound familiar. It's not too rare it's -25C in the winter. In summer the temps tend to go up and down, normally between 15 and 25C

How's that?


Zeb

__________________
Two men were walking down a road. The one on the left was interested in bonsai. The one on the right had no money either.

Vide

That sounds almost exactly like here, but it's also very dry where I live. Sometimes temperatures in the summer get up to 30C or higher and the winters are just as harsh. Strangely, we have lots of snow and rain, despite our lack of humidity.