Dawn Redwood care indoors

metramm

This is my first time posting on your site and my first time purchasing a bonsai let alone a redwood. It's an xmas gift for a friend and I was just wondering if she would be able to take care of it inside of a house (at a college campus where it would probaly get stolen if it was outside) or if it would die if it were placed indoors, as well as some care instructions for the tree. Also, I didn't know if there was a special type of redwood that is grown to be maintained indoors. She really wants a redwood for xmas and I thought this would be a great gift. Thank you in advance for any help that you can provide. Thanks again. Sincerely, Metramm

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bwaynef

Your sentiment is a good one, and the fact that you asked about its feasibility is even better. The tree will surely die. I think that precludes giving any real care tips (of which I have none.) These trees need dormancy, humidity, and air movement, all of which they'd suffer without indoors. The lighting indoors would probably be the doer-in though. (Ir)Regardless the tree will not survive indoors so you'd be wasting your money. I'd offer a few ideas about indoor trees that are suitable but if she's set on a redwood, a ficus (for instance) probably won't have the same impact.

WF

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metramm

Thank you for your help on the Dawn Redwood bonsai. Do you have any suggestions for trees that are similar that could possibly have the same affect but would last indoors? Just curious, how long do you think it would last indoors if I were to purchase it and give it to her? Like a month? maybe? Thanks for all your help. Metramm

Joanie

Giving someone a bonsai is like giving them a puppy or a bird... or a turtle. Bonsai need constant care, they need special conditions to live indoors. You can't leave them to go home from school over the holidays. You can't forget to water them for a few days. It's a commitment, and if you buy her a tree that's worth anything, she will be tied to it and to its care or it will die.

Please reconsider the idea and buy her a beautiful piece of artwork or something... a lovely picture of a bonsai or a tree surviving in the wild to hang on the wall maybe. Or, even better, take it yourself and have it blown up and frame it.

Just a consideration, from someone who has a college aged daughter and is constantly reminding her to "feed the birds, change the cage, don't they need new water? Are you out of millet?"

Joanie

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metramm

She's not going to have a problem taking care of it. She's a huge nature and animal lover and has 3 animals in her room right now that she carts back and forth to and from school, as well as plants all over the place. I do appreciate all the help that you have given me and Ill definetly consider it because I really don't want this tree to die if the climate conditions indoors are not suitable for it to survive. Thanks again. Metramm

Joanie

Then here is a good set of links to read:

http://www.fourseasonsbonsai.org/allthereis/indoor.htm

Indoor bonsai can be done if the commitment is there. Good luck!

Joanie

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shirefox

http://bonsaihunk.8m.com/

Jerry Meislik's site has several articles on growing bonsai indoors, but once again these are tropical or near tropical trees.

Joanie

Yes, the site is one of those in the links, which are fairly comprehensive. No Dawn Redwoods there, you are right, they are at least semi-tropical trees that can be successfully grown.

Joanie

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Craig Cowing

I learned the hard way about giving someone a bonsai as a gift. Never again. I gave my brother one that I had styled myself--a variety of Chamycyperus pisifera (false cypress). He brought it indoors for the winter and sure enough it died. This was after I told him it needed to be outdoors. The kicker is that he has two degrees in biology and should have known better.

Craig Cowing
NY
Zone 5b/6a Sunset 37

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I'm not finished yet, neither are my trees.