Hi! I'm Irina. I bought a Fukien Tea Bonsai about six months ago and repotted it in February in well draining soil mixture. It looked ok after repotting for two months, although there was no new growth it kept flowering. I last fertilised as usual with a balanced 1:1:1 two week ago, three quarters recommended dosage, as usual. Then five days ago I left it alone where it was for three days when i was away after watering it, it generally gets 1 hour morning direct sunlight and 2 hours afternoon(reflected from a huge mirror window in front of mine). It got really hot outside (32°C/90°F) and while the room was well insulated i, think it went trhough a heat shock. All leaves were crunchy and the trunk looked dry. Some of then were brown. I watered as usual and misted frequently. Two days later the leaves have not recovered, but the trunk looked less dry. I can t figure out if it was just underwatering and the roots are ok or if there is a chance of it recovering. I am worried because yesterday some flower buds looked allright but now they are also dry and leaves that looked less crunchy kept drying.
What should i do? Below is a picture of the tree as i found it yesterday

Irina, welcome.
Lack of water kills Elms.
Three days with no watering when it is 32C is a death sentence.
Keep watering and pray.

Thank you! If the trunk is better hydrated now, does it mean its roots are still ok and it will grow new leaves? Should i cover it with something to retain moisture or the affected leaves will not recover anyway? I posted a picture below.

It was repotted, roots still recovering, then dried out.

No, I do not think the roots are still OK and I don't think it will grow new leaves.
You can however try. And pray.

Hello Irina!

I am sorry to hear about your problem but as I happened to see you live in Romania, I might know someone who can help you out and your little tree. A month and a half ago I have discovered this splendid website www.atelierbonsai.ro/ . The owner, named Sabin, is a very knowledgeable man in the field of bonsai and he's helped me repot my Podocarpus Macrophyllus with great results of back budding and new sprouts in only two weeks. I believe it is worth trying to contact him and tell him about the issues of your Fukien tea, maybe he will be able to help you out in this matter. If you happen to live in Bucharest, that's even better news !

It's been a week since the heat wave but the tree looks the same. The soil was not bone dry when i arrived, and i think the roots were "boiled", bot dried. I checked them and they were brown, but the soil smelled well, and no leaves turned brown or more crispy during these days, but they did not recover either. I misted frequently. There is green under the branch bark. Is there a chance some of the roots survived deep inside the root ball? Or the tree above the ground is dying too, but it takes longer to appear completely dead?

Irina wrote:

There is green under the branch bark. Is there a chance some of the roots survived deep inside the root ball?

Yes, there is a chance, don't give up yet.
Water, fresh air, no fertilisers.

Thank you! When can i expect to see signs of life, if it will survive?

hi If i am not mistaken... the Fukien Tea (carmona retusa) is a different tree from the Chinese elm (ulmus parvifolia) isnt it..

leroycoutts wrote:

hi If i am not mistaken... the Fukien Tea (carmona retusa) is a different tree from the Chinese elm (ulmus parvifolia) isnt it..

Yes.