Dear All

I have very recently started taking care of a small bonsai plant with my partner, previously the property of her grandparents. Looking after it in summer was easy - just kept it topped up with water - but in winter it's drooped a little and I wonder if it might not be well.

Unhelpfully, I'm not too sure what the species is! The initial instinct was Maple - but as the only person who could verify (my partner's grandpa) is now deceased, it is something of a mystery.

Based on the attached photos, should I pull off/cut away the leaves? Is there any repotting that needs doing, and should I do something about the exposed root? Can you tell what species it might be?

Any help you can offer is much appreciated - especially as this is a last keepsake from my partner's grandpa to her!

All the best

Ed

It looks like a maple yes.
But assuming most maples grow outside where you live I'd put yours outside too. Those curled up leaves don't predict much good...

its a deciduous tree, it will drop its leaves for the winter. like Fonz said i would place it outside, the tree needs to go dormant (needs cold temperatures to do so) and with it being indoors it wont. comes spring looks like you need to repot as it looks like its just sitting in sphagnum moss and not proper substract.

Why does it sit in a plastic container?