Dear all,
I bought my first Bonsai about a year ago and facing some difficulties. This year it was sprouting wonderfully with new leaves in the beginning of the year. Shortly after though it suddenly lost all leaves on a certain branch.
However, since it afterwards expanded its existing ones I thought it will be fine.
Now it seems that on the trunk where it lost its leaves and expanded it's branches the live ended. The branches are still elastic but I also saw some colour change.
Please see the pictures attached.
Do I need to take action? According to the seller it should be about 6 years old now. It is a Japanese maple.
Thank you in advance.

Maple yes. Bonsai no. 6 years no.

Do you keep it inside? That is the reason why it's about to die.

Why haven't you done a little research on maples? Rule number one is to keep them outside.

I keep it inside but at the window and it was fine until now. The seller said I should place it outside once in a while but keeping it inside is fine. It never showed any issues until now.
So will that fix the issue? Or should I cut the trunk? Or what should I do?

I would put it oustide and keep it there. Maple's need seasons...and moisture changes etc. you could go to the seller and tell him that he flat out lied to you and ask for your money back. . your tree looks like it should be fine if you put it outside and get it gradually used to more sun... dabbled sunlight, then half-shade/half sun. I wouldn't do any cutting.

The seller lied about 2 things :
-that it can be kept indoors
-that it is a Bonsai

Auk wrote: The seller lied about 2 things :
-that it can be kept indoors
-that it is a Bonsai

The seller lied also about it being 6 years old.

Clicio wrote:

Auk wrote: The seller lied about 2 things :
-that it can be kept indoors
-that it is a Bonsai

The seller lied also about it being 6 years old.

Of course you both are correct... I was more concerned with the fact that this tree is probably still alive and can easily be saved... at least from what we can see in the pictures.

Why do you say it is not 6 years old and not a bonsai?

I put it outside today. It used to stand next to a window which I keep open most of the time when I am at home and it seemed fine that way. Let's see if it can recover outside.
But why did the trunk's colour change?

Hi Romaru,

Sad to see the part of your tree dying off. The bark turning black in japanese maple is part of the cambium dying.

I would also say it is not 6 years old. If you look at the spacing between leaves yuo see theyr are far apart. This idicates a plant that was grown quickly. The size you have there can be achieved in 2-3 years. But.. in bonsai true age is less relevant than the impression of age, so don't worry.

As for it not being a bonsai.. On this site are mostly people who take a bit stricter stance towards what is a bonsai. Not every tree in a pot is a bonsai. But, you can turn it into one, over time.

Take a look: www.growingbonsai.net/why-is-my-tree-not-a-bonsai/