Hi,

I was recently gifted a bonsai tree for the first time about a week ago and I can't exactly figure out what species of bonsai it is for sure. I thought maybe it was a boxwood or buxus bonsai but I don't really know, I will attach photos and was also wondering if you are supposed to put it into another pot after you receive the bonsai since mine is only in a plastic one. Any help whatsoever would be greatly appreciated.

This not a bonsai. It is a tree in a pot. Could be Box difficult to tel. No it should not be put into a bonsai pot yet, it needs to be grown and styled first. That will take a year or two. Place it in a semi shaded spot in the garden, they don.t like strong sun but they do need some.

Oh, that for sure looks like boxwood (Buxus Harlandii)! I can tell by looking at the trunk as it looks kind of rough. Also, DO NOT repot the bonsai (or pre-bonsai) right now! Any repotting should be done ONLY in the spring. Any other time will kill the tree. Some advice on watering, the soil it comes in is probably very water retentive. Over-watering means that the soil is constantly kept moist, but doesn't matter how much you water it. NEVER water your bonsai on a schedule. Only water it when the soil feels dry. If you want to prune it, I advise you to prune it later this year, maybe early 2022 because that is when new buds form.

And that tree looks maybe 3-4 years old. You should wire it when you repot it in the upcoming spring.

Hope it helps!