I have got this beautiful bonsai a couple of weeks ago as a gift but with no way of finding out what the name of the tree is.. I am an absolute beginner !~ Never had a bonsai tree in my life,please help .
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I agree with Youri...it is a type of Juniper. Researching your particular plant is very important as this teaches you the necessary requirements of the plant such as origin/climate, environment, moisture and light. Each tree species has different needs.
As Youri says...please ask any and all questions you may have here and we'll do our best to help. So glad you could join us!
Thank you so much guys! I had an idea that it might be juniper but still wasn't sure.They all look different to me I did put it outside now , but I am a bit worried about the weather conditions here .. I am from England myself, and it has been raining for the last 3 days .. I have read somewhere that I should let my tree to dry out (nearly) between watering .. But how can I manage to do that if my plant is constantly under the rain .. Is it `better not to leave it in the rain for longer periods of time ? It is barely very cold in here as well , but can I take a risk and keep it outdoors in a snow etc .. What's the lowest temperature bonsai can stand ? Thanks
If the pot has enough holes in it to let the water pass through if it has enough, then it would be okay and just let it stand outside If it rains for a very long time and the soil won't get the chance to dry, I would place it somewhere dry outside, but for 3 days it is okay, my juniper is getting lots of rain here too (more then 3 days now, in the Netherlands).
The juniper can resist cold temperatures very well and even needs frost to get in dormiance. If you want to keep the tree outside, you can protect it different ways, you can see some of them here: www.bonsaiempire.com/care/overwintering
Just to add to Youri's excellent reply: Bonsai are 'just plants'. So, a juniperus that is local to your region will not have a lot of dificulties with normal weather. The main problem with bonsai is that the root mass is very small. As such, extended period of strong frost which would normally only freeze the top 50-100 cm of the soil can now kill the tree, as all roots freeze, and the plant at some point runs out of moisture. Same for rain: Normal soil does not get completely saturated with water to the extend that no air is left in the soil for the plant to breathe. In a small pot however, that ruisk is seriously present. However, if your pot is free-draining, the plant should be none the worse from a couple of weeks of rain in fall. It is the normal climate for these plants.
howdy,
nice tree by the way definately a unique style for a juni.
well just to add a little bit i would protect the exposed roots when winter time comes even though these guys are rated to -30f in the ground i would be concernd with killing the exposed roots...you need something that doesnt absorb water and wrap the pot and roots with plastic wrap.i would use packing peanuts just make sure the top and bottom are open to let water in and out
Nice juniper,as to the cold advice just one addition,pot can crack if it holds water and freezes,yours appears to be crackled glaze on the exterior,if so,you should be ok.By all means protect exposed roots in freezing conditions.GROWON mitch
Thank you so much for all of your replies Unfortunately it seems that my juniper may be dying .. Soil is soaking and leaves turning yellow .. My pot has got only one hole which might be not enough to get rId of all excess water from the pot .. It has been raining very often over the last week .. I am considering re-potting my tree, but I am not sure if that would save it .. Please help !