Hello all,
i got a bonsai tree for my birthday but they removed the price tag and all the details of the bonsai tree with it. I am now not sure what type my tree is so caring for it is becoming a problem as it doesn't look so good right now. i have attatched a picture to this post and if anyone as any idea what it is by sight it would be a great help as then i can look up how to care for it properly.

Thanks

It's hard to tell from the blurry pictures, but it looks like the type of tree you have is called: "a dead tree".

How long do you have this tree already? How did you look after this tree in sense of watering/fertilising. Where did you place this tree, what are its lighting conditions, humidity etc?

P.S. For identifying, it also helps if you could post some beter pictures of the leaves.

Dsdevries is right.That tree is most likely dead. Brown leaves are a bad thing during the spring.

Hello,

ok thanks for replying, i have had it since the start of april, i have kept it out of direct sunlight and the soil moist as i heard thats the best way, i haven't used any fertilizer as i weren't aware you had to, this is my first tree so i am new to this. it does look a bit dry hense why i am asking for help. here are some better pictures, maybe these will help,

Thanks

Hi Aaronjc,

The tree you have is a Carmona (aka Fukien Tea), and sad to say i'm pretty sure it's dead.

But don't be shamed, Carmonas are very difficult to keep alive. It's a tropical species and require very specific living conditions. In England these trees can't survive outside because they require a minimum temperature of 15 C, so they are often sold in nurseries and garden centers as "indoor bonsai".

The truth is, it's also very difficult to create the right conditions indoors to unless you want to live in a sauna. They require a humidity of over 90% and over 10.000 lux.

Nevertheless these trees are still very popular because they grow very fast and are very cheap to create in tropical countries like Thailand, Vietnam or China. Because they are so cheap, they are also treated very bad. They are planted in poor soil and transfered to Europe and the US to be sold by people who don't know how to care for them properly, giving them an even worse chance to survive.

For this reason most people who are really into bonsai usually look for native species, or ones that can be kept outside in their natural environment. Like Junipers, Oaks and Willows e.g. in the UK.

Get a flower pot saucer that is about 2.5-3.0 times the size of the tree and fill it with rocks and water and keep the tree on that. It will keep the humidity up around the tree. That is what I had to do with mine. It also gets a lot of light by the patio door. I am using a 16 inch saucer with golfball size river rock and keep it full of water, it doesn't grow fast but it does grow. Can't wait to see what it does when the swamp cooler is on all day.

Hello,

thanks very much for the info, it just proves that i was completely clueless as to how to look after this tree/or any tree really, shoul;d have done some homework, but as it was a gift i couldn't help the choice.
maybe you could suggest a more managable tree for me to have a go with so i don't have another tragedy on my hands

thanks again

Hello

i didnt get this message till after i replied already, ill try that and see if it brings any life to the poor tree.

thanks

The humidity tray for indoor trees is really beneficial. I keep one under my indoor tree as well. A 16" saucer is definitely the way to go. You can get one at Lowes or Home depot for about 10 - 15 bucks. A huge bag of nice larger rocks is about 4 bucks. Make sure that the water level doesnt reach the top of the rocks. You want the bottom of your pot to stay dry.

If the fukien tea doesnt work out what type of tree would you prefer? An indoor tree or outdoor tree?

Hello,

I am a beginner and I also have a Fukein Tea and it is thriving. Ive had mine since Christmas time. I have a neat little pot with a humidity tray attatched to the pot so I wont forget about that part. just remember to keep it watered and keep the tray full and mabye we can save the poor fella. Good Luck!