I got this plant and was told it's a ficus and a bonsai. I'm new to this so didn't ask much. But when I was looking online for some care instructions, I felt this is adenium not ficus. Also not sure if this is a bonsai at all. Please let me know if this is indeed a bonsai and also which plant species it is.

You win twice.
It is an adenium
It is not a bonsai

I see some strange yellow creatures on your Adenium?

Thank you so much for confirming. Looks like I was duped . I have one more question - how do I tell if an adenium is a bonsai? Please let me know.

That's to appease my son. He loves such knick knacks

Gamingdiva wrote: Thank you so much for confirming. Looks like I was duped . I have one more question - how do I tell if an adenium is a bonsai? Please let me know.

Nah, don't see it like this.

Bonsai is a term used very loosely in commercial circles. In places where people are serious about growing bonsai, and who really invest into understanding the background and fylosophy behind bonsai, everything is a lot stricter. In the end: You bought a plant you liked. Is that not the main idea? Just because the label is a stretch, does not mean you cannot like the tree. And if you decide you would like to start growing bonsai as a hobby (Because that is what it becomes. I for example have 100+ trees in my garden and spend between 10 and 20 hours a week on average caring for and working on these trees), you can still get better suited plants.

If you want to get some understanding of what makes a bonsai a bonsai, have a look here: www.growingbonsai.net/styling-techniques/rating-bonsai/

The main reasons for not calling this a bonsai are in the area of ramification (There is no refinement in the branches), and the styling: The plant has not been styled in a well-organized way creating a canopy of a tree. If you look at the plant, you cannot really see this as a miniature, old tree. On top of this, as this is a non-woody species, it would very quickly drop out of the suitable species range. (I have however i Thailand seen amazing examples which I would consider as close to bonsai as one can come with a species that has a fairly coarse growth habit!)