NEW PLANT ALERT πŸ—£οΈβ€ΌοΈ(bonsai)

Personal spaces πŸ‘€ π•Ώπ–π–Š π•­π–”π–™π–†π–“π–Žπ–ˆπ–†π–‘ π•­π–†π–ˆπ–π–†π–‘π–‘π–Šπ–ž
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Well somebody got distracted while in their local plant store :face_with_hand_over_mouth: never let tangy go on the clearance isle alone

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It’s a bonsai but the tag did not specify what kind. To be from the clearance isle it looks pretty good. It still needs a bit of care but I still need to know what kind it is.

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Carmona/Fukien tea?

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thats lovely! i dream of a Sakura bonsai, a real, a live one :cherry_blossom: :cherries:

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I want one :sob: take care well and if it’s what I think it is, it gets these tiny little white blooms :face_holding_back_tears::pinching_hand:

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Oh my goulash that would be so cute :face_holding_back_tears: imma do some research but I bet you’re right!

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It’s beautiful!! I love plants so muchhhh

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Oh my goodness!!! Sooo cute!!:face_holding_back_tears:

Something about plants… they are just so cute!:sparkling_heart:

You should name him! I name all my plants, lol!

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You name plants πŸ«ͺ

I use latin names lmao

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lol!:smiley: (At least I know now that I’m not the only one who does that)

Yep! I have a bunch of cactus’s and other plants in my room and they all have names!:cactus::seedling:

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Very nice :slightly_smiling_face:

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I’m decently certain you’ve got yourself a Serissa foetida/japonica (same plant, older and newer names)! They’re also called β€œTree of a Thousand Stars” :sparkles:

There’s a few other trees commonly used in bonsai that look similar, but the leaf shape and texture really leans towards Serissa.

They’re a very finicky little friend. Get it lots of light and keep the soil moist but not soaked (they’ll drop a ton of their leaves virtually overnight if they get too dry). They also have pretty high humidity demands, and that mixed with their need for, essentially, never-dry roots, that’s where you can start running into mildew and bacterial issues in the soil. The good news is that they’re a popular choice and there are a lot of bonsai enthusiasts who have amazing luck with them, so there are resources and advice from real people (not just generic articles) who really love these specific little trees! :deciduous_tree:

Best of luck with your new little friend! It looks pretty darn healthy, and already has a (in my opinion) really wild and cool looking root system going on. I know most people say get these guys outdoors as much as possible during warmer months, and that they do not appreciate chilly temperatures. I’d hop on google and search up some examples of Serissa with your plant in front of you and see if you think it’s a match then go from there! :two_hearts:

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Thank you so much!! It does look like one! I’ll definitely check out some more resources and learn how to care for it properly!

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YAY! I’m really glad I could help!

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I love mini stuff, this plant is so cute what will you name it???

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Idk yet. I don’t typically name my plants lol

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oh, I don’t name the plant either I just wanted to know :sweat_smile:

ty

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Wow! It’s so cute! I’ve been wanting a bonsai :face_holding_back_tears: show us when it blooms :star_struck:

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Yk I will!! My dad threw away my seeds and I decided I js didn’t want to grew one from the dirt :joy:

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Lol ykw, that reminds me, yesterday when I was looking in the yard for trash, I noticed little Japanese maple trees growing (i think, the leaves looked similar but i didn’t have my phone to identify. There’s a tree in the yard to compare.) and i was thinking about taking it and planting it in a pot. I could make bonsai out of that :thinking: idk how well it’ll work though. :thinking:

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Japanese Maples make for great bonsais! Starting with a seedling or very young/very small tree is a great place to start! (It takes out the guesswork of trying to propagate roots off a cutting from an β€˜adult’ tree)

All you have to do is carefully dig it up and re-plant it in a small pot (not too small that any existing roots are too cramped, but small enough for your bonsai endeavor). From there you’ll need to let it grow for probably 2 or 3 years (it’s a slow art lol) to get the trunk to a good/desired width, then you can prune it and use wire to shape how you would like it to grow.

Depending on where you live, early spring is a great time to start the process, the weather is less harsh and wont add as much extra stress to the tree through the potting process. You also have the advantage of having a yard full of dirt you already know the tree likes. I would typically recommend maybe getting some potting soil (a quick web search can help you find some affordable potting soil near you, something slightly acidic, Japanese Maples prefer that). BUT if you’re not in a position where it’s easy or possible to just run out to a store and buy potting soil, you absolutely can make do with the dirt in your yard. Like I said, you already know the tree likes it, it’s growing fine so far! lol

These trees, again, like a consistently moist, non-soggy soil, and they’re not fans of bright, hot direct sun. And from my own, personal experience with moving and potting small trees: it’s important to keep them in similar conditions throughout, and for a while after, potting - to reduce stress and prevent wilting. For example: soil moisture level, air humidity, light levels, things like that. You can pot it and keep it in the yard near where it was growing, keep an eye on the soil moisture level, and make sure it’s not baking in the sun for extended periods.

There’s tons of info online on the process and care for Japanese Maples as bonsais! They’re a VERY popular choice! Between that and all the other pros of what you have to work with and the time of year, I say absolutely go for it! Give it a shot! :maple_leaf:

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