Your chance to help a newbie!

Blondie · White Belt Joined: 30 Apr 2008 Posts: 3

Hi, you must have loads of these topics, but I'm sure theres space for one more.

2 days ago I received my first bonsai tree as a birthday prezzy from my girlfrind, and I have no idea as to what type it is (other than 'assorted bonsai' from B&Q). If you could help me out with identification I would very much appreciate it.

http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l48/sculler_2006/bonsai008.jpg

Some of the leaves are a bit brown and dry, and it was probably dehydated from sitting around at my gf's for a week with only occasional watering. I'm planning on feeding once a week, and watering when it feels dry.

Thanks muchly!

delboy · Posted: Wed Apr 30, 2008 5:11 pm Post subject: Re: Your chance to help a newbie!

Hi Blondie, looks like one of the Ficus (fig) variety to me not sure which one though. Needs to be kept indoors in a bright position out of draughts.
Delboy.

Blondie · White Belt Joined: 30 Apr 2008 Posts: 3

Thanks for the info. Its currently on a windowsill that gets plenty of light but not much direct sun. It's in a kitchen so pretty warm and humid most of the time, but I don't know if the temperature changes will be bad for it.

Stymie · Posted: Wed Apr 30, 2008 5:25 pm Post subject: Re: Your chance to help a newbie!

Good advice from Delboy. I would suggest no feeding until it is settled in (3 or 4 weeks) and then at half the strength indicated on the package at two week intervals. Keep in touch Blondie if we can help any further. Its a good choice to start with. The humidity of a kitchen will be fine for it.

delboy · Posted: Wed Apr 30, 2008 5:30 pm Post subject: Re: Your chance to help a newbie!

Crazeegang · Posted: Wed Apr 30, 2008 6:28 pm Post subject: Re: Your chance to help a newbie!

I am not sure that it is a ficus. I think I have the same tree on my windowsill in the kitchen and it too was from B and Q. Excuse me if I am mistaken but isn't that a little greenish whitish flower I can see in the photo. Mine has lots of them that is why I am querying ficus.

Come on somebody with lots of knowledge.

Toni

yamadorinige · Posted: Wed Apr 30, 2008 6:40 pm Post subject: Re: Your chance to help a newbie!

I am no expert on indoor trees but I agree with Toni this doesn't look like a Ficus to me. It is highly unlikely considering where it was bought but the tip of the leaf is far more like Ilex vomitaria(Youpon)

emorrin · Posted: Wed Apr 30, 2008 6:48 pm Post subject: Re: Your chance to help a newbie!

I agree, that is not a ficus you have there. What you have is a Carmona microphylla or more commonly known as a Fukien Tea.

Here are a couple of links to get you started:

http://www.bonsai-bci.com/species/fukien.html
http://www.bonsaihunk.us/info/FukienTea.html

A couple of things to note, this is a tropical plant so it does not like to be cold. Also, the Carmona likes moist but not overly wet soil. If you water it too much, it will let you know by having some yellowing leaves. If you water it too little, some leaves will shrivel and fall off. The best way to water is to check the soil on the top. If it is dry, gently scratch the top layer and see if it is wet underneath. If it is, wait to water until the next day. If it is dry, water it until the water comes out of the drain holes. You can also stick a bamboo skewer or chop stick in the soil to check for moisture.

As previously mentioned, hold off on feeding it until it gets acclimated to your environment and new leaves start to form. This is generally a few weeks. A humidity tray would be a good investment since the Carmona likes high humidity.

Stymie · Posted: Wed Apr 30, 2008 7:20 pm Post subject: Re: Your chance to help a newbie!

I lightened the photograph to see more leaf detail and agree that it may well be Ilex vomitoria.
No falling out however because we are agreed on the care.

emorrin

Blondie, If you look a little closer at the leaves, do you see little white spots on them? It looks like that in the photo. Maybe if you take a closer picture of a couple of leaves we can better identify.

Nige, Don, I am pretty sure this is a Carmona by the look of the bark, the little white flowers (well not yet but they will be in a day or two) and the shape of the leaves.

Here is a closeup of one of my Carmonas for comparison:

http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/ii208/emorrin/BonsaiRomeo192.jpg

Stymie

...but should it have toothed edges on the leaves? Blondie's has.

Blondie · White Belt Joined: 30 Apr 2008 Posts: 3

That carmona looks exactly like mine, especially the inconsistantly toothed leaves (I'm guessing thats not a common feature). Here's a close up of my leaves.

http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l48/sculler_2006/bonsai011.jpg

On my tree some of the leaves are round, some toothed (thanks for that bit of terminology, Stymie. I had no idea what to call them. Spikey bits?!?).

emorrin

Don,

I think the leaves get the toothed edges as they grow older. However, I don't think every leaf on a Carmona gets this feature as some of the older leaves stay