just got a bonsai tree

agnatha3141 · New Member Joined: 11 Apr 2004 Posts: 2

i just got a bonsai tree at the flea market, which probably isnt the best idea, but it was cheap, so i thought i would try it out. it has little white flowers and looks more like a shrub than a tree. i checked out some of the pictures on this website, and it doesn't really look like any of the beautiful trees listed. is there any way it is not really a tree? i have a digital camera and pictures of it, but cant figure out how to attach a photo. can anyone help me out, so that i can post a picture and you could use your expertise to tell me what it really is?

webmaster · Posted: Sun Apr 11, 2004 11:34 pm Post subject:

Hmm... It could be an Azalea. The Azalea Bonsai in the photo we feature is sixty years old- but the shape of the leaves still have the characteristic roundness to them, although larger size leaf than a younger tree would have.

What shape leaves does your bonsai have? How tall is it? What shape are the flowers?

Please post those answers and I'll see if I can get Scott, The Helpful Gardener, to help you.

Hey, if there are any other bonsai experts who'd like to chip in with opinions or help please feel free.

Roger
Webmaster

agnatha3141 · New Member Joined: 11 Apr 2004 Posts: 2

well, lets see the leaves are ovoid and pointed at the end, and the flowers are multipetalled small, white and fluffy, roughly one centimeter in diameter. the whole tree is about six inches tall. i have looked at some pictures on the web of azaleas, and the leaf structure and tree structure are similar, but mine has flowers that are the same size of the leaves, whereas the ones i saw seem to have much larger flowers. is an azalea a common bonsai to have?[/img]

The Helpful Gardener · Posted: Mon Apr 12, 2004 11:40 am Post subject: Mystery Tree

Hi all,

Sounds an awful lot like a serissa to me; there are a lot of differences in foliage and flower, so you can get pink, single flowers or double white like yours. There can be varigation on the foliage or not, but the habit sounds a lot like yours. This is a tropical; check the site for requisite care, but it's a fairly easy one. NO cold drafts, keep it moist and be very careful if you wire; the bark is delicate (We usually wrap wire in raffia for some cushion). Pretty little trees that aren't too difficult to take care of; the usual causes of death are too little moisture or too much...