I purchases a fukien tea bonsai (carmona macrophylia) about two years ago. It has been healthy and growing well for the entire period. I have kept it trimmed with regular watering and feeding intervals. About 2-3 times per week on water and 1 every three weeks on feeding. Last october, my mother-in-law put the bonsai outside while I was gone and there was frost and it lost all of its leaves but it grew them back after a few weeks when I brought it inside and took care of it. Three months ago I moved into a new apartment. The bonsai gets an hour or two of morning sun every morning and I didn't change the watering patterns, it is not in front of a window or a draft. One month ago my bonsai lost all of its leaves and hasn't grown them back. I'm keeping up with the regular watering patterns but I haven't fertilized because I'm afraid it might shock it further. It has been a month and still no new leaves! The branches are getting stiff but the trunk is a really dark green when scratched, its almost black. The only changes I can think of that were possibly made is 1. We moved into a new apartment 2. We bought a new plant to bring indoors and 3. it went from winter to spring. Can anyone help me??? I love my bonsai and don't want it to die
https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hp ... 4952_n.jpg
-
- Newly Registered
- Posts: 4
- Joined: Sat Jun 18, 2011 5:50 am
- Location: Netherlands, Europe
-
- Newly Registered
- Posts: 4
- Joined: Sat Jun 18, 2011 5:50 am
- Location: Netherlands, Europe
The picture I have of it was the same day I bought it 2 years ago; it hadnt been very well watered or trimmed. Also, I do have one other picture, but it is the one just after it started growing leaves back when I first put it in our new apt. It was doing really well for the first few months and the leaves had fully grown out and were dark green again before it died.
https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hp ... 5142_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hp ... 5142_n.jpg
Welcome to the wonderful world of Fukien Teas, they're right up there with Serissa in survivability and touchiness. It could very well simply be that you moved it. But, I'm sure the frost didn't help. With these trees, one wrong move can lead to a downward spiral, that can be fast or slow, with little to know chance of recovery. I think this is probably what happened with the frost, and the tree was just still too tender for the move. What I would do is get it into a higher humidity environment where it can get at least 4-6 hours of sun per day, then just leave it to see if it can recover (watering when needed, of course).
Well if it lost most of the leaves, water intake is little to none so the same watering pattern wouldn't help it and most likely contributes to more root rot. Only thing I can thin of is scratch of some bark on lower part of the trunk to find out if it's more alive. If not, it's probably too far gone. I've lost a couple myself. Luckily didn't spend much on them. The longest one for me lived 2 years and died this spring.
-
- Newly Registered
- Posts: 4
- Joined: Sat Jun 18, 2011 5:50 am
- Location: Netherlands, Europe
the frost was around 6 months ago so I'm not sure if that was the case. I did scratch the bark and its sort of a really dark green leaning towards black. I don't really think its a good sign.
Also, I already checked the roots when I took it out to check for mealybugs or etc. They were in good condition, no sign of fungi, rot or etc.
Any other ideas as to what might be wrong?
Also, I already checked the roots when I took it out to check for mealybugs or etc. They were in good condition, no sign of fungi, rot or etc.
Any other ideas as to what might be wrong?
-
- Newly Registered
- Posts: 4
- Joined: Sat Jun 18, 2011 5:50 am
- Location: Netherlands, Europe