HelpfulGardener.com

Hello,

Does anyone know what the tree below is and have any useful tips?

I was given this last Christmas and the only instructions with it were to avoid strong sunlight and water every 2-3 days. As I live in tropical Bangkok I kept it indoors but within a few weeks the leaves fell off. I then placed it on my east facing balcony but in semi shade and within a few days it was in bud and the leaves grew back soon after. However, over the past week leaves have begun to die and fall again, as in the pictures below, this seems to have coincided with an increase in temperature, we are now up to around 35c. (95f).

Any advice greatly appreciated.

[img]https://user21173.websitewizard.com/images/CRW_1348_RJ.JPG[/img]

[img]https://user21173.websitewizard.com/images/CRW_1353_RJ.JPG[/img]

[/img]

Just a guess, but looks like Triphasia trifolia.

Thanks for the feedback kdodds, have checked out at Wikepedia and they quote:-

"It is an evergreen shrub (rarely a small tree) growing to 3 m tall. The leaves are trifoliate, glossy dark green, each leaflet 2-4 cm long and 1.5-2 cm broad. The flowers are white, with three petals 10-13 mm long and 4 mm broad. The fruit is a red, edible hesperidium 10-15 mm diameter, similar to a small Citrus fruit." They also say it comes from Malaysia, just south of Thailand, where we are.

This is a small tree, around 14 cms (5.5 ins) in height, but without any signs of flowers or fruit. The brochure calls it "ma-sang - a dwarf tree" but internet searches for this, in both English and Thai script, produce zero!

Having read further on this wonderful forum and prodded into the soil I am wondering if poor drainage soil and some over-watering may be the cause, although only watered lightly every 2-3 days. The soil is very moist and when watering the water drains out very quickly.

Any ideas most welcome!

AFAIK, Masang is Shorea laevis, a tree used mostly for its lumber.

I reall think it looks like a japanese pepper tree look it up and decide the look a lot like a pepper tree they are indoor tree easy to keep from my experience

Thank you. I have now sourced the supplier and although they have not provided any help they advise the name as Feroniella lucida (Swingle), further research shows it to be of the family Rutaceae and originates from Vietnam and Thailand, so climate shouldn't be a problem.

There is limited info on the web and mostly in French. Although interesting none of it covers the problem, plus France has a very different climate to Bangkok. The leaves appear mottled, compared to the glossy leaves on photos displayed on the web, and are continuing to die off.

The soil under the red rocks is dark, moist and quite thick. As a newbie I have no idea what to do for the best. Would re-potting with new soil be a possible answer?

Thanks for any advice you can offer.

atchara,

Dense, water retentive soil is often the cause of problems and I always re-pot anything I get that is potted in such. However it is not always the best move to re-pot a stressed tree, it may help or it may stress it further and kill it. Sometimes you just have to make a choice and live with the consequences.

https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3422

The mottled appearance of the leaves reminds me of the problem I have been having lately with Azaleas. Lacewing is an insect here that causes similar damage. Have you examined the plant carefully for pests? Try using a hand lens.

Norm

Hello Norm, many thanks. I will leave re-potting as a last resort. Can't see any insects but will get a hand lens and look closer. What it does have is some small white powdery substance on a few of the remaining leaves and fine cobwebs, also with white substance, running along the branches as in the photos below.

My guess, as you suggest, is that it does have some form of infestation, question is what and how to treat/cure?

Best regards.

[img]https://user21173.websitewizard.com/images/CRW_1359_RJ.JPG[/img]

[img]https://user21173.websitewizard.com/images/CRW_1359a_RJ.JPG[/img]

Infestation is correct. Although I have no idea how to tell you to treat it. I've never had an infestation before. So wait until someone else pops in.

Just wanted to say Good Luck!

Thanks Ken. Hopefully some one will know. Will also get to a local garden centre in Bangkok on Monday, as a local tree they may have knowledge.

Looks like spider mites to me. My bonsai books say an insecticide will do the trick, but you'll have to repeat the treatment a few times. The insecticide only works against mature adult stages of these pests.

BTW - its possible you have a Feroniella oblata - the two get mixed up. See photos and description at: [url]https://www.citrusvariety.ucr.edu/citrus/feroniella.html[/url] . It is a native to your region and might not have matured enough to fruit yet. The leaves do look similar to yours.

The soil they stuck your bonsai in is the standard bonsai soil they probably use for all their stock -- it may not be appropriate for this type of plant. In the same article above, they describe a successfull soil,

A young tree of this species was observed growing very vigorously in Colonel Robert H. Montgomery's arboretum at Coconut Grove, Florida, in the peculiar sandy-loam and porous-limestone soil characteristic of the extreme southeastern section of that state.

Good luck!