brojeanie
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Please help ID my new BONSAI

Hi there Helpfulgardeners,
So I decided to buy two small bonsais and they are my first ever bonsai's. I'm not really sure how to look after them, the guy at nursery said to water them every 3 days and take them outside in the morning to get the morning sun then bring them inside at night so they don't get the night frost. I live in Melbourne, Australia and it's getting down to 10 degrees at night and it's quite frosty.
Also, I am trying to find out what type of species they are but I am having no luck! Would any one be able to tell me what they are! Thank you so so much, hope you can help me out.
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rainbowgardener
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As is frequently reported, your seller gave you very bad advice. Never water bonsai on a schedule. How often they need to be watered varies widely with conditions. When you water, always water thoroughly, making sure all the soil is moistened, so water until water is coming out the drain holes, let it sit a few minutes and then do it again. Then don't water again until at least the top part of the soil is drying out. Use the chopstick method to tell you when this is: https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/vi ... =36&t=1479

Do NOT be bringing your trees in and out all the time. They are trees! They are adapted to being rooted in one spot. If they have to come in for the winter, then bring them in, find a good spot for them and leave them until spring. Your bonsais are interesting choices, not the commonest, so I am not sure of ID's. The first one is some kind of evergreen conifer... yew? fir? It is most likely very cold hardy and needs to stay outside all winter. If the rocks on it are glued on, they need to be removed.

Someone else will have to ID the other one and tell you its care needs

Best Wishes and welcome to the Forum!

tomc
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The first could be an alberta spruce, or a Norfolk Island pine. The last is a tender tree and will not survive frost.

I can't tell what-in-heck the second tree is.

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rainbowgardener
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Good thought, tom, about Norfolk island pine. If it were that, it would have to be brought in for the winter. I don't really think it is, but I can't say that with 100% certainty, since I don't know what it is. I did some looking around at various conifers and didn't find one with exactly that needle pattern.

Interesting trees, brojeanie! If the Forum here doesn't manage to ID them for you, you should take them in somewhere where they can. You definitely need to know what you have before you can know how to keep them alive. But everything I said about watering and removing rocks remains true pretty much regardless.

brojeanie
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Thank you for your responses they were very helpful, I googled your suggestions rainbowgardener and I thought out of the possible species listed it looked most like the fir conifer, but I still am not sure either. I really want to find out what the second one is too, I might have to take them to a place Bonsai speciality place (hopefully with a more helpful staff member) But thank you so much for your responses! Much appreciated

brojeanie
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Do you think the second may possibly be a Snow Rose Bonsai?

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rainbowgardener
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Can't say for sure that it is a snow rose (aka serissa, aka tree of a thousand stars) but you may be right:

Image
https://www.zen7348.zen.co.uk/images/Bon ... er%202.jpg

If so it is a beautiful tree, nice choice, but a little tricky to start out with, very sensitive to changes in watering, location and temperature. Stable conditions are key!

brojeanie
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The leaves look very similar... hmm. It is currently coming towards Winter in Melbourne, getting below 10 at night, not too sure if I should leave it inside by the window or outside.. What would you recommend?

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rainbowgardener
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It's a tropical, needs to stay in for the winter. "Much sunlight is necessary, choose a spot where the tree doesn’t need to be relocated and at a constant temperature. Minimum temperature is about 10 degrees Celsius (50F)." https://www.bonsaiempire.com/tree-species/serissa

But it does like light. It needs your best bright window and/ or a dedicated lamp on it.



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