What is a good cheap tree you can keep indoors???

[plantlover1995]

I had purchased a Juniper the people I was ordering it from said it was indoors, then I learned otherwise. I have been wanting an indoor bonsai for some time. Can anyone give me advise om beautiful indoor trees that work for a low budget?

[tomc]

Every tree that is going to live long term in a tray, should probably spend May to October outdoors.

There is no cheap way to recreate the light, breeze, humidity, and temperature changes a tree needs to live.

That said about the most forgiving would be a fig (ficus).

if you look in nature where the ambient moisture is 20% or less, you won't find any trees that live there.

[rainbowgardener]

yup, ficus is what I would have suggested also.

[tenderloingardener]

I was also going to suggest a ficus. I didn't "bonsai" but I kept one for many years, and it got fairly large. Nice if you have the room.

[tomc]

Any tree you may want to train to a tray should do most or all of the following:

Back-bud
Tolerate leaf pinching
Tolerate root pruning
Air layer well

An understanding of what those terms mean. And a search of how to water a tree are fundamental to training a bonsai.

How well you can recreate the thousands of lumens of light and other features of nature a tree needs to live, depends on your wallet.

[imafan26]

Trees in general are not great houseplants. Most bonsai trees are happier outside.

If you want to keep a bonsai indoors, how much light and air can you give it?

Ficus can handle low light and is probably the best bonsai for indoors. But be prepared, if you bring home a ficus from a high light location and put it in the dark, every leaf will fall off and the plant will need to acclimate before new leaves come out again.

Jade plants are also pretty tolerant but also like bright light.