Help identifying kind of bonsai

[cherryredcutie]

Hiya everyone,

I am new to the forum . I have 2 bonsai trees that I got about a year ago and wondered if you could tell me what kind they are?









The second bonsai with the few leaves is just recovering from being not watered enough (most of the leaves had fallen off), the person who was supposed to look after them when I was on holiday did a really bad job. Luckily there are already new leaves showing up.

The first bonsai is a bit pooly as well, the leaves are hanging down a bit and some of them have turned yellow and have fallen off, can that be also a sign of not enough water?

Thanks for your help in advance!
Anne

[Gnome]

Anne,

The first one is a Fukien Tea, or Carmona microphylla.

The first bonsai is a bit pooly as well, the leaves are hanging down a bit and some of them have turned yellow and have fallen off, can that be also a sign of not enough water?

From the looks of the soil it may be just the opposite. not many plants like to kept in a situation where their roots are constantly damp or excludes Oxygen. This type of soil is commonly seen with mass produced bonsai and will need to be changed at the next re-potting. In the meantime please read this for tips on watering.

http://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/v ... php?t=1479

An identification of the second eludes me for now, hopefully someone else will recognize it.

Norm

[UglyGeezer]

Second one looks like some sort of Ficus to me.

[cherryredcutie]

From the looks of the soil it may be just the opposite. not many plants like to kept in a situation where their roots are constantly damp or excludes Oxygen. This type of soil is commonly seen with mass produced bonsai and will need to be changed at the next re-potting. In the meantime please read this for tips on watering.

Norm

Thanks for your reply, it's very much appreciated. I had just watered the tree so maybe that's why it looks a bit too damp? I am just reading up on how to care properly for bonsais, thanks for the link!

[Stormwatcher]

My first thought was that the second tree might be a birch or beech, but when I went and looked them up, I found that both had more jagged leaves than that one.

Think I have to agree with UglyGeezer, it looked more like a ficus when I looked those up: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ficus

[bonsaiboy]

The second one cannot be a ficus, as its leafs are oppisite. It is a Sageretia theezans, or Bird Plum.

[Gnome]

The second one cannot be a ficus, as its leafs are oppisite. It is a Sageretia theezans, or Bird Plum.

Thanks bonsaiboy, that's one I haven't gotten through my thick skull yet. Fukiens were foreign to me at first as well but with the distinctive notched leaves they are pretty easy to identify now.

Norm

[cherryredcutie]

The second one cannot be a ficus, as its leafs are oppisite. It is a Sageretia theezans, or Bird Plum.

Hi everyone,

thanks for your replies. I have read here that the Bird Plum flowers and gets berries but mine doesn't flower, is it still a Bird Plum?

Just to clarify, pics no. 1+2 are the first tree and pics 3+4 the second tree.

I also read up on the Funkien Tea, looks like I am watering it too much, thanks Gnome for the tips, I will try the toothpick watering technique.
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[cherryredcutie]

After searching for a while and finding a french website I think I found what the second tree might be, a Lingustrum sinense - Chinese privet http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ligustrum_sinense I think there are different kinds though, still reading up on it.

[cherryredcutie]

Ligustrum chinensis

[Gnome]

cherryredcutie,

I have read here that the Bird Plum flowers and gets berries but mine doesn't flower, is it still a Bird Plum?

Still could be. A lack of flowers right now does not mean that it will never flower. The picture you found looks very similar too though, keep researching.

Norm

[cherryredcutie]

Still could be. A lack of flowers right now does not mean that it will never flower. The picture you found looks very similar too though, keep researching. Norm

Okay, that's good to know . I still think it's either a Ligustrum chinensis or Lingustrum japonicum as the Sageretia theezans has "teeth" on the edge of the leaves if you look on a close up but my bonsai hasn't, also the leaves are a bit more wavy.

Sageretia Theezans:



Ligustrum Sinense:



My bonsai:



This is quite fun

[Gnome]

cherryredcutie,

I still think it's either a Ligustrum chinensis or Lingustrum japonicum as the Sageretia theezans has "teeth" on the edge of the leaves if you look on a close up but my bonsai hasn't, also the leaves are a bit more wavy.

OK, you are in a much better position to make these observations than we are. Glad to see your persistent, a good quality in a bonsai enthusiast.

Norm

[cherryredcutie]

OK, you are in a much better position to make these observations than we are. Glad to see your persistent, a good quality in a bonsai enthusiast. Norm

Thank you

[snowblind]

hello

thease trees could be sumting really nice give time and work and a lot of love
so keep going hun feel free to msg me anytime as im from the uk aswell and would love to chat to other brits into bonsai