Bonsai identification Help Needed for a gifted bonsai bc it’s not doing well and I need to find a care guide for it!

[Barbells and bonsai]

Well this one was a memorial gift for me to remember my lost son, so it’s special. I’m determined to save it. I honestly would never try bonsai by my own choice bc it’s too hard for me. I don’t have a green thumb at all. Clearly.

Sorry for your loss. I wish I could be of more help but I’m relatively new to this myself. I hope your tree recovers and does great.

 

[Carol 83]

Hi Carol! Where did it come from? I would love to know!

I would be Brussel's.

 

[Deleted member 47471]

Well this one was a memorial gift for me to remember my lost son, so it’s special. I’m determined to save it. I honestly would never try bonsai by my own choice bc it’s too hard for me. I don’t have a green thumb at all. Clearly.

I’m sorry for your loss.

If your bonsai does not survive, do not be discouraged. Your bonsai, like all others, needs a proper balance of water and oxygen, light and feeding, etc. I understand the sentimental value and importance of the gift given the circumstances, but if bonsai becomes a serious hobby or even a passion for you, then please understand early on that trees will come and go.

Sometimes, you will not know the reason they did not survive. But you can buy and grow more. You can surround yourself with a variety of trees—as they’re fairly inexpensive—and keep going as you learn and grow. Bonsai is very rewarding and over time, you will find you can express yourself through them.

If you want to hold onto the sentimental value of the gift, then keep the bonsai pot that was gifted to you, clean it out, and place it somewhere you can see it daily to remind you

Btw, my wife told me “no more trees” after 1, and now we have 11 Welcome to Bonsai Nut!

 

[rockm]

Well this one was a memorial gift for me to remember my lost son, so it’s special. I’m determined to save it. I honestly would never try bonsai by my own choice bc it’s too hard for me. I don’t have a green thumb at all. Clearly.

So Sorry for your loss. I understand the impulse to try and save the plant. However, you have to separate your memories, the plant and the thought behind the gift. They are three separate things. Unfortunately, first-time bonsai are learning trees for people that haven't done bonsai before. That means they run into all manner of complications because the owners don't have the experience to care for them. They tend to be temporary. Being determined to save the tree is understandable, but it might be more far sighted to be determined to learn bonsai.

The legacy of this tree might not lie in being a long-lived memorial to your lost loved one. It might be the beginning of a journey into something that is profoundly moving and endlessly rewarding. Bonsai, if you're persistent and curious, can open up entirely new worlds that can help heal your soul. I know it has offered me solace when I have lost loved ones. It makes you see and understand the natural world in a different way.

 

[rockm]

FWIW,

Even experienced bonsaiists have issues with trees. My first memorial tree didn't make it. Got another two years later which is doing very well. The second one was collected by a friend off my parents property as well. The pic below is how it looked in 2018 when I got it. I haven't got a recent pic of it (which I need to do). It's developed pretty well over the last few years, though. Always has a very special place in my heart.

Memorial Cedar Elm

About a week ago I got a call that my dad was in the hospital in east Texas. After a frantic and stormy flight down, I finally made it to the hospital just before he passed, evading a tornado on the way. It was a bleak, painful week-long trip for the most part. However, my brother and I...

www.bonsainut.com

 

[gooeytek]

Put it outside in a sunny spot near the house protected from wind, maybe in an open box.
Place a shallow dish of water beside it (I use a plastic Chinese food container with a clear lid). If the water starts to show signs of freezing, bring the azalea in at night.
Let it get rained on.
I think it'll make it

 

[Carol 83]

Well this one was a memorial gift for me to remember my lost son,

So very sorry for your loss, perhaps one of the hardest to bare. I'm certain you don't need a tree to remember your son but I hope it recovers and thrives for you.