Brazilian Rain Tree leaves are turning yellow and drying out.

[Bumbaa]

Hello, I recently acquired a BRT bonsai and I have been having trouble with it.

When I first got it the leaves were a nice healthy green but suddenly they started going pale green till they became yellow then starting dying out and curling up to there death.

He almost lost all of his folliage but I wasn't worried since he was grewing new one. Sadly, the new folliage is still becoming yellow and dying out.

I gave him a CFL bulb with a color temp of 6500k for a solid 8+ hours a day. I also made a humidity tray so he can have more moisture around him.

I tried watering him less frequently, because it was referred in an other thread that over watering was a culprit. I now wait till the dirt is almost dry to water him.

You can see in the pictures that there is this orange stuff around the pot. I initially removed it but it returned, could that be a sign of a sickness?

I live in Montreal, maybe it is too cold? The plant is indoor.

Thanks,
Bumbaa

 

[Random User]

I am relatively new to BRT myself, so take what I say with a grain of salt.

The 6500K is good, but closer to 12 hours will be better.

All of mine went through a dormancy period in the last month and only one hasn't recovered yet... same yellowing, etc. (But it might indicate a lack of N)

It won't be too cold indoors, but they do like warmer roots than normal room temp.

IMHO, you're better off not doing anything other than providing more light and the proper amount of water... they are pretty resilient and should bounce back.

I've found that @c54fun has sound advice when it comes to BRTs, perhaps he'll have something to add...

 

[Clicio]

Well, if it is a true Brazilian Rain Tree, the name says it all.
It grows wild in the Amazon Rainforest.
Outdoors 80% humidity all year.
Temperature (average) in the Amazon: 28 C
It is hot and it rains almost every day.
Very different from Montréal, so much care should be the norm regarding light, humidity and temperatures.

 

[Rodrigo]

@SKBonsaiGuy is correct on the light length, I think you need to increase the exposure. I had mine inside all winter and had a 6500k light on it 16 hours a day on a timer and it did pretty good.
I've never seen the leaves get like that though. Mine turns yellow but don't really fall off (I have to remove them myself) when it goes from inside to outside or vise-versa

 

[Petebak]

whatever mix it's in looks too wet, BRTs love fast draining substrate. Also, if indoors they need 18 hours of light a day minimum. They are also more drought tolerant that people think, it's better to underwater them than over-watering them.

 

[Clicio]

whatever mix it's in looks too wet.

Yes, I don't like the looks of the soil.
@Bumbaa do you know the soil mix this little tree is in right now?

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

The orange stuff where the soil line around the pot is accumulating minerals from your water. Similar principal as ''hard water scale'' that forms in the bathtub and toilet. One possible sign you are keeping your soil too wet.

The yellowing could also be caused by excessively wet soil.

Don't water this tree on a schedule, check to see if it needs water daily, but only water when the soil has actually approached dryness. Best water meter is your finger - don't just touch the surface of the soil, dig your finger in to the first knuckle, deep enough you no longer see your fingernail. If it feels cool and damp, don't water, if it feels dry, time to water. Each time you check, also lift up the pot. Notice the heft, the weight, of the tree and pot. When soil is wet it will be heavy, when soil is dry it will be light. Very quickly you should be able to tell if your tree needs water by its weight. Then you won't have to get your finger dirty every day, just pick up the tree noticing the heft.

To water your tree - take it to the kitchen sink, and flood the surface of the pot with water, set aside to drain. Usually I water a second time 10 minutes later, again flooding the pot with water. Then let drain. After draining, usually 15 minutes or so, return back to the spot where you are growing it.

Never use a watering can and dribble water into the pot hoping the potting mix will wick the water to all parts of the pot, bonsai potting mixes have poor capillary action, you tend to just create a wet spot in a pot with dry spots. It is important to really flood the pot when you do water, then do not water again until the pot has dried to the point of feeling dry deep into the pot. (not just the surface).

Air movement - indoor growing can be greatly improved by the addition of a fan. A cheap fan, blowing in the vicinity, enough air movement that the leaves wave just a little in the breeze. Actually the tree would be happy if the leaves were flapping a bit in the breeze, any level breeze from a fan is just fine. A light breeze is all that is needed for the benefit to kick in.

The breeze helps the soil to dry evenly. It helps mix oxygen down into the media to get air to the roots. Air movement helps keep down spider mite and aphid infestations. A breeze will keep your tree much healthier.

Grow light.
Your 6500K CFL is the right color temperature, but I think the total output is insufficient, too dim. But it is the right color. I use 18 hours of daylength for my 1000+ orchids & bonsai, I raise under lights. Have been using 18 hours for over 30 years, and it works. Longer day length can make up for lower light intensity. You need to increase your daylength to a minimum of 12 hours, and best would be 18 hours. BRT are high light, full sun loving trees.

Hope this helps.

 

[Ev3]

So I recently purchased a Brazilian Rain Tree from wigerts in North Fort Myers. The tree was very very healthy when I purchased it on 4/26. It still is very healthy. It came in a plastic pot so the next day I repotted it. A basic/standard re pot was completed and for the next couple days it was fine. Then now I noticed for the past like 4 days it has like random leaves all over the plant turning yellow and falling off. It has most of it foliage still, the whole tree is turning yellow but like I’ll wake up check on it and a new 5-6 leaves will be yellow. Everyday there will be more. (This is my first Brazilian and I’d say I’m pretty new to bonsai) Is this normal?

 

[loteck2]

So I recently purchased a Brazilian Rain Tree from wigerts in North Fort Myers. The tree was very very healthy when I purchased it on 4/26. It still is very healthy. It came in a plastic pot so the next day I repotted it. A basic/standard re pot was completed and for the next couple days it was fine. Then now I noticed for the past like 4 days it has like random leaves all over the plant turning yellow and falling off. It has most of it foliage still, the whole tree is turning yellow but like I’ll wake up check on it and a new 5-6 leaves will be yellow. Everyday there will be more. (This is my first Brazilian and I’d say I’m pretty new to bonsai) Is this normal? View attachment 487110

I also bought one from Weigerts two months ago about 1/4 of the leaves turned yellow and fell off. It now has a lot of new growth. I feel it was just accumulating to it’s new home

 

[Carol 83]

So I recently purchased a Brazilian Rain Tree from wigerts in North Fort Myers. The tree was very very healthy when I purchased it on 4/26. It still is very healthy. It came in a plastic pot so the next day I repotted it. A basic/standard re pot was completed and for the next couple days it was fine. Then now I noticed for the past like 4 days it has like random leaves all over the plant turning yellow and falling off. It has most of it foliage still, the whole tree is turning yellow but like I’ll wake up check on it and a new 5-6 leaves will be yellow. Everyday there will be more. (This is my first Brazilian and I’d say I’m pretty new to bonsai) Is this normal? View attachment 487110

You may want to start your own thread on this instead of using one that is 5 years old, you'll get more responses. Since you're in Florida, I assume you actually picked it up at Wigert's? It's not unusual for BRT's to drop their leaves when they are moved to a new location or repotted. They are an independent tree, does as it pleases, when it pleases. I wouldn't be too concerned. Don't let it dry out or soak it. It may drop all of it's leaves, it may not, but it will most surely bounce back.