completely new to thiis

[touyatenma]

hello!! quite literally just 10 minutes ago my dad just dropped off this bonsai completely out of the blue and im super excited to take care of it but i know NOTHING about these.. so any help would be appreciated!! the main things im looking for is :
what kind of tree is this?
how do i take care of it
what are these little balls
---
What i currently know so far is :
its 6 years old
its from japan (?) (apparently the older japanese couple who sold it said that)
the little balls might be fertilizer? (also what the couple said)
---
I already tried looking up what kind of tree it is but i couldnt find anything lmao maybe im just dumb
I live in minnesota if thats any help?
the photo of the container has those balls in it
Thank you in advance!!

 

[AshleyMammal]

That’s a juniper, possibly juniperus Squamata, it needs to be outside, in full sun all year round. I can’t quite tell your soil type but it looks to have a high organic content? You’ll have to learn how often to water based on how much water it takes up - don’t let it completely dry out but also don’t let it sit in soggy soil. Learn the chopstick method to prod the soil below the surface to check.

The balls are slow-release fertilizer of some kind, without knowing what it is I can’t guess at a dosage rate but you’ve got enough on it for now.

I’m not one to doubt people but I’d say it’s highly unlikely that this has been imported from Japan - they’re easy to grow from cuttings and are common in the US.

 

[RoadManDenDron]

Never mind the little balls (which is fertiliser)

What is that at the base of the trunk?

 

[rockm]

It is a juniper as said above.

Here are some credible care instructions. Depending on where this came from, care instructions from the source might be wrong and even harmful. Junipers like this are sold in the millions by many sellers who don't know how to care for them.

Put your Your location (Country, state are enough) in your avatar, so people don't have to search for it. Location is one of the most important pieces of information for us to give you proper advice on how to care for it, since climate outside is so variable. Above all, don't try to keep this inside. Indoor conditions--extremely low light, low humidity and air circulation--will kill it. Winter is approaching fast in your area, which leaves you in a tough spot. The tree's roots have to be protected from extreme cold outside. Here's an overview on overwintering from one of the top bonsai experts in the U.S.

Watering bonsai is the hardest thing to learn. Soil is important as well--soil has to drain very fast, but hold onto some water as it does. Junipers appreciate very porous soil. The soil in your bonsai looks compacted, with too much organic material=slow drainage.

 

[BrightsideB]

hello!! quite literally just 10 minutes ago my dad just dropped off this bonsai completely out of the blue and im super excited to take care of it but i know NOTHING about these.. so any help would be appreciated!! the main things im looking for is :
what kind of tree is this?
how do i take care of it
what are these little balls
---
What i currently know so far is :
its 6 years old
its from japan (?) (apparently the older japanese couple who sold it said that)
the little balls might be fertilizer? (also what the couple said)
---
I already tried looking up what kind of tree it is but i couldnt find anything lmao maybe im just dumb
I live in minnesota if thats any help?
the photo of the container has those balls in it
Thank you in advance!!

Welcome and good luck. It’s a good starter tree. You seem excited so I hope it’s something that brings joy!

 

[WIlliam_Butler_Yeets]

Never mind the little balls (which is fertiliser)

What is that at the base of the trunk?

Little ceramic bird, it looks like, is that what you're talking about?