Fukien tea tree yellow leaves

[soYouThinkYouCanBonsai93]

Hello everyone,

I've had this fukien tea tree (see pic attached) for a year now and things have been going great up until recently, when it started getting unusually cold. I live in Los Angeles and the temperature dropped significantly the past couple of weeks. The leaves started turning yellow and my tree overall looks unhealthy. Do you have any insights/recommendations? Here is my usual care routine FYI:

Soak in lukewarm water with fertilizer once per week
Keep plant in bright room, more than 8 hours of light per day.
Haven't changed soil since I got the tree.

Thank you for any feedback.

Cheers

 

[Bonsai Nut]

Welcome to the site!

So... these guys are true tropicals that prefer to be outside in the heat and humidity. When I lived in the OC I left mine outdoors all year round. Now that I am in NC, I leave it outdoors any day when the low doesn't drop below freezing - even now in January.

I am a little confused about your post - if you are keeping it indoors, why does it matter that LA was getting a cold spell? Did you have it outdoors, and then moved it inside?

 

[Eckhoffw]

Out of curiosity, why are you dunking it weekly?
Do you Water the tree in between dunks?

 

[soYouThinkYouCanBonsai93]

Welcome to the site!

So... these guys are true tropicals that prefer to be outside in the heat and humidity. When I lived in the OC I left mine outdoors all year round. Now that I am in NC, I leave it outdoors any day when the low doesn't drop below freezing - even now in January.

I am a little confused about your post - if you are keeping it indoors, why does it matter that LA was getting a cold spell? Did you have it outdoors, and then moved it inside?

Insulation in LA homes is basically non existent. And I don't run the heat when I'm at work so it gets quite cold inside.

 

[Orion_metalhead]

Is quite cold below freezing? I don't think so. My fukien is in my basement under lights constant temp between 55 - 65 deg.

Tree is probably suffering from root issues from constant dunking. Are you checking to see if actually needs watering or just watering once per week on a schedule? My fukien drops yellow leaves when they are old but it's got plenty of new growth to make up.

My care advice going forward:
• Stop fertilizing. Tree is not healthy so it has nothing to do with the fertilizer it takes in.
• Stop dunking the tree. This method only works when a tree has been allowed to completely dry to a crisp and saturation of the entire root ball is unlikely with regular watering habits.
• Consider an emergency repot into bonsai soil and out of the muck the tree is in now.
• If temps outside allow, get it into full sun.

 

[hardtimes]

I wouldn’t say that it’s been unusually cold and if you look at chill charts, the area is below average. My tropicals are not suffering outside, my area gets significantly more chill hours than any other in LA county and they’re still doing great

Chill Calculator

fruitsandnuts.ucdavis.edu

 

[soYouThinkYouCanBonsai93]

Thank you all for the advice. I think the most likely culprit is the overwatering and overfertilization. I think I should repot it to save it, because it is not looking great. The temperature here in LA is in the 40s-50s, but the humidity is extremely low (~30%). I have never checked the humidity of the soil, I have just followed the instructions from the place that I received it from (I know I am a noob). The tree was doing great with such a frequent watering so far, but I am guessing it requires way less water and fertilizer when the temperatures get cold. Anyway, an interesting learning experience.

 

[Orion_metalhead]

Well, the constant waterings on schedule and not based on the actual needs of the tree wouldnt be apparent til its close to too late because the roots have already actively started to rot and the tree is unable to make up the moisture. Then, thinking its not getting enough water, often the first impression is to water more or fertilize more, but in fact this exacerbates the problem. Thats why most hobbyist and experienced bonsai practicioners use soils which are almost impossible to overwater and are inorganic in nature.

 

[soYouThinkYouCanBonsai93]

Today I noticed a new green leaf, so there is hope. I am still going to replace the wet soil with fresh one. Any useful tips on how to go about this?

 

[Orion_metalhead]

Watch some repotting videos online is a good start.

Remove tree, remove soil, cut away and dead/bad roots, prepare pot for new soil, get some wires in to tie tree down, place tree, add soil and push into the root ball so all roots contact new soil, water tree, hope for best.

 

[Eckhoffw]

. The tree was doing great with such a frequent watering so far, but I am guessing it requires way less water and fertilizer when the temperatures get cold. Anyway, an interesting learning experience.

yeah, you’re right about less water in the winter. This is true across-the-board. There may be exceptions, but generally when the trees resting, it’s not as thirsty.

Fukian tea tree seems to be a tricky subject for many. Myself Included.

Strangely, the one I have currently, is doing fantastic And it’s still in the Waterwick pot It came in from Lowe’s.

I’ve had it for a year and a half, and the soil has been pretty darn wet for most of the time. It sits in a tray.
I’m keeping it dryer currently. I plan on repotting it, in mostly inorganic soil, but aim to water it very regularly.

I found this tidbit interesting from Wikipedia about the soil / conditions they grow in.

On Christmas Island, it favours dry sites on the terraces, and sometimes occurs in rainforest.[4]

Good luck with your repot. Lots of light, humidity, maybe it’ll pull through!

 

[Orion_metalhead]

Mine is in cocoa coir and i water it 2-3 times per week. Its in my basement which is overall dry and seems to dry rather quick. It is doing well but has some aphids lately. Ive been spraying with soap and water a few times per week and it has seemingly done the trick. I also have a batch of cuttings which are doing well and have calloused great. I want to get it in my tropical mix which my trees seem to love so far.

 

[soYouThinkYouCanBonsai93]

yeah, you’re right about less water in the winter. This is true across-the-board. There may be exceptions, but generally when the trees resting, it’s not as thirsty.

Fukian tea tree seems to be a tricky subject for many. Myself Included.

Strangely, the one I have currently, is doing fantastic And it’s still in the Waterwick pot It came in from Lowe’s.
View attachment 524131
I’ve had it for a year and a half, and the soil has been pretty darn wet for most of the time. It sits in a tray.
I’m keeping it dryer currently. I plan on repotting it, in mostly inorganic soil, but aim to water it very regularly.

I found this tidbit interesting from Wikipedia about the soil / conditions they grow in.

On Christmas Island, it favours dry sites on the terraces, and sometimes occurs in rainforest.[4]

Good luck with your repot. Lots of light, humidity, maybe it’ll pull through!

Beautiful tree! Yours looks way more dense in foliage than mine. Maybe it's because of the pot size? I am thinking of getting a shallower, wider pot for my repotting.

 

[Orion_metalhead]

Mine.. will be going into a pot as a cascade and the top will get further reduction and wiring in summer. Hoping to pot it up soon.



Lots of new growth since i got it in octoberish and pruned:


About 4 or 5 week old cuttings... probably will separate them in march/april ish

 

[Carol 83]

Mine.. will be going into a pot as a cascade and the top will get further reduction and wiring in summer. Hoping to pot it up soon.

View attachment 524136

Lots of new growth since i got it in octoberish and pruned:
View attachment 524135

About 4 or 5 week old cuttings... probably will separate them in march/april ish
View attachment 524134

I recognize that pot. I bought a Tiger bark Ficus in the same pot last winter when I was bored.

 

[Orion_metalhead]

I recognize that pot. I bought a Tiger bark Ficus in the same pot last winter when I was bored.

Carol, we shop at the same store I guess! Lol. I bought this fukien specifically to use in my cascade variable frequency drive project:

Thread 'Variable Frequency Drive Fukien Tea Cascade' https://www.bonsainut.com/threads/variable-frequency-drive-fukien-tea-cascade.62533/

 

[19Mateo83]

I recognize that pot. I bought a Tiger bark Ficus in the same pot last winter when I was bored.

One of my TBF came in that atrocious yellow pot too

 

[Orion_metalhead]

Lol. Ill use it til it breaks.

 

[Carol 83]

Lol. Ill use it til it breaks.

I repotted it in the summer, it was just too gross. Plus, I have a plethora of pots....