Help save my girlfriend’s tree

[merlin7734]

December of 2021 I bought my girlfriend a grand Chinese elm bonsai from eastern leaf.com

I’m not sure if this is the right place for a clueless novice to ask but… her tree, is it savable?

 

[Cajunrider]

It needs sun that is for sure. The soil also looks too wet.

 

[penumbra]

I assume it is being kept inside. It is an outdoors plant and can only be kept inside under very specific conditions by someone with more than a modicum of experience. Put it outside and hope for the best. It may be too far gone. If you are going to keep a bonsai inside, a ficus would be your best bet. If you are going to frequent this forum and look for advice, it would be advisable to put your location in your profile so that your advice can be tailored to you conditions.

 

[merlin7734]

North New Jersey, outside not really realistic? At least for another month. We are in an apartment and an outside place isn’t feasible. We have UV lamps… just want to know if there’s anything we can do? Or if a new tree is a more realistic option

 

[Housguy]

Looks like you have a fire escape or some stairs outside your window, can you put it there? Elm trees are tough, can live in cold conditions, hopefully you can find a place outside that window. If you want a better option for inside, Ficus trees are a better option for indoor situations if you move on from the elm, try that next, but keep in mind, all trees really should live outdoors as long as environment outside is suited for them.

 

[rockm]

North New Jersey, outside not really realistic? At least for another month. We are in an apartment and an outside place isn’t feasible. We have UV lamps… just want to know if there’s anything we can do? Or if a new tree is a more realistic option

Elms are outdoor trees. They can survive inside, but after a couple of years, they decline and die, as you're seeing. Indoors is far too arid, with little air circulation, and very very low light--even with grow lights (unless you're willing to invest a few hundred dollars on a high-output set up). Also, elms mostly require a dormancy period in winter. Indoors they don't get that, which also contributes to the burn out. Too much watering is also a common problem for indoor trees, as people new to bonsai tend to overcare for them.

Given the look of this tree, it's most likely dead or too weak to really bother with. It may resprout from the base, but the main trunk is mostly dead and probably won't re-leaf.

If you have to keep "indoor" trees (and no tree is really an "indoor" species, but some are able to tolerate the conditions better), get a species with tropical origins--Ficus is ideal, schefflera also. Both can take dry, low light conditions. Both will also appreciate summers outdoors, but if you can't provide it, they can manage.

 

[MaciekA]

North New Jersey, outside not really realistic?

Chinese elm is hardy to zone 5. Some sources list it as hardy to zone 4. These are very cold-hardy trees that just happen to have the ability to tolerate subtropical conditions. In Oregon we keep em outdoors year-round. It's a winter-hardy tree. If you have outdoor space you can use for a tree like this, it will be a world of difference to grow it outdoors in every way -- vigor, pest/pathogen resistance, and ability to progress your bonsai many many times faster than indoors.

 

[Glaucus]

UV lamps? To kill living stuff?

Moving it outside right now would also not be good. Winter is not over yet.
Growing plants indoors is hard.
Not sure anything can be done. It needs full sunlight and moving humid air and spring weather.

 

[penumbra]

I really think it may be gone. Its not a failure. Its experience gained.

 

[merlin7734]

UV lamps? To kill living stuff?

Moving it outside right now would also not be good. Winter is not over yet.
Growing plants indoors is hard.
Not sure anything can be done. It needs full sunlight and moving humid air and spring weather.

Grow lamps. Not like tanning bed. I may have used the wrong term. She’s less sad knowing that I picked the wrong tree vs she killed the gift I got her so that’s a plus

Will look into getting a focus bonsai, but not sure if there’s a specific mail order company anyone would recommend? May set the one we have now on the fire escape just to see but that defeats the purpose of why she wanted it, it’d just be to see what happens

Thank you all for your insite and warm welcome

 

[Glaucus]

Well, UV light is meant to kill bacteria, usually. Plants don't really use it either. And it is dangerous to us humans.
I guess you mean a LED light or fluorescent bulb. Yes, plants need those to grow indoors. They need a lot of light. Way more than what we think is comfortable to our eyes.

 

[Carol 83]

not sure if there’s a specific mail order company anyone would recommend?

Wigert's in Florida. They have a large variety of Ficus and are very reasonably priced. Even Ficus prefer spending their summer outside though.

 

[ShimpakuBonsai]

If you buy a ficus don't fall for the typical Ficus Ginseng the big box stores are selling as bonsai.

 

[Deci22]

I second Wigerts! Love them! Reasonable prices too!

 

[Shogun610]

Go and get a similar tree at the same place she got it from , and keep outside and put into proper soil. Hide it from her for a few weeks and get rid of the dead one… but don’t say anything she’ll think you’re a reeeall heroo . PS clean up up side table.. and never ever use that humidity tray again