Need some advice ..on starter tree

[KingJades]

The Hawaiian Umbrella Tree scheffelera is super easy to take care of and makes a decent houseplant, too! I have a bundle. If you do go that route get the schefferla arbicola one and not the large-leaf version.

You can probably buy a set of scheffelera and a ficus for under $10 combined.

 

[RedJamesBonsai]

Thanks man

 

[RedJamesBonsai]

10 bucks.....where...lol

 

[_#1_]

The Hawaiian Umbrella Tree scheffelera

You can probably buy a set of scheffelera and a ficus for under $10 combined.

How do you care for it over the winter? Seeing you're in zone 6 and these are tropicals.

Do you mean starter seeds for under $10? Hope his mom has some knowledge of keeping tropicals healthy through winter...

 

[KingJades]

I was at Walmart last night and they had 3-5 scheffelera for like $4, but they were like 9 inches tall.
You can buy ones that are over a foot and a half with good leaves at the internodes for like $13 at Lowes. Some ever had aerial roots which I was kinda weird.... in a Lowes.

I haven't wintered mine (still a total newbie) but I was just going to put it near a window, and then cut back all of the crappy growth that happened over the winter if it happens at all.

 

[plant_dr]

I got started in bonsai while in college. But my major was ornamental horticulture, so I had access to lots of cool growing stuff...

I was just a plant nerd and didn't do much socially. I was pretty self-concsious about my disability and didn't feel like I fit in with the crowds either so I had time to fiddle with rescuing plants.

My first bonsai was a Ficus benjamina i got for free from my job because it was covered in scale. I got it cleaned up and healthy and it lasted quite awhile☺

 

[M. Frary]

ponderosa pine...

Pines aren't very suitable for a beginner.
If you're getting an outdoor tree (which is the only way to go in my opinion) go with a juniper or an elm. Wintering in zone 6 will be fairly easy.

 

[RedJamesBonsai]

Pines aren't very suitable for a beginner.
If you're getting an outdoor tree (which is the only way to go in my opinion) go with a juniper or an elm. Wintering in zone 6 will be fairly easy.

You think a juniper will live outside in winter in Illinois?

 

[Cadillactaste]

Pines aren't very suitable for a beginner.
If you're getting an outdoor tree (which is the only way to go in my opinion) go with a juniper or an elm. Wintering in zone 6 will be fairly easy.

I concur this...been in bonsai 3 years and still gun shy of having a pine.

Tropicals...can be wintered inside. Though, I found with my bougainvillea without grow lights the growth during winter months must be removed because of it becoming lanky and longer internodes. My suggestion is if he is truly interested in bonsai...he joined a club. To visit during his time home...

Wintering and their being able to offer proper protection from elements in the winter months if outdoors...would be important as to which tree you decide to go with. You need to discuss with the mother of what she is capable of handling for winter care. Or if she is thinking tropical...where it winters indoors. I personally find bougainvillea an easy tropical to tend...they look lovely when in bloom...and other than they get long internodes come winter...they seem pretty hardy to me.
Edit:
You may wish to add some fertilizer as an additional gift for this one...since it will need fertilized frequently. And warn them to watch for pests and fungal issues...that one needs to address it quickly. I would not say you need to also give that as a gift but one they can buy if need be. But...I would not give a gift of a tree without a small container of fertilizer. Many do not realize the care one needs to offer the trees. I have a friend's late brother in law's trees...they tried to keep one. But, found it like tending a dog...feeding it and watering it...but no tail wag in return...and passed the one they had tried to keep along to me as well. (Their words on the dog aspect)

 

[M. Frary]

You think a juniper will live outside in winter in Illinois?

Yes. I know they will. It's colder here and they make it just fine.

 

[Cadillactaste]

@M. Frary maybe share your wintering care for junipers. Mine go into a cold greenhouse so I can't offer any outdoor winter prep.

 

[M. Frary]

Since the appearance of voles last year I'm building an enclosure or cube out of hardware cloth to keep the trees in and unwanted tree killing rodents out.
But basically I just sit the pots,buckets and colanders on a bed of straw on the north side of my shed. I bury the trees up to the lower branches in straw then walk away. Snow helps out tremendously for insulation also. As winter goes along I actually throw more snow on the trees so it's deep. Real deep.
That way it keeps the trees frozen for as long as possible in the spring so I can avoid sheltering trees from late frosts.
It gets way colder here than anywhere in Illinois.

 

[bonsai_bingo]

I'm going to attempt to be an optimist.

Here's what I'd suggest.... you can help him to get an easy to care for plant that he can cultivate as a pre-bonsai. The plant can grow with him through college and (if it survives) will be 4-5 years in development by the time he graduates. The cool part is that the plant will be developing at the same time he is. I know quite a few people who have that kind of sentimental relationships with their plants.

Many plants available at big box hardware stores can be a great fit for this, but it's CRITICALLY important that it's a plant that he likes because he's going to be looking at it thousands of times. It's a labor of love, so you have to make sure that the love is there. Otherwise, it's easy for the plant to be left behind in the shuffle.

There are some good houseplants that make eligible bonsai. Jades, Portulacaria, Schefflera, and Ficus all do double duty as houseplants and bonsai. You can grow them for 10 years as a house plant and then start the 3-5 year plan to convert into a bonsai when you like.

Other options that have a "flair of bonsai" are pachypodium varieties. They're incredibly unique and so easy to take care of.

Is that Pachypodium lamerei yours or did you find that online? I've been working on one myself for about 3 years now