Oops, I rescued one

[Violet]

I'm an absolute beginner, so I told myself I would only get essential tools and no more actual trees till I was ready. Then I saw a dried out little ficus in the clearance section and I couldn't just leave it there to die! I have no idea if I'll even be able to save it with my .01 level of experience, but I'd like to try, with some help. I'm pretty sure it's a ficus but correct me if I'm wrong. Can it be saved?

 

[Carol 83]

It is a Fukien tea tree (Carmona) and even if it was saveable, I wouldn't bother. If you're going to try, I would get the plastic insert it's in out of that ceramic pot if there is no drain hole. Keep it moist and in some indirect light outside. It might just bounce back.

 

[Srt8madness]

It is a Fukien tea tree (Carmona) and even if it was saveable, I wouldn't bother. If you're going to try, I would get the plastic insert it's in out of that ceramic pot if there is no drain hole. Keep it moist and in some indirect light outside. It might just bounce back.

That container is a wick n grow. The dirt isn't in water, it has a wick that sits in water and pulls water into the dirt. Works fine, I successfully grew a ginseng ficus in one before I knew what bonsai even was.

 

[Tieball]

I suppose with moisture the trees could come back. Maybe. A big maybe. My limited experience with Fukien Tea trees is that when the leaves are this far gone the tree has given up. It’s gone. Don’t fell guilty if the trees never return to some respectable health.

I would try to rescue trees that a mostly alive.

 

[Eckhoffw]

Good luck. I kill these even when healthy.
Fukien are babies.
I did get one similar one from Lowes last fall.
Somehow it is still alive.

I keep the wicking insert on a moisture tray, and therefore don’t have to water often, but know when the supply is out.

 

[Violet]

Thanks for all the input! I'll do my best with it, but I won't be devastated if it can't be revived. I'm considering this whole beginning process to be pure experimentation for now.

 

[Tieball]

I guess I’m a person stuck in the traditional watering methods and not growing with a wicking insert. I’ve not been confident of wicking effectiveness. However, I’m happy it’s all working so well for you…but I do think that those right-angle trunk moves are strange (to me anyway). And, your rescue can show up as an excellent bonsai-beginnings story.

 

[Tieball]

Stick with your plan to not buy a bunch of tools and support materials until you really, really need the items. Resist the idea that a lot of “stuff” is somehow required. And, I really wish that I could step back in time and hear what I say now.