Apple Bonsai Tree Not Budding

[richardandrewparedes]

Hi everyone. Several weeks ago, I recently bought a bare root apple tree from abroad online and it didn't have any leaves on it. However, upon closer inspection of the main trunk, I have found out that several brown spots are appearing on the trunk and it looks like it is dying. I am living in a tropical climate without any winters. Could this impact my tree? I planted the tree in pumice and Akadama. Is there still any way on how I could save my dying apple tree? No leaf buds have come out yet. Your advices would be greatly appreciated. Thank you very much in advance.

 

[Deep Sea Diver]

Hmm…I think you are good to go right now.

Apples are the Rosaceae family, like cherries, plums, peaches etc. They all are known to have small scars, stipples? On their bark. That’s what these look like to me.

cheers
DSD sends

 

[Tums]

What variety of apple is it? Many varieties of apple require a certain time of exposure to ~5-10C cold during the winter (chill hours) in order to keep growing long term. Does it ever get down to that temperature where you live? Here's an article I found about growing apples in north Florida, but I think even that is a lot colder than the Phillippines. https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/MG368

 

[leatherback]

It does indeed look like it is struggling, with the bark looking wrinckled. It being in a tropical country now does not matter: It does not know yet that in 7 months there will not be fall. Naturally, in a years time you might struggle if it does not get a cold period. But for now, it is just experiencing a very early & warm spring. So that is not the reason. Any chance it dried out during transport?

 

[Shibui]

Agree that cold period is more about producing flowers and fruit than the tree surviving and as @leatherback has said the climate won't affect the tree for at least a year anyway.
Maybe it is just a bit too early to be worrying about this one. It is not unusual for plants to take a few weeks longer to respond after trauma so just continue care and cross fingers.

I can't think of anything you could be doing to help this tree. Either it will start growing or it won't. Fingers crossed.

Can't help being amused when tropical growers insist on trying to grow cool climate plants while people in colder areas want to grow tropicals. We all seem to want what we can't have.

 

[richardandrewparedes]

Hi, it is a yellow crabapple I ordered online from China. I repotted it in new pumice and Akadama soil and I have found out that there are small bean-like, yellow-green things with tiny leaves sprouting from the base of the tree. Am just not sure if its roots couldve been damaged by transport though.
I was able to propagate and make apples fruit here in my place which has tropical weather, but it took me a lot of effort to do so, keeping them in a cool place without direct sunlight. It gave me apple fruits but they looked very small, like miniature ones.