Brush Cherry (I think?)

[KatW]

Hi All. New to Bonsai, got my first two as Xmas gifts this past season. One I belive is a brush cherry. When I received it, a lot of leaves have fallen off- can anyone offer me any advice or guidance for caring for it- anything I should or shouldn’t be doing. It’s is in my office at work, it’s will remain indoors. Thanks in advance for any help- I’m such a newbie!

 

[Ininaatigoons]

Hopefully it was just stressed and not killed. Either case you'll just want to make sure it's watered enough. Probably daily at least and it should be fine. I have kept these indoors for years. The juniper on the other hand is not so well adapted to indoor Cultivation. Juniper need bright sun light and wind and humidity and everything that is so hard to replicate indoors. When it does come back and is growing. Trimming in an umbrella shape will get you started.

 

[BrightsideB]

Hi and welcome to the forum! I’m sure others will chime in but I know the juniper won’t survive indoors and I doubt the tree you are inquiring about will just with window light. People sell these tree’s claiming they can but we’ll known bonsai professionals have talked about their first tree being a juniper they thought they could keep inside that ends up dying.

Usually people that want to enjoy their bonsai indoors for a time have tropicals. But during the warmer months they are outside getting full sun to stay healthy. I wish you the best of luck. And it’s normal for peoples first bonsai to sadly perish. Don’t let it discourage you if you want to have bonsai.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

Welcome to the site! What you have there is some species of ficus My first advice would be to forget about the "humidity tray" that you have full of water - they don't really do anything. You can have your tree sitting on a tray of rocks for aesthetic/overflow purposes, but you don't want your tree sitting in water. Otherwise a ficus should do ok indoors as long as you have it in a bright window. I have a large ficus that I bring in every Fall and put back outside in the Spring and it does just fine being indoors for 3-4 months each year. Right now it appears to be suffering from shipping/temperature shock, but they are strong trees and it should spring back. Just make sure not to over-water. When a tree doesn't have much foliage its rate of transpiration (and loss of water) is down dramatically. Wait until the soil is moist and the surface of the soil is dry (not wet) before watering again. You don't want to rot your roots by growing your tree in a swamp

Your juniper, on the other hand, may not be happy indoors. It is very difficult to keep conifers indoors without supplemental lighting - and even then they would be happier outdoors.

 

[KatW]

CORRECTED: Hello All! New to Bonsai, got my first two as Xmas gifts this past season. One I believe is a brush cherry. My sister who got it for me, did tell me it was a "cherry bonsai"- I landed on Brush Cherry curtsy of google lol. When I received it, a lot of leaves have fallen off- can anyone offer me any advice or guidance for caring for it- anything I should or shouldn’t be doing. Also, not sure if it helps to know, when I received it, it did have a little red cherry(?)/berry(?) on it, which recently fell off as well. It’s is in my office at work (north facing window, which google let me know is not ideal, but it is the only window in my office, it’s will remain indoors (is the hope). I have also ordered some small grow lights. Thanks in advance for any help- I’m such a newbie!

 

[KatW]

Welcome to the site! What you have there is some species of ficus My first advice would be to forget about the "humidity tray" that you have full of water - they don't really do anything. You can have your tree sitting on a tray of rocks for aesthetic/overflow purposes, but you don't want your tree sitting in water. Otherwise a ficus should do ok indoors as long as you have it in a bright window. I have a large ficus that I bring in every Fall and put back outside in the Spring and it does just fine being indoors for 3-4 months each year. Right now it appears to be suffering from shipping/temperature shock, but they are strong trees and it should spring back. Just make sure not to over-water. When a tree doesn't have much foliage its rate of transpiration (and loss of water) is down dramatically. Wait until the soil is moist and the surface of the soil is dry (not wet) before watering again. You don't want to rot your roots by growing your tree in a swamp

Your juniper, on the other hand, may not be happy indoors. It is very difficult to keep conifers indoors without supplemental lighting - and even then they would be happier outdoors.

Wow! What a kinda community! Already! Thanks everyone, super grateful for the tips, info, words of encouragement! Also, not sure if it helps to know, when I received it, it did have a little red cherry(?)/berry(?) on it, which recently fell off as well (still a type of ficus species?). Thank you also for the info on the Juniper (and letting me know it is a Juniper lol). Looking forward to taking care of these little guys!

 

[milehigh_7]

Welcome! I also don’t think brush cherry. Look for new growth to be red then turn to green as it gets older.

Regardless, what you need right now is lots and lots of full spectrum light, air circulation and as the head nut told you those trays under will bring about root rot. Water them when slightly dry. That will get you started. As some of the others have said, you may struggle with the juniper indoors as they are, even with expert care, difficult indoors.

 

[KatW]

Welcome! I also don’t think brush cherry. Look for new growth to be red then turn to green as it gets older.

Regardless, what you need right now is lots and lots of full spectrum light, air circulation and as the head nut told you those trays under will bring about root rot. Water them when slightly dry. That will get you started. As some of the others have said, you may struggle with the juniper indoors as they are, even with expert care, difficult indoors.

Thank you! My sister just sent me this to show me what it is. (Barbados Cherry- Malpighia Punicifolia) Will be leaves come back?

 

[Bonsai Nut]

Thank you! My sister just sent me this to show me what it is. (Barbados Cherry- Malpighia Punicifolia) Will be leaves come back?

Very cool! I do not own that species, but my general advice about watering still stands. Both fig (ficus) trees and these tropical cherries are full tropicals that cannot take a single frost without extreme sadness The challenges with keeping them indoors tends to be related to the environment either not being humid enough (indoor humidity during the winter in US homes being akin to desert humidity) and believe it or not, it not being warm enough, with these trees happiest above 75F. Keep it in bright light and don't overwater, and I think you will see new leaf buds soon.

 

[Carol 83]

Welcome! Your Barbados Cherry will do fine inside for the winter provided it has good light but it will be the happiest moved outside in the spring, once nighttime temps are 50 degrees or higher.

 

[milehigh_7]

Thank you! My sister just sent me this to show me what it is. (Barbados Cherry- Malpighia Punicifolia) Will be leaves come back?

Okay, I’m going to go out on a limb here (see what I did there?) and say Malpighia emarginata. The leaves are much larger and longer than my Barbados cherry. Granted mine is Malpighia glabra and not Punicifolia. It was the leaf shape that got me but on closer inspection of the trunk it’s obviously Malpighia. I should not have missed that…

Regardless they are great trees and will push new leaves. They love heat, light and humidity. When you eventually trim it, plant the cuttings, they root like mad. They are not picky at all.

 

[KatW]

Okay, I’m going to go out on a limb here (see what I did there?) and say Malpighia emarginata. The leaves are much larger and longer than my Barbados cherry. Granted mine is Malpighia glabra and not Punicifolia. It was the leaf shape that got me but on closer inspection of the trunk it’s obviously Malpighia. I should not have missed that…

Regardless they are great trees and will push new leaves. They love heat, light and humidity. When you eventually trim it, plant the cuttings, they root like mad. They are not picky at all.

Amazing! Thank you so so much for your time and knowledge!

 

[KatW]

Hi everyone! (Barbados Cherry- Malpighia Punicifolia)
Welp, I'm back 6 months after my first post (also needing help lol). Is this little guys dunzo? He hasn't regrow a bud/leave since they all fell off after I received it for Christmas 2023. I've scrapped the bark in 2 spots (circled them in red). Then I circled a weird spot in a 3rd pic- like white something- maybe from laying again the white little rock I had with it? Is this tree beyond help? lol