Help, my bonsai is dying – what can I do?

[Melospiza]

Hello everyone,

About 1.5 years ago, I received a Ligustrum Sinensis (Chinese Privet) as a gift – it was around 6 years old at the time, so it's now about 7.5 years old. It had always been doing well and growing steadily, but for the past few weeks, I’ve been really worried:

- A large branch with many leaves suddenly died and I needed to cut it (there is a hole now in the tree top)
- Another smaller branch is already dead, and a larger one is currently dying.
- The leaves on the left side are starting to wilt.

I'm at a loss and really desperate. What could be causing this?

What has changed in the past few weeks?
-End of December: I removed a very long, thin branch that had grown from the lower trunk all the way above the tree’s crown to prevent it from wasting too much energy on it.
-Fungus gnat infestation in the apartment: I treated it twice with nematodes (all other plants are fine)
-New soil: I noticed there was very little soil left in the pot. I carefully took the bonsai out, checked the roots (didn’t see any rot, but I’m no expert), and added normal potting soil. While doing this, I found a white coating at the base of the trunk and removed most of it (some can still be seen on the photo)
-Watering: Normally, there is always water in the tray so the bonsai can absorb it. I tried leaving the tray dry for a while, but then the leaves became limp.

Did I do something wrong?
Could it be a fungal infection? Or is the problem something else? I would really appreciate any advice or tips!

In my experience, the thin leaves of Chinese privet do poorly in the dry environment in the home even though the plant is a vigorous grower outside. The plant will drop leaves and eventually entire branches will die back. I eventually gave up on this species in favour of Japanese and Waxleaf privet which have thick, glossy leaves. In any case, I think you did well by changing the soil, and it's not good for the soil to be constantly sopping wet. I would only grow this species again if I can reliably keep it outside all winter, such as in the southeastern US.

Could you grow it under lights and in a warm environment? That might be enough to revive it.