Snow Rose Beginner Help

[Kassie]

Hello everyone!

In November I was given this Snow Rose. I live in Tampa, Florida so obviously it's incredibly hot all the time. It sits on a table inside a covered patio, no direct sunlight but the patio is south facing. It was doing really well up until about a month ago, it even grew very bushy new leaves in the "spring" for about a month. It has now lost half of its leaves and what leaves it does have fall off easily and some are yellowing and some are browning. I'm not entirely sure what is happening. Could it be the heat? I can move it right inside the patio door and it will still receive almost the same light. My watering scheduling is about every 3 to 4 days since I got it and I mist it a couple times a week now that it's summer weather. When I don't water after the 4th days the leaves show obvious signs of not being watered so I don't suspect over or under watering? Any insight is greatly appreciated!

This is my first bonsai and I've read this isn't the best one for beginners but here I am!

Also, I realize that most of the intact leaves look okay, that is because all the unhealthy ones fall off pretty quickly. I don't know if that's important or not. I also included the pot it is in. I don't know how old it is or when it needs to be repotted... it's about a 6 inches wide.

 

[StoneCloud]

Welcome to the forum!!!!!!!

This could be due to a bunch of reasons (watering is wrong, pests, soil, etc) but the soil definitely should be changed first, it seems very mucky. Rot root may be an issue as well.

I'm not the most familiar with the species but someone will be along that is to chime in!

I would suggest adding your location to your profile and research the hell out of this forum!!! You will find so many answers.

The branch on the left looks dead.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

Welcome t0 the site!

It appears your serrisa is having root problems - which is not uncommon. This particular plant is known for growing thick fibrous root pads of fine roots, which if not properly maintained, can choke up the soil, cutting off oxygen and preventing water from reaching the interior of the root ball, or else absorbing water and creating necrotic zones where the roots die.

If you look closely at your plant, you see how the soil at the base of the trunk is thick loamy compact soil, while the rest of the soil is an open gritty mix. In a perfect world all of your soil will be an open mix that allows you to water a couple of times per day without any worries about over-watering.

When is the last time you repotted? I have a strange premonition that if you were to repot your plant, you would find a small ball of stressed roots compacted in bad soil, surrounded by gravel that few/no roots have extended into. So you need to gently repot and open up that root ball as much as possible, removing as much old soil as you can without damaging the few roots that remain. Think of yourself as a surgeon and be really delicate. Pot it up in soil that is about 80% inorganic with maybe some fine orchid bark in it. NO potting soil. You want to be able to water and have the water flow right through the soil and out the bottom of the pot.

 

[Kassie]

Welcome to the forum!!!!!!!

This could be due to a bunch of reasons (watering is wrong, pests, soil, etc) but the soil definitely should be changed first, it seems very mucky. Rot root may be an issue as well.

I'm not the most familiar with the species but someone will be along that is to chime in!

I would suggest adding your location to your profile and research the hell out of this forum!!! You will find so many answers.

The branch on the left looks dead.

Thank you for the response. I will definitely update my location. I am figuring out the site as we speak!

 

[StoneCloud]

@Kassie It is crazy but fun here!!!!!!!!! Enjoy!

 

[sorce]

Welcome to Crazy!

Sorce

 

[Kassie]

Welcome t0 the site!

It appears your serrisa is having root problems - which is not uncommon. This particular plant is known for growing thick fibrous root pads of fine roots, which if not properly maintained, can choke up the soil, cutting off oxygen and preventing water from reaching the interior of the root ball, or else absorbing water and creating necrotic zones where the roots die.

If you look closely at your plant, you see how the soil at the base of the trunk is thick loamy compact soil, while the rest of the soil is an open gritty mix. In a perfect world all of your soil will be an open mix that allows you to water a couple of times per day without any worries about over-watering.

When is the last time you repotted? I have a strange premonition that if you were to repot your plant, you would find a small ball of stressed roots compacted in bad soil, surrounded by gravel that few/no roots have extended into. So you need to gently repot and open up that root ball as much as possible, removing as much old soil as you can without damaging the few roots that remain. Think of yourself as a surgeon and be really delicate. Pot it up in soil that is about 80% inorganic with maybe some fine orchid bark in it. NO potting soil. You want to be able to water and have the water flow right through the soil and out the bottom of the pot.

I have never repotted. I got it as a gift in November and who knows how long it has been in this pot since before then? It was purchased at a botanical garden but I don't know if that means it was taken care of or not. Thank you for your response! I will look into repotting asap.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

Don't take any of my comments as criticisms. We all know what it is like to go to a garden/nursery and pick up a tree that has never had anything done to its roots. However sometimes when you pick up a small bonsai from a retailer, that lack of work can lead to problems pretty quickly.

 

[Kassie]

Don't take any of my comments as criticisms. We all know what it is like to go to a garden/nursery and pick up a tree that has never had anything done to its roots. However sometimes when you pick up a small bonsai from a retailer, that lack of work can lead to problems pretty quickly.

I understand completely! When repotting, can I switch to a circular pot easily or does it need to stay in a rectangle since it started there? I am looking into new pots but not sure about sizing. I'm not having luck searching the questions I need answered so I thought I'd join here and see if I can come up with what I need! Thanks again for your help.

 

[Kassie]

Or perhaps I should keep it in its same pot for now but with fresh substrate?

 

[twalkup]

Hello, I also have a new snow rose, purchased just today. While it appears healthy to me, the pot has no drainage hole. Is it safe to repot immediately after a major move from nursery to my home? Or should i give it some time to acclimate to it's new surroundings?
Thanks!