Where do I begin?

[Sweetlime13]

I was gifted this today, firstly I’m not sure what type of bonsai it is and secondly where do I begin? Does it need pruning already or should I let it grow a bit longer? Also will it grow straight or into twisted ‘s’ shape naturally or will it need to be wired that way? Any help will be greatly appreciated!

 

[dbonsaiw]

Your question essentially boils down to “how does one bonsai?” That’s an awful lot to unpack in a thread. Your tree seems to have a decent base and the start of a trunk that looks like it’s moving towards a broom style. That tree will not be an “s” unless you do some pretty drastic stuff with it (and you may not even want that with this tree). Unless you chop or wire (and that trunk is too thick to wire) you will not get that shape. I would suggest going to evergreengardenworks.com and start reading the articles there. Tons of really helpful stuff to get you going.

 

[dbonsaiw]

Oh yeah, get the tree outside. Also add your location to your bio.

 

[rockm]

It’s a ficus. A good tough “indoor” species that can handle inside conditions. It’s a tropical species that cant take frost or freezes.

It should outside in full sun from mid spring to fall (bring it inside once nighttime temps drop to the mid fifties). It should be kept in a bright area inside all winter NOT on a windowsill which can be drafty and can be enough to freeze your tree in cold weather

You win challenge at this point is NOT PRUNING or trimming. You primary goal is to keep it alive and healthy for a year. Learning how to properly water is one of the biggest hurdles beginners face. It not easy. Watering on a set schedule will probably wind up killing the tree. You water when the tree needs it not when you have time to get to it

Get some bonsai books read them. Also find a local club. You can get free instruction and expert care advice from more experienced growers

Good luck!

 

[Michael P]

No criticism intended of the original poster or the gift giver, but I so wish people would stop giving bonsai as unsolicited gifts. It is a little like giving someone a puppy out of the blue.

 

[TrueSandwich]

The first thing I would do is learn how to take care of this plant.

This is a Tiger Bark Ficus. It has higher water needs than most other bonsai and can tolerate being indoors, however it would much prefer to be outdoors as long as it is warm and sunny. When the weather starts cooling and starts to get below freezing at night, then bring it inside, ideally where it will still be cool, but not get below freezing, such as in a garage or enclosed patio.

For now, the soil looks very muddy underneath the topdressing (the rocks) and June to early July is a great time to repot this particular species (As long as you are in the Northern Hemisphere). For soil you will find much conflicting information on the best soil for this species. I am not an expert at all, let alone for this species, but many recommend a soil that is 50% Fir Bark and 50% Lava Rock. If you cannot find those anywhere near you, then you can use a fine orchid soil mix amended with ideally lava rock, but Perlite would suffice. The important part is that it is free draining but stays moist throughout the day.

Hopefully this helps!