Any flowering bonsai suitable for indoors?

Kynewt

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Yes, i know bonsais do best outside. I would love to have outdoor trees but unfortunately living in a downtown area I have no backyard. I was wondering if any of the flowering bonsais do well indoors (azaleas, bougainvillea...ect). Do they require dormant periods and has anyone gotten any luck getting them to bloom indoors?
 

Paradox

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Azalea is a definite no.
Crepe myrtle, chojuba and quince are also no.
Not sure about Bougainvillea

Cant think of any really
 

cdefoe

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i have a bougainvillea i've been growing indoors since 2017

you can do it but you're going to need a serious lighting setup if you want to see any amount of progress

mine has flowered twice in that time - here it is in flower in december 2018
bkC0pmpl.jpg
 

Carol 83

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My bougainvilleas will bloom a bit while indoors for the winter, but they aren't really all that happy inside. I wouldn't try keeping one indoors all year. They really need spring/summer outside to get vigorous and bloom. My Barbados cherry's do fine and bloom some inside for the winter, but they too, go outside for the spring/summer. I think if you gave them enough light, you could pull it off.
 

ABCarve

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Lavender star. I think New England bonsai might still have some.

View attachment 323674
View attachment 323675

Grewia occidentals .....your spot will have to be more "Roman bathhouse" than "Frigid NH cabin"...good luck, though.
I second this choice, however would disagree with the temperature. Mine spends the winter between 52-62 F. Lower temps yields higher humidity. Fabulous plant that never stops blooming.
 

Forsoothe!

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Azalea is a definite no.
Crepe myrtle, chojuba and quince are also no.
Not sure about Bougainvillea

Cant think of any really
Au contraire, mon ami! The greenhouse Azaleas you can buy in grocery stores on holidays for motherly-like gifts when you didn't get her anything and you stopped for a bottle of vino on your way to dinner at Mom's house is a good candidate for a houseplant. No?
 

amcoffeegirl

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Au contraire, mon ami! The greenhouse Azaleas you can buy in grocery stores on holidays for motherly-like gifts when you didn't get her anything and you stopped for a bottle of vino on your way to dinner at Mom's house is a good candidate for a houseplant. No?
Sometimes they can do ok if supplemental lighting is provided or if you are lucky enough to have a south facing window.
Would still prefer to be outside for summer.
 

Paradox

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Au contraire, mon ami! The greenhouse Azaleas you can buy in grocery stores on holidays for motherly-like gifts when you didn't get her anything and you stopped for a bottle of vino on your way to dinner at Mom's house is a good candidate for a houseplant. No?

Cant say I have ever seen those, can you like a pic?
unless youre being sarcastic?
 

cmeg1

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Yes, i know bonsais do best outside. I would love to have outdoor trees but unfortunately living in a downtown area I have no backyard. I was wondering if any of the flowering bonsais do well indoors (azaleas, bougainvillea...ect). Do they require dormant periods and has anyone gotten any luck getting them to bloom indoors?
Bonsai totally can live indoors...especially tropicals.
Tent,co2....fan.
If you need help and have a small collection and about $500....can be done proper😀✌️✌️✌️✌️✌️✌️✌️✌️
I am sure somebody here has experince with tropicals.....just the way I do this✌️
 

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Cadillactaste

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Bonsai totally can live indoors...especially tropicals.
Tent,co2....fan.
If you need help and have a small collection and about $500....can be done proper😀✌✌✌✌✌✌✌✌
I am sure somebody here has experince with tropicals.....just the way I do this✌
If I had to do all that...I wouldn't do tropical to be honest. I guess...I do enjoy looking at my trees when they come inside for winter.
FB_IMG_1597803165212.jpg

And summer for the blooming one outside right now. I'm glad I don't have to go that extreme. It has done just fine developing over the years. Arriving on my bench in 2015.
20200818_111616.jpg
When it first arrived.
FB_IMG_1596335301973.jpg
I agree with what was said. I would not recommend this species for full-time indoor care. I do have a tropical hibiscus potted tree that has been in my house for 20 years year round. That might be something to look into. Possibly for flowering. I know some do mess around with them as bonsai.
 

cmeg1

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If I had to do all that...I wouldn't do tropical to be honest. I guess...I do enjoy looking at my trees when they come inside for winter.
View attachment 323790

And summer for the blooming one outside right now. I'm glad I don't have to go that extreme. It has done just fine developing over the years. Arriving on my bench in 2015.
View attachment 323788
When it first arrived.
View attachment 323792
I agree with what was said. I would not recommend this species for full-time indoor care. I do have a tropical hibiscus potted tree that has been in my house for 20 years year round. That might be something to look into. Possibly for flowering. I know some do mess around with them as bonsai.
Very nice!
My girlfreind would love that!
Then again she has come to love my approach too😀
Although she essentially come up with this proper approach to save time and make more money with my hobby......at first my grow room was a mess and wasn’t as profitable as I thought I was being.
She does love the simple approach though with beautiful trees like yours✌️
 

Forsoothe!

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Cant say I have ever seen those, can you like a pic?
unless youre being sarcastic?
No, I don't have one, but they exist and have been common along with dwarf roses and usually don't do well for the uninitiated, but bonsaiists should be able to do it. My greenhouse space is spoken for and I have many hardy Azalea so I haven't been tempted to keep one.
 

Forsoothe!

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Jack Wikle who is locally famous for mame keeps many hardy trees as houseplants in his basement under lights that never see the light of day. He has Shimpaku, other Junipers, Pines, etc. I'm going to look through my archives for his displays. Here's one from 2019 AABS Show...
AABS Bonsai Show 2019-027.JPG
Jack at his display in 2013...
Jack AABS show 2013.JPG
Here's a display at the Michigan All State Show of 2014...
Jack MI All State 2014.JPG
Again at 2012 AABS show...
Jack AABS show 2012.JPG

Jack auctioned off his outdoor trees about 5 years ago. Many of his mame trees have been in his care for over 20 years, and one Juniper over 40 years. I'm guessing, but I think that cascade juniper is the 40+ year old critter along with an magazine article about it. I can keep mame for 2 or sometimes 3 years.
 
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