First bonsai tree ID

Whitefall

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Hello everyone,

I returned from a lovely day trip to Kew Gardens yesterday and was inspired to start growing bonsai. They have a shop there and I bought my first one, I think it might be a ficus.

https://ibb.co/fOM42v
https://ibb.co/fKVa9a
https://ibb.co/bYUP2v

I'd like to know what type, mostly so that I can find a page online about it and read all the care guidance so that I don't swamp you with questions.

Is it a good specimen? You can be brutally honest, it wasn't very expensive and I'm encouraged to buy another online. Any tips on pruning/styling are welcomed!

Thanks,
Whitefall
 

sorce

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Dunno Species.
IMG_2367.jpg

Swamp Away!

Welcome to Crazy!

Sorce
 

petegreg

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Try to Google Syzygium paniculatum? If positive ID, do not ask me how to keep it alive, LOL.
 

StoneCloud

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Welcome!!!!!!!!! I am surprised that the person who sold it to you did not know the species

Also Kew Gardens............not Kew Gardens in Queens NY is it? That place is not very inspiring for Bonsai LOL :p:p:p
 

Whitefall

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Thank you for the very warm welcome!! It was Kew Gardens in London (royal botanical gardens). It's a big place and I don't think the shop staff were anything to do with the gardening, they weren't the most clued up.

The leaves look like the ficus on this website but the trunk is different https://www.allthingsbonsai.co.uk/care-guides/ficus-indoor-bonsai-tree-care/. All I know is that it's apparently happy indoors with indirect sunlight (it sounded hardy which is why I thought it'd be a good start/forgiving).

I'd be very grateful if you could help me with some general questions to ease me into the world of bonsai. Some are specific to this tree but I realise some questions are probably asked by every newbie and I don't mind if you want to direct me to online materials instead (I'm searching myself too).

1) Do you think this particular tree is worth spending time on? I've been reading the forum this morning and I know some of the trees that are bought from a shop in a similar fashion to mine are just hopeless cases. It wasn't very expensive but was a good intro to me getting interested so I'm happy to buy another.

2) I'm keeping it on my desk about 10 feet from a window, I'm not sure if that's enough light and was wondering if I should instead put it on the windowsill. I'm not sure about the temperature variation day/night though and if it's too much direct sunlight.

3) This forum has taught me that soil is a big deal, how should I assess whether I should re-pot it with more appropriate soil?

4) I'm not sure how often I should water it/how to tell that I should water it. Do I feel the top soil and see if it's damp? Then how much should I water it and how often? How often should I use liquid fertiliser?

5) When it comes to pruning, is there a right time to do it? I'm not sure what is best practice (for the tree and from a style perspective).

6) I'd like to buy a flowering bonsai but I live in apartment block. Are there any that are happy indoors? Maybe on a windowsill if they need more direct sunlight? Other than that restraint, I don't mind at all if they're high maintenance.

That's a load of questions from a newbie sorry, thanks in advance for those that are happy to help with some of them!
 

Potawatomi13

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Do Ficus have opposite leaves:confused:? Does not look like at all. If not tropical do not keep indoors. Ten feet from window guarantees death to most green plants:(.
 

Whitefall

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On the windowsill it goes then! It definitely said indoor on the tag that came with it. I know that they notoriously crap though.
 

Whitefall

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petegreg

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You're welcome.
No need to protect it from day vs. night temp variations till it's too cold outside, I'd say below 5-10℃. I had two or three of this species, they were fine but I wasn't able to get them through winter. Warm or colder wintering, less or more water, nothing really worked.
 
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