Fukien tree is losing all its leaves..any suggestions?
- Thread starter three4rd
- Start date
AH....ok....I'll try not to let taking care of my fukien put me over the edge...
Anthony
Imperial Masterpiece
Cypress187
Masterpiece
I don't think it's late spring yet, you just need to watch the watering very careful and not let it stand in wet soil.
Victorim
Omono
Hi Keith,
Any update on your fukien?
Any update on your fukien?
Victorim...thanks so much for asking! It's not doing all that well. Not a whole lot worse but not much improvement either. For weeks now there have been what appear to be new shoots ready to come out, but nothing has happened with them. In the meantime, more leaves have yellowed and dropped, but not near as many as back in February. Here are 2 recent pictures....
In this one you can see at least what looks like new leaves or perhaps flowers ready to come out, but as I said it's been this way for weeks. Perhaps the new growth just needs warmer temps yet? The sunroom where I keep the fukien still averages temps in the low 60s. We generally don't keep the heat up very far out there. Thermometer is set for a range of 57-61, but of course with any sort of sunny day it usually is higher than that and in the summer runs into the 80s and above. Any further suggestions or thoughts are much appreciated! I really would hate to lose this plant.
In this one you can see at least what looks like new leaves or perhaps flowers ready to come out, but as I said it's been this way for weeks. Perhaps the new growth just needs warmer temps yet? The sunroom where I keep the fukien still averages temps in the low 60s. We generally don't keep the heat up very far out there. Thermometer is set for a range of 57-61, but of course with any sort of sunny day it usually is higher than that and in the summer runs into the 80s and above. Any further suggestions or thoughts are much appreciated! I really would hate to lose this plant.
Anybody have additional suggestions on my fukien? All that is happening is more yellowing and dropping leaves. It looks like there are hints of new growth waiting to come out, but so far the new buds have not made any progress. This thing has the fewest number of leaves since I got it last summer. Should I take it out and look at the roots? Or perhaps hang in there and see what the warmer spring weather (although it's rather cool here in PA right now) will bring? Thanks for any ideas. I'd really hate to lose this plant but it certainly doesn't look too good.
bonsaidave
Shohin
Mine did the same in late winter indoors. In Texas it is in the 80s now in daytime. I tossed mine outside and in only 3 weeks it has exploded with new leaves. They love sunshine and warm weather.
Yours might just be doing it's winter dormancy thing. I read once these trees from China are actually act like deciduous in the go dormant in winter. Though they can't handle below around 40 degree low night time temps.
Leaves are good to watch for trouble but the flowers are too. If it is still pushing flowers you are ok.
My personal Gauge with mine is:
No flowers no buds - unhappy plant.
Buds but not blooming - deciding to be happy or not.
Buds blooming - tree is doing ok
New leaves and buds blooming - growing happy tree
PA is not ideal for tropicals but with a sun room you might be able to pull it off.
Good luck!
Yours might just be doing it's winter dormancy thing. I read once these trees from China are actually act like deciduous in the go dormant in winter. Though they can't handle below around 40 degree low night time temps.
Leaves are good to watch for trouble but the flowers are too. If it is still pushing flowers you are ok.
My personal Gauge with mine is:
No flowers no buds - unhappy plant.
Buds but not blooming - deciding to be happy or not.
Buds blooming - tree is doing ok
New leaves and buds blooming - growing happy tree
PA is not ideal for tropicals but with a sun room you might be able to pull it off.
Good luck!
Bonsaidave,
Thanks for the reply! As to flowers, I've had very few. There were a couple during mid-summer but they didn't last long. I guess, based on your 'gauge', I'm in the unhappy mode! Once the warm spring weather decides to kick in, the sunroom is very warm and lots of humidity due to the presence of many plants out there. Also, it's not air conditioned. Guess I'll just wait before doing anything in the way of taking it out of the pot. I do wonder if additional food might be good beyond the little fertilizer balls that are part of the soil surface.
Thanks for the reply! As to flowers, I've had very few. There were a couple during mid-summer but they didn't last long. I guess, based on your 'gauge', I'm in the unhappy mode! Once the warm spring weather decides to kick in, the sunroom is very warm and lots of humidity due to the presence of many plants out there. Also, it's not air conditioned. Guess I'll just wait before doing anything in the way of taking it out of the pot. I do wonder if additional food might be good beyond the little fertilizer balls that are part of the soil surface.
bonsaidave
Shohin
Oh the individual flowers don't last long. They stay white for maybe 3 days then turn brown and fall off. That seems to be normal at least in my case.
AALen
Seedling
I didn't read the other replies, so forgive me if I'm repeating (or contradicting) anyone. Fukien Teas are notoriously temperamental and don't like change. Yours may just be suffering from changing locations and/or care practices. Also, from your photo, I can tell your tree is not getting enough light. The twigs are way too leggy (leaves too far apart). You should provide it more light. I don't know where it is in your sunroom, but South unobstructed window would be best.
AALen...thanks for the reply. A south facing window is exactly where it is. The sunroom is full of light being that there are 20 windows in there...glass on all except the north side where it connects to the house. The thing is, IF we ever actually get more than 1 sunny day out of a week here in PA, this plant might do better!!! All we've had is damp, rainy weather most of the time. So....yeah...I'm sure you're right. I could put it down in the basement under fluorescents for the time being.
Should I cut back all those leggy shoots?
Should I cut back all those leggy shoots?
AALen
Seedling
Don't do any work until it is vigorous again. I'd just keep it in the sunroom for now and hope the sun comes out soon. Again, they hate change so moving it again (and again later) is a bad idea. Unless you have high powered fluorescent lamps, it wouldn't be enough light anyhow.
Thanks again AAlen. Unfortunately I will be out of town for a few days within the next few weeks and so will need to give the plant to relatives to take care of. The last time they had it, it dropped alot of leaves. Big difference between my house and theirs in terms of the level of humidity (considering that ours is kept in a room full of plants!). And yet, the time before last when my relatives had it, it did fine. Temperamental plant I suppose, from what I've both read and were told.
Any further suggestions before my bonsai most likely loses the rest of its leaves? I've had it out in the full sun for nearly every day once our rainy, cloudy weather cleared up. It looks like there is new growth starting, but then it's looked like that for the past few months. Just when will this new growth make an appearance? It looks to me like this plant is on the way out 
Cypress187
Masterpiece
There aren't more suggestions I'm afraid, you should just let it do it's thing. You could talk to it, but a better plan is to get a backup tree just in case this one doesn't make it, that's how I ended up with 30 tree's.
Except that the bonsai was a gift, and so I have no plans of going out and getting another one. As much as I've always wanted one (hence a gift from a family member), we travel frequently and so every time we are away for even a few days, unlike my other plants that are ok for a week without water, I have to give the bonsai to a relative to take care of even it's a few days. Knowing now that this fukien in particular does not like being moved around, it doesn't sound like a very good fit for me. All that being said, I was so happy to get it and even more pleased at how well it did until late fall. Things have gone bad ever since. Might it be worth it to take it out of the pot and see what's going on with the roots? I really hate to lose this plant, despite the bit of inconvenience as I described of having to shuttle it back and forth between households when we are going to be away.
