Help with severely neglected Juniper

Funakoshi

Seedling
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Hello all,
I was recently given a once beautiful shimpaku juniper by a friend of mine. He got it as a gift, and it appears to have dried out entirely. All of the foliage is completely brown, and the soil was full of little weeds and random plants. He claims to have been watering it, but it doesn't look that way to me. I've ripped out all the pest plants that had invaded the pot, and watered the tree thoroughly. I did a scratch test, and at the base of the trunk, the inner part of the tree is a yellowish-green; not the color I'd like to have seen. I'll attach a picture of the tree as it is now. Is there anything I can do with this tree, or is it a lost cause? It really is beautiful, I'd love to restore it if at all possible, regardless of how long it will take. It looks like an old tree, and it would be amazing for my collection.


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Should i defoliate it or something? I've never had a tree in this bad of shape before, any help would be greatly appreciated, I'd love to save this shimpaku.
Thanks.
 

Housguy

Chumono
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Sorry my friend, that looks like a total loss. How long has it been brown? If a long time, it is a goner unfortunately.
 

Funakoshi

Seedling
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He says it started going brown about a month ago, and has been this brown for the last couple of weeks. :(

I appreciate your help, sad to hear that this tree is helpless, it really is a very pretty one.
 

Housguy

Chumono
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Is that window looking out into an ocean or river? Nice view by the way! Most likely that tree got brown by not watering enough or a pest invasion, like spider mites or something could kill a tree, but most likely a water issue.
 

rockm

Spuds Moyogi
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It is dead. It will not come back. If this tree has been kept inside, that is one factor in its demise. Junipers are extremely difficult as "indoor" bonsai. they need to be outside 24/7/365
 

Cable

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Funakoshi

Seedling
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Thanks for the help! It's the ocean, I live in the Caribbean :) The view is the best part of my apartment for sure haha. And I have a juniper myself, although not a shimpaku, that I've had living indoors here for the last year and a half, and it is actually thriving, I'm making a cascade with it. I hope it isn't going to end up like this tree, I just wish I was given it when there was still time to save it. I already threw it away, but I'm keeping the pot :)
 

Housguy

Chumono
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Thanks for the help! It's the ocean, I live in the Caribbean :) The view is the best part of my apartment for sure haha. And I have a juniper that I've had living indoors here for the last year and a half.


Thats cool, how much direct sunlight does that juniper get indoors?
 
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