I need help! Is my tree dying?

Becky

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I received a bonsai tree (tropical Pitch Apple) in the mail a couple weeks ago. It looked healthy at first, but almost all the leaves fell off within a few days, and the remaining leaves are turning brown and black, starting at the base and spreading toward the tips. It's sitting in front of a window and I water it every couple days. Does anyone know what the problem might be?IMG_20151222_163948159_HDR.jpg IMG_20151222_164011579_HDR.jpg IMG_20151222_164058974.jpg
 
Welcome to Bonsai Nut.
Never heard of pitch apple before. But all the same this tree doesn't look so good. Maybe it's an outdoor tree. Most are. It's a common misconception that bonsai trees are for indoors. Like a houseplant.
Truth is all trees are outdoor plants. But some can be grown inside given the right conditions. Like light,humidity,fresh air and so on.
Like I said. Maybe your tree is supposed to be outdoors. All of the apple trees I'm familiar with are definitely outdoor trees.
Maybe someone will give you more precise information on your tree.
Welcome.
 
Pulled this here description.....

DWARF APPLE (clusia rosea ‘nana’)

The Dwarf Apple bonsai tree, also known as the Pitch Apple, is native to the cliffs of Ecuador but is now grown as an ornamental tree in many tropical regions of the world. It is a very hardy tree with button-like, cream colored, fragrant flowers which bloom in the late spring. It is also referred to as the “Autograph Tree” due to the unique leathery paddle leaves upon which you can scratch your name and the mark will remain for quite some

Lol. Scratch your name in the leaves!

Miss Becky.....
Seems you may have purchased this from a less than completely honest retailer...

Welcome to Crazy!

If I can be honest....
If it is an Apple.....
At least you can PITCH it!

Just kidding.....but we have a section with reviews for good retailers....should you want to support someone doing good honest business!

Not really your fault !

Sorce
 
If it is a tropical plant it's not gonna want to go outside (judging on the thickness of you windows). If it's sentimental to you, I'd give it a dose of a anti-fungal treatment from your local plant nursery, and then see what happens. Don't overwater it either. Trick is to water it well, then allow it to get almost dry, and then water it again.

All that said, I think you are going to have an uphill battle with that tree, so if it is not particularly sentimental, I'd honestly suggest you find a more appropriate species to your local conditions.
 
The description Sorce found states its a tropical tree which means it will need lots of natural light and a warm temperate climate. I looked up the region and it seems that it has gets in the 60's for a few months. This is not a tree for outdoors in colder climates but is certainly an outdoor tree. You can probably winter it inside with very good supplemental lighting and care. Inside you also have to deal with HVAC systems that remove moisture from the air so its comfortable for you but killer for trees, add to that things like air sprays and cleaners that float around inside your home and you have an environ perfect to kill your tree. I think its already dead, if not it will need much more room for the roots to grow if you ever want to get any size to the trunk.

ed
 
Welcome to the forum, i hope he makes it (if it's not already dead). I guess you learned your first lesson ;)
 
Watering every couple days is probably too much, most people water less in the winter.
 
description Sorce found

I have to for the record this one....

Cuz.....

I just searched or to see what kind of douche is selling this crap.
Found 3 dealers....none I know that are REAL!

I just had to check...hence....the rest of that post!

Cheers!

Sorce
 
I have to for the record this one....

Cuz.....

I just searched or to see what kind of douche is selling this crap.
Found 3 dealers....none I know that are REAL!

I just had to check...hence....the rest of that post!

Cheers!

Sorce
I bought it from bonsaiboy.com. I actually have bought one from there before, about 6 months ago, and it's doing well. It's a different kind of tree though.
 
and it's doing well.

Well that's good!

I really ought not talk too bad....
As I haven't shopped there....

But there's places you could likely spend the same, for better material....minus the pot....

But the way I see it.....if you have a prize tree in that pot outside and it freeze cracks....your tree could die....
Better off without the bonsai pot!

I'm not a big online shopper....
But these folks can guide ya!
Or search a bit!

Back to work!

Sorce
 
Man, this tree has seen some stuff. It looks like a succulent, if you haven't given an ID I would have thought it was a severely dry jade tree. When bringing the tree inside to winterize it, lighting is important like past posters have said. Not for the obvious reason, but having nice sun will help with cycling water out of the soil. You watering it a few times a week, is way too much. I'm not sure how bright your window gets but I water once every 1.5 to sometimes 2 weeks. I have a crassula gollum tree and I think I watered it only once. I've had it for about 3 months now.
 
I bought it from bonsaiboy.com

There's your first problem. Don't buy from bonsai boy. Ever. Overpriced trees that are sold to the average person as 'indoor trees'. For example, they claim Junipers are indoor trees, but they will certainly die indoors for a beginner.
 
I live between Chicago and Milwaukee, normally the great frozen north (not this year, yeah! there is an up side to global warming, love the mild winter). I grew a Clusia rosea for about 5 years before moving it on to somebody else. So my comments are from ACTUAL EXPERIENCE, not Internet conjecture. Clusia is NOT a good houseplant. If you live in south Florida, its easy to grow outdoors. But in the north, it is very difficult to keep happy indoors.

Clusia rosea is a true tropical. Temperatures below 40 F can damage and even kill the tree, even if it doesn't freeze. In Ecuador, it is often found as an epiphyte - it grows in trees like an orchid or a bromeliad. It has very thick roots, it wants a very coarse potting mix. I actually used an orchid bark potting mix. For a cutting I made I used long fiber New Zealand sphagnum moss. I watered the orchid mix about every 5 days. It would be dry on the surface, and barely damp in the base of the pot. They like to go from wet to just about, but not quite dry, fairly quickly. Inert, mineral bonsai soil mixes, and regular potting soil are too fine, roots will die in a few months. The mix needs to be soft and airy. Very fluffy peat based mix can work too. Roots don't branch much either, to in addition to being thick, they do not ramify. You will always have to use a pot that is "too large" for bonsai to contain the roots of Clusia. Really a weird plant.

They like very bright shade to 4 or 5 hours of direct sun. Humidity (a separate issue from watering) needs to be above 50% or the roots won't be able to pull in enough water to keep the plant happy and growing even if the roots are wet, in low humidity, they can't move enough water. Temperatures, they like warmth, 70's to 90's is the ideal range, they will tend to sit dormant if temperatures are cooler than 70.

I grew mine under lights, with my orchids, in my rather elaborate light garden. In winter my light garden temperatures tend to run between 60 F and 75 F. Usually too cool to get much growth. The leaves are large, the trunk stays thin, the roots can be larger in diameter than the trunk, the growth pattern is very angular. And the relative slow growth I was getting, all caused me to decide to sell it off after 5 years. Generally I would advise against Clusia as bonsai, unless you could use it for a 36 to 60 inch tall tree, and had a tropical greenhouse in which to grow it. Or you lived south of Coral Gables, Florida. They would grow well outdoors in Homestead & Redlands, Florida. Generally, its growth habits are not at all what you would look for in a bonsai. They usually don't flower until the plant is older. In fact mine never was happy enough to flower for me. It is simply not a good species for bonsai. If you want a flowering bonsai for indoors in the winter, try trees like Serrisa, Nashia, citrus, jasmine, gardenia, Vireya, bouganvillea, and others. Azalea, pomegranate, gardenia, are sub-tropical, and need a cool rest to get blooming initiated, but they can be grown outdoors, & brought indoors after they have had their cool rests. Bouganvillea, normally won't bloom in winter, usually spring, summer or autumn, but in my light garden, mine will bloom about 4 or 5 months after pruning. I usually prune in August, so it tends to bloom in January for me. But my light garden is brighter than most peoples indoor light set ups.

Just looking at your tree, I'd say its dead. Likely it got a fatal chill in shipping. Try to get your money back. Though the vendor does not have a good reputation for issuing refunds.
 
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