Low light bonsai

[Nellb]

Hello everyone,

So I started bonsai last year on my second story apartment porch that doesn't get much more then partial sun light. Being new to the whole plant thing in general, I just bought whatever I felt like with very little success. So I was wondering if anyone had any ideas for low light, cold hardy bonsai I could keep outside in CT year round.

I plan to move next year to get more space and light, so I just need some ideas to hold me over for this next year, but don't know where to start.

Thanks for your help in advance!

 

[sorce]

cold hardy bonsai I could keep outside

For a beginner....you got that going for you!

Welcome to Crazy!

It sounds like you may not be successful do to other things...
What have you tried?

Anything that does well in all or part shade could work.

Sorce

 

[Nellb]

For a beginner....you got that going for you!

Welcome to Crazy!

It sounds like you may not be successful do to other things...
What have you tried?
Sorce

Well I said that because I was hoping to exclude any "indoor bonsai" thread starters, and I have no more room for tropical lol. I've tired conifers (pine, juniper, hinoke, and larch), a amur maple sapling, azalea, ummm and a few more.

I lost most them due to going on vacation in August last year, during a bad heat wave and the plants didn't get watered well enough by a friend. I put my outdoor bonsai on hold until now, but got a crazy itch to get some new trees now that it's warming up a little, but want to get suitable ones for a low light environment

 

[onlyrey]

I've grown common boxwoods and yaupon ilex in a northeast facing open porch in Florida with only about 4 hours of daily light. They grew ok for several years, until I moved out of Florida.

 

[Nellb]

I've grown common boxwoods and yaupon ilex in a northeast facing open porch in Florida

Is that the box holly?

I probably will get a box from home depot to work on this year

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Yaupon holly is not winter hardy in CT, but Ilex verticillata, North American deciduous holly is hardy, and native to CT. There are 3 or 4 native to US hollies that would be hardy in CT. Ilex crenata, Japanese deciduous holly is also quite hardy. Most hollies tolerate some shade Though at least half day of sun will give you tighter growth.

Tsuga canadensis - Hemlock - can tolerate deep shade for years at a time, growth is slow and loose, in sun growth is quicker and more dense.

Lindera - spice bush is a shade lover, though might be difficult on a balcony - likes humidity. Native to CT so winter hardy.

Most Japanese maples are shade tolerant, they like a couple hours of sun, but don't need all day sun. CT is at northern limit of their range, may need winter protection.

Acer saccharum - sugar maple - shade tolerant as for JM, very winter hardy - native to CT, but only work easily for larger sizes of bonsai.

Eurpean Beech - Fagus sylvatica - works better for bonsai than native beech, cold hardy - tolerates deep shade, best growth will be with full sun.

Azalea - Satsuki - tolerate partial shade, needs some winter protection, hardiness varies with cultivar. Hybrid evergreen garden azaleas for example from Greer or Girard, look like Satsuki, bigger flowers some are very winter hardy.

That what comes to mind. There are other candidates.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Boxwood - Buxus semipervense - European Box - this is the cold hardy box. The other species are not quite hardy in CT on a balcony. I think box like a half day of sun or more for tighter growth. They will tolerate shade.