Serissa

[DonovanC]

At the risk of embarrassment,
is this a Serissa?
I’m 99.9% certain that this is a Serissa, but I never like to be too sure on my own, so I’m looking for a definite ID.

I’ve not worked with any type of Serissa. When it comes to “indoor” bonsai, I’m partial to F. benjamina or microcarpa. But, today I was at a plant nursery and while looking through the “terrarium” section, I came across what appeared to be some Serissa cuttings. So, with the question of “why are we considering Serissa suitable for a terrarium” aside, I purchased one for $2.99 (U.S.).

Here she is:

 

[smilezzz]

If it's a terrarium plant, it might well be a eugenia or syzigium, some of which grow in rainforests in South America and Australia.

Serissa naturally have small leaves, these look a bit too glossy and big.

Also, all of my Serissa tend to shoot pin straight long shoots out, with a purplish hairy-ish texture. The new growth on these are more coppery.

 

[DonovanC]

I think you might be right. But, if it is a brush cherry that wouldn’t be such a bad thing
Thanks for the help! Would you have any pictures of new growth on your serissa?

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

I'm not sure, and your photo is high enough quality that I should have no trouble telling what it is.
Serissa typically have broader, more rounded leaves than the leaves in the photo. I don't see any of the hairs or pigments I normally see in Serissa.

My guess is that this is not Serissa.

It could be Eugenia, it could be Malpighia, both make decent indoors for winter, outdoors for summer bonsai in Ohio. They could be grown as year round indoors bonsai in a under lights set up. Eugenia - is in the guava family, sometimes called brush cherry, or bush cherry, though it is totally unrelated to the culinary cherry - Prunus. Fruit of Eugenia is considered edible, some are more tasty than others. Eugenia - pollen holding anthers are longer than the petals. Flowers look like white powder puffs.

Malpighia is often called Barbados Cherry, in a completely different family than the Eugenia. Related to some tropical vines and shrubs. It also has white flowers and cherry like fruit, edible, but not necessarily tasty. Some cultivars are tasty enough to be a market fruit in Central America and the Caribbean, but the majority raised from seed for bonsai are not very tasty. Not at all related to culinary cherries, Prunus. The white flowers the pollen carrying anthers are shorter than the petals of the flowers.

 

[DonovanC]

I do believe that it is Eugenia. One thing that I consistently hear about Serissa is the smell, and there is no unusual smell from this guy. And as @smilezzz mentioned, the leaves are a bit big and the new growth is more like Eugenia. I’ve been looking at Eugenia images and it looks to be what it is - especially due to the new growth pattern. I also found a nice description of Eugenia which also matches.
Thanks for the input. I’ll look up Malpighia too.

 

[EricainDC]

send it to me and if I kill it within a few weeks, it is for sure a serissa. I don't know what it is about me and serissas but I keep buying them and they keep dying. Anything else - I'm all kinds of a green thumb!!! I'm on my however many-th serissa right now, determined to get it right. I've kept it alive for 3 weeks and no leaves have done anything sketchy on me, so I'm feeling pretty happy.

anyway, if you want a definitive answer on serissa I'm happy to test it for you. The leaves look too big and I think you're right about the eugenia.

 

[smilezzz]

I think you might be right. But, if it is a brush cherry that wouldn’t be such a bad thing
Thanks for the help! Would you have any pictures of new growth on your serissa?

Some of my Serissa. You can just about see the long new shoots. The new sprouts emerge differently from my eugenia (hand included in image for scale).

 

[DonovanC]

send it to me and if I kill it within a few weeks, it is for sure a serissa. I don't know what it is about me and serissas but I keep buying them and they keep dying. Anything else - I'm all kinds of a green thumb!!! I'm on my however many-th serissa right now, determined to get it right. I've kept it alive for 3 weeks and no leaves have done anything sketchy on me, so I'm feeling pretty happy.

anyway, if you want a definitive answer on serissa I'm happy to test it for you. The leaves look too big and I think you're right about the eugenia.

Here’s to persistence!
I’ll let you know if I’m in need of your services lol
But yes, I believe based on the input from several people that my Serissa is not a Serissa at all, but rather a Brush Cherry. Which is still okay