Strange plants growing around my bonsai tree

[lape99]

In the photo you can see some strange plants growing around my bonsai tree. What are they? Should I get rid of them? Because my bonsai started loosing its leaves, or maybe it is normal because all of the trees in my country seasonally drop leaves?
Also, maybe someone could tell me, what kind of bonsai tree is it?
Thank you.

 

[Deadwood]

I'm no expert, but id probably remove them. Most likely they are some kind of weed and could be robbing nutrients from the tree. What sort of soil do you have? I'm not sure but is probably a ficus variety.

 

[lape99]

What sort of soil do you have?

I don't know that, I got it as a present like half a year or a little bit more ago, since then i haven't changed it, so I can't tell.

 

[Poink88]

Remove those weeds. You will see more sprout later, just keep removing it.

I would guess your tree is a pomegranate but not certain. If you can post better pics, more may be able to help.

 

[jk_lewis]

Most likely they are some kind of weed

They're weeds, by definition. A weed is any plant that is growing where you don't want it to grow.

Remove them -- if only because they're ugly.

 

[Vance Wood]

In the photo you can see some strange plants growing around my bonsai tree. What are they? Should I get rid of them? Because my bonsai started loosing its leaves, or maybe it is normal because all of the trees in my country seasonally drop leaves?
Also, maybe someone could tell me, what kind of bonsai tree is it?
Thank you.

Weeds are by definition unwanted or uninvited plants that grow where they were not intended. They should go. If your photo is any indication I would say that the foliage on the tree looks weak and stressed out probably because those obviously vigorous and corpulent weeds are sucking the life out of the tree's environment. Weeds can, if let grow wild, strangle the life out of a bonsai tree.

 

[mat]

I call that artillery fern. A notorious weed here. Try to get the roots. It will probably be back anyway.

 

[Forujames]

I call that artillery fern. A notorious weed here. Try to get the roots. It will probably be back anyway.

I agree. It won't hurt anything-just looks unsightly.

 

[lordy]

I agree. It won't hurt anything-just looks unsightly.

I side with Vance on this. Not only do weeds sap the strength of the tree by competing for space impeding water and air from getting to the roots of the tree, but also fill the rootball with garbage that must be removed when repotting. Yank 'em.

 

[fraser67]

I"ve pulled a few of those out of my pots here in L.A... get rid of them!! I'm with Vance...the tree looks pretty unhealthy.

 

[Vance Wood]

I agree. It won't hurt anything-just looks unsightly.

I strongly disagree. Look at the leaves in the original photo, the tree looks stressed and struggling. The weeds look succulent, healthy and prospering and they are doing so at the cost of the tree in the pot.

 

[lape99]

Thank you for your answers, I pulled them out, maybe it will get better now.
I attached a few photos, don't know if you will be able to see better than before, but I hope someone can tell me what kind of tree is it. If it's of any help, during summer, the tree had some small white blossoms (Is this the wright word? Maybe flowers?).
Also, maybe you will spot something I'm doing wrong and give me some tips.

 

[Dav4]

Are you keeping your tree inside exclusively? Also, any chance we could see a close up picture of the leaves to assist in an ID? Letting us know where you live would be helpful, too.

 

[Poink88]

Sorry but it looks like your tree is in the verge of dying. If you are keeping it inside, that could be the reason. Bringing it outside now may help but no guarantee as the tree looks really weak now. Better than not giving it a chance though.

Good luck!

 

[lape99]

Are you keeping your tree inside exclusively? Also, any chance we could see a close up picture of the leaves to assist in an ID? Letting us know where you live would be helpful, too.

Yes, the tree is inside all the time. I attached a photo where you can see the leaves.
I live in Lithuania.

Bringing it outside now may help but no guarantee as the tree looks really weak now. Better than not giving it a chance though.

Is it wise to take it outside since it is pretty cold, around +5 degrees celsius, windy and rainy.

 

[GrimLore]

41f with less then good weather is probably not do any good for any tree that has been indoors all of that time(my opinion). If that was given to me in that condition I would slip pot it into a larger pot with dry stall and introduce it to 16 hours a day of artificial light and see how it does. If it picks up well I would cut the lighting back 1 hour every week until Spring and put that plant outdoors to get "happy" again. As is it really looks like it could be to late but I think the method(s) stated would give it a good chance.

Grimmy

 

[Forujames]

I strongly disagree. Look at the leaves in the original photo, the tree looks stressed and struggling. The weeds look succulent, healthy and prospering and they are doing so at the cost of the tree in the pot.

Any experience with artillery fern? I bet not. You can clip it and use it as a ground cover for your tree-it won't hurt a thing. You think its killing that tree.................its probably sick because its indoors on window ledge.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

It looks like it could be a serissa. Poke around gently in the soil and squeeze a root...if it smells bad, it's probably a serissa. They're known for smelling bad. They're also temperate to sub-tropical, and won't take much below 30f.

 

[Vance Wood]

Any experience with artillery fern? I bet not. You can clip it and use it as a ground cover for your tree-it won't hurt a thing. You think its killing that tree.................its probably sick because its indoors on window ledge.

Sorry James (?) look at the tree; does that look like the tree is doing real well? As far as artillery fern goes I don't give a fical donation about it. I out grew the tendency to concern myself with ground covers in favor of the tree about forty years ago. I have been growing bonsai since 1955 and have seen truck loads of trees die because some so called benign ground cover was allowed to starve and strangle the life out of the host tree's environment. If the tree is a Serissa, as has been suggested, an opinion I agree with, the tree is an indoor tree except in the warm season any way. It is also my understanding that Serissa does not tolerate competition well which is what that over growth of Artillery Fern would be.

 

[mat]

The weed probably wasn't helping matters, but I think it's a stretch to blame the poor health of the tree entirely on that. Serissa are known for being difficult to maintain in cold locations. This one has been kept in a window sill in what seems to be pretty lousy soil. I doubt it would look much better even if the artillery fern was never in the equation.