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Walmart "Bonzai"

Has anyone seen the current crop of faux Bonzai at Walmart? The are selling for $10 but I was able to pick one up for half price out of a bunch that looked like it had freeze or sun burn. Most of them were pretty shriveled up and sorry looking but one had some promise so, unable to resist a plant in need, I hauled it home, trimmed off the top of the damages branches (taking out about 1/4 to 1/3 of the plant) and now it looks pretty respectable. The branches oozed a milky sap briefly after being cut. I have no idea what plant this is. I suspect some sort of ficus but I don't know ficus at all. It has a most interesting and contorted root system.

I'd appreciate it if you would take a look at it and see if you can identify it. Go to:

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's the first photo in the PLANTS and GARDENS folder. (That should be the first folder, too.)

And if anyone can tell me what Walmart pours over the gravel layer on top of the soil that turns it into a solid, unmoveable mass, could you share that info, too?

Thx.

Reply to
FragileWarrior
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The message from FragileWarrior identify it. Go to:

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HTH Janet.

Reply to
Janet Baraclough

It is probably a Ficus because it is simple to get a nice knarled bark and shape at the base in a short span of time. Don't be freaked when it loses its leaves, if it does. It's normal and the foliage will come back if you keep it evenly moist, not wet, not dry.

On Mon, 19 Feb 2007 20:54:16 +0000 (UTC), FragileWarrior contorted root system.

Reply to
Jangchub

Did WalMart really label it "bonzai"? A plant dwarfed and shaped through careful pruning and constraining its roots is a bonsai. See my .

Reply to
David E. Ross

"FragileWarrior" identify it. Go to:

Didn't realize you were an IW lover. I'll use a different signature this time...

Reply to
Cearbhaill

"David E. Ross" wrote in news:Dq2dnWlbX8lzyEfYnZ2dnUVZ snipped-for-privacy@iswest.net:

The misspelling was mine. (Sorry 'bout that.) They labeled it a bonsai though. I knew it wasn't but, dang, for $5, I can live with it.

Reply to
FragileWarrior

Janet Baraclough wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@zetnet.co.uk:

BINGO! That's it! Thank you.

(Sorry about the spelling of bonsai. Momentary insanity, I guess. :)

Reply to
FragileWarrior

Jangchub wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com:

What causes the loss of leaves? I wonder if the other ones that were being sold for $5 ea. due to their leaves being shriveled and dry are actually going to recover?

This plant had brown spots on the leaves (not scale, the brown parts were sort of indented into the leaves) which made me think they got cold exposure during our recent cold snap but it's just a guess on my part.

Reply to
FragileWarrior

"David E. Ross" wrote in news:Dq2dnWlbX8lzyEfYnZ2dnUVZ snipped-for-privacy@iswest.net:

Okay, that must be where I came up with the alternate spelling. I confess to being rather on the tired side when I posted. It's my only defense. :)

Reply to
FragileWarrior

"Cearbhaill" wrote in news:aytCh.8860$e8.2854 @bignews1.bellsouth.net:

I loved them dearly but the lifespan just did me in -- especially when the pair of sisters died just months apart. And out of three IWs, the three causes of death were just horrible: e coli in the lungs, bone cancer and torsion. In thirty years of owning sighthounds I had never had ANY of those before. I'm trying out a Scottish Deerhound now to see if the lifespan will be better. (But I love all sighthounds, actually.)

I used to walk my IW around the falls in Niagara Falls and the tourists would LOVE to take photos of him standing up with his paws on my shoulders. He must have photos in hundreds of countries today. :)

Your IWs are lovely. I miss having one around. If they could just fix that lifespan/bone cancer problems, I'd own a dozen of them. I can't for the life of me imagine someone giving up a pair of them because they changed their mind about owning them. I don't think God made a better dog in the whole world. I still remember how my male would prowl the house each night checking on each of his humans... God forbid someone shut their bedroom door. He'd bang on it until they answered and he could see they were all right. There are some things that you just can't train dogs to do... God, I miss him so much.

Reply to
FragileWarrior

On 2007-02-20 07:52:10 -0500, FragileWarrior

Reply to
scfundogs

On Tue, 20 Feb 2007 12:52:10 +0000 (UTC), FragileWarrior

Reply to
Jangchub

On Tue, 20 Feb 2007 12:53:23 +0000 (UTC), FragileWarrior

Reply to
Jangchub

The message from FragileWarrior > it loses its leaves, if it does. It's normal and the foliage will

All trees shed leaves, even the most evergreen and hardy, (which ficus is not).

Ficus is a warmclimate plant. Kept in ideal conditions it will stay in leaf for years, just gently shedding the oldest ones occasionally. However, it will shed more leaves (or, all leaves) if it gets stressed, such as chilled, dried out, or a cold draft of air. Even indoors, houseplant ficus may suddenly drop the leaves if you move them from one room to another where it's a bit brighter or darker. So, if you move it, pick your moment and make it gradual, no sudden extreme changes.

Janet

Janet.

Reply to
Janet Baraclough

Jangchub wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com:

Gee, if this isn't a young plant, how do they sell them so cheaply? When you figure the length of care that the plant had to have had, the pot, the soil, the transportation, the cost to the retailer -- how would anyone make any money unless this plant was very young??

I never thought of a bonsai as sexy before but I see your point. Actually the trunk on this one is better than it looks in the photo. I was just balancing the plant and my camera and didn't catch the right angle on it.

I only wish it didn't have the rocks epoxied to the surface of the soil!

Reply to
FragileWarrior

Janet Baraclough wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@zetnet.co.uk:

It's a wonder they use those plants for their bonsai trees then. You'd think the shock of traveling from the distributor to Walmart and then being hustled all around the store -- in the dead of winter, no less -- would put them ALL on the discount table in short order.

Reply to
FragileWarrior

On Feb 19, 12:54 pm, FragileWarrior contorted root system.

I thinks it's some hybrid of a Rhododendron and something else?!?!?!?!

Reply to
scooottter95

On Tue, 20 Feb 2007 14:43:59 +0000 (UTC), FragileWarrior you figure the length of care that the plant had to have had, the pot,

They are imported, or they are grown in warm climates outdoors where greenhouse space is a premium. Everything in the industry comes down to space and length any given plant takes to be complete enough to put to market.

You can take a pair of pliers and pry the rocks out of the epoxy. It shouldn't be that hard. If it's solid it can impede gas exchange of the plant and kill it.

Reply to
Jangchub

That's a lot more true of ficus benjimina than ficus retusa. Ficus retusa are pretty much tough as nails.

Reply to
Scooter the Mighty

On Feb 19, 12:54 pm, FragileWarrior contorted root system.

Ficus retusa are actually pretty robust plants, not like the wimpier Ficus Benjimina you see all over the place.

Yank that glued down layer of rocks out of the pot with a pair of pliers. It's keeping your plant from being watered properly and from getting air to its roots.

I have a couple bonsai I rescued like this. One is a ficus, the other is a fuchien tea plant.

Reply to
Scooter the Mighty

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