Can anyone please help ID? possibly - Spruce Potensai? New Look!

Hi,
I bought this tree about 9 years ago, since then i have moved house twice. I am ashamed to say, it has never been re-potted or anything, it has just lived in this one pot. We always called it our little bonsai as it never really grew. It has lived all its life outside, and apart from watering in the warmer weather, i haven't really done anything to it.
But, for some reason i felt the need to take this tree with me each time i moved.
For the last 2 years it has lived on my front porch, which is completely open to the elements. A few weeks ago we had quite a lot of snow, and it was completely covered for about 2 weeks or so.
We live in Cornwall, so the climate is normally quite mild.
Now that i am really interested in Bonsai, i would like to try to 'do something' with this dear little tree that i have neglected! I have attached a few photo's. Partly for identification, i am assuming it is a spruce of some kind? and partly because i would like some ideas/suggestions. The tree is 8" (20cms) high and 10" (25cms) at its widest point.
This first photo is the front view


The second photo is the back view


The third photo is the bottom


The forth photo is the top


And the last photo is one of what i think is possibly a little new plant produced via 'natural' air layering? This little branch is well stuck into the soil. What do you think? I know the photo's are not brilliant!


Many thanks for any help/advice, it will be very much appreciated.
Dianne

I would start personally with a good repot or even have a look at the roots before you start too much more, then carry on from there

Since it does need a repotting, be sure to take in to consideration how much of the roots you will be removing and how much of the upper foliage. Others on here will be able to give you some better advice as to how much but I believe you want to reduce the roots by no more then 1/3 the first time and, then again the year after by another 1/3. That way you are not putting it under too much stress.

Regards,

Joe

After that I would have taken off all the dead branches so its easier to see what to keep and what to take away.

Dianne,

It looks like a Dwarf Alberta Spruce, Picea glauca, most likely 'Conica' but it seems to be very weak, and needs lots of attention. Plant in a full sun location, or Repot with a good soil mix, lots of sun and TLC. Clean out the dead branches and feed well, for a few years, before doing any other heavy work on the little guy.

Hi to all,
Thank you to everyone for all your help. I will have a good look at it tomorrow. I was afraid to start doing anything with it before asking for advice. I would hate to kill it after it has survived all this time with very little help from me
Best wishes
Dianne

Hi to all,
Just thought i'd let you know i have done the deed! Sorted out roots, cut them back (lots of good white roots there), re-potted, removed dead branches etc etc Please bare in mind, this is the first time i've ever done this
Heres a few photo's just to show you how things were.
The first pic is the roots just out of pot, lots of white 'marks/blobs' on it, but only on the outside. It was absolutely water logged!


The next is a photo of the roots after detangle, wash, and cut


The next is a photo of a full front view of it back in its pot, (which i thoroughly cleaned first) and after the dead branches have been removed.


The next is a close up of the front


And the last one is a close up of the back


I think its looking much better now, just hope it can survive the trauma If it enjoyed it half as much as i did, then its a very happy little tree I've given it a good watering, and I have now put it outside in the back garden, where it will get much more sun than its previous position. Its also much warmer out there as its quite secluded, and doesn't get so much of the cold wind.
Thank you all again for your help
Best wishes
Dianne

Well done Dianne. Glad you've plucked up the nerve and got it done. Now, put it into semi-shade for a couple of weeks or you are likely to kill it! Full sun straight after a repot is not a good idea. Especially as we seem to have entered a period of relatively settled high pressure with more sunlight hours than we've been used to for ages. You can reintroduce it to sun, gradually, after it has recovered for a couple of weeks.

The "white blobs" are very likely root aphids. As you have bare rooted and washed the roots, you have probably got rid of them all. I hope you discarded all the old soil and used a fresh mix?

Hi,
Thank you for your reply, and for your info. We had some sun a few days ago but it seems to have gone again! But i will keep my eye on it, and if we do get some sun i'll move it, we have plenty of sheltered/shady spots in the garden that i can move it to. So thanks for that.
It was a bit scary to start with as i was so afraid i would kill it, but it is looking much better now, and yes, i gave it completely new soil. I also well scrubbed the pot inside and out. So i hope it will survive!
Best wishes
Dianne

Should do fine, good luck.

Well done! I always have this small level of nervousness anytime I do something new to a tree of mine so, I UNDERSTAND

You have gotten great advice from Kev. Good luck and I hope to see an update later on.

Regards,
Joe