Mail Order Bonsai Question

I just had a co-worker ask me about buying a bonsai tree on-line for a friend. She brought me a copy of several of their trees. One was a plant called "Little Money". It was listed as minimal maintenance, being tolerant of low light and water.

I have the name of the company, but am hesitant to post it and ask for recommendations.

From all my experiences, buying bonsai trees from mail order companies, department stores, and road side bonsai dealers has resulted in dead trees. (Big difference from buying healthy plants from nursery stores and then working with them with the goal of creating bonsai.)

Has anyone really experienced any success with buying these low priced, mass produced, bonsai?

Since I wouldn't buy one for myself, and I told that to my co-worker, I wouldn't personally recommend it to her. Either way, comments for or against this won't hurt my feelings!

Thanks,

Jay

Should I have put this in "General or Off-Topic" or "Bonsai Questions" sections?

Jay

It's OK here for a while.

You might also tell your co-worker that buying an unsuspecting "friend" a bonsai as a gift isn't a great idea. He or she may not want it, may not have the horticultural skills to take care of it, may prefer another kind of tree, etc., If the tree dies -- as is fairly likely -- that can affect the friendship (however close it may be).

Suggest to your friend that he or she instead buy him/her a book on bonsai -- one with some how-to and some pictures of nice trees -- and a gift certificate to a local nursery. Then, they can work together (if that's something they might do) on creating one themselves, rather than buying a crappy, S-curved whatever it is that probably is NOT low maintenance, etc.

I wrote an article on why it's NOT a good idea to buy a friend a bonsai for Christmas. We used o feature it every winter on the old IBC. It also has appeared in a number of club newsletters. I can send it if you like. But the essence is already here.

Please send it! My home e-mail is BLEEP
I like the book idea better and our local Barnes and Noble has several basic bonsai books.

Thanks.

"Money Tree" is Pachira aquatica. It is not a legitimate bonsai subject anyway.
Iris

Jay Gaydosh wrote:Please send it! My home e-mail is BLEEP
I like the book idea better and our local Barnes and Noble has several basic bonsai books.

Thanks.

Done!

Jim's article (I've used it many times) has a wonderful simile. Buying someone a bonsai when they have no experience is like buying a tuba for someone who has never had a music lesson. That usually gets the attention of the would-be gift giver.
Iris

Yep been there and done it. My best buddy (ex SAS) did his level best but in the end he was good at his old trade.

No, shant buy a buddy a Bonsai again, I so hate it when they pass on.

Mike

Jay there is a bonsai nursery in mississippi that sales and has good trees to me..they are fast shipping and pack very well.i have some of their trees and have had no problem that i didnot cause myself with them.road side people i would stay away from..the nurseries here in west virginia i know about could care less.. good luck john

i just bought a tree from Brussel's Nursery a elm for about 150 bucks and im pretty happy. here is a picture.

You have a nice tree to practice your pruning and styling skills. Have fun!

sublime716 wrote:i just bought a tree from Brussel's Nursery a elm for about 150 bucks and im pretty happy. here is a picture.

May I ask if you are pleased with packaging and speed of delivery? What time of the year did you buy the tree?

my nellie wrote:

sublime716 wrote:i just bought a tree from Brussel's Nursery a elm for about 150 bucks and im pretty happy. here is a picture.

May I ask if you are pleased with packaging and speed of delivery? What time of the year did you buy the tree?

the tree came in 3 days and yes it was packaged very well. the pot was wrapped in plastic several times soil still moist and very secure in the bottem of the box. the rest of the box had "peanuts" filled to the top. i just ordered the tree last month july. i read alot of comment of people that bought from them and it seems that most people are happy except the people that order the dawn redwoods. im getting ready to order another a Cryptomeria "japanese cedar".

Thank you for your reply!
Are you dubious somehow as far as the temperature conditions are concerned??
How much will affect the tree?

Chinese elm is not that delicate. Summer temperatures in Buffalo are not much different from Mississippi. With a tree that old, he will have to be careful the first one or two winters.

Hello, Iris!

I was referring merely to the transportation from Brussels nursery to USA

from the people i asked i think im going with the unheated garage just after thanksgiving and hope for the best. should be fine as long as the roots dont freeze. temps between 32 F and 45 F. right? from what i read i dont want the tree to get above 50 F or it will start to bud.

oh ya and brussels is in the USA

The nursery is Brussel's, with an apostrophe. The owner is Brussel Martin. It is in Olive Branch, Mississippi, just south of the Tennessee border.
Winter temperatures can be 25 to 45 F, -4 to 7 C. It's OK if the roots freeze & stay frozen all winter. Alternate freezing & thawing are dangerous.
Iris

Oh, I see.... Thank you, Iris!
I thought Brussels, Belgium
This is another benefit one can get from being a member of IBC.... learns famous nurseries and their locations, even though on the other side of the ocean!