Guide for a Fukien Tea (Carmona retusa) Bonsai
The Fukien Tea is a classic tropical bonsai loved for its small, shiny dark-green leaves, tiny white flowers that bloom year-round, and its craggy, aged-looking bark. This is a tropical species.
Placement and Temperature
- Sunlight: Requires very bright, indirect light. Indoors, place it on a south-facing windowsill. It thrives with at least 5–6 hours of sunlight. If you live in a warm climate, it can go outdoors in summer but needs protection from scorching midday sun.
- Temperature: This is a tropical tree and cannot tolerate the cold. It is best to stay in temperatures above 15°C (60°F) year-round. It is not cold-hardy and will die if exposed to frost.
- Humidity: It loves high humidity. Place it on a humidity tray (a tray with pebbles and water)
Watering and Feeding
- Watering: The Fukien Tea is notoriously sensitive to watering. It prefers to be consistently moist but never waterlogged. Water thoroughly when the surface of the soil feels slightly dry. If the soil dries out completely, the tree will drop its leaves quickly.
- Fertilisation: Since it grows year-round in a tropical environment, feed it monthly from spring to autumn.
Pruning and Repotting
- Pruning: It handles pruning very well and back-buds easily. Prune new shoots back to 2 leaves once they have grown 6–8 leaves. Since it grows continuously, you can prune throughout the year to maintain its shape.
- Repotting: Repot every 2 years in late spring or early summer when the weather is consistently warm.
- Root Work: Be gentle with the roots; they are somewhat brittle. Do not remove more than 20–30% of the root mass.
- Soil: Use a well-draining but moisture-retentive mix. A blend of 50% Akadama, 25% Pumice, and 25% organic potting compost works well for this species.
Wiring
- Timing: Can be wired at any time of year due to its tropical nature.
- Wood: The branches are quite flexible when young but become very brittle as they age. Use thin wire and be extremely careful when bending older wood.
- Removal: Check the wire every 4 weeks. Tropical trees grow fast, and the wire can bite into the bark quickly.