Image - Wikimedia / 阿 橋 HQ
One of the most used species in the world of bonsai is the serissa phoetida. An evergreen tree whose white flowers are very decorative, but nevertheless when we want to grow it in latitudes with cool climates, it can be quite complicated.
Without a doubt, we are facing one of the most difficult bonsai to maintain. But do not worry: Follow the advice that we offer below, and you will be able to enjoy your Serissa for many years.
Origin and characteristics of serissa phoetida
Image - Wikimedia / Jonathan Zander (Digon3)
Before talking about the serissa as bonsai, it is important to know a little about the species, since in this way we will better understand its behavior and we will know how to take better care of it when we work it as bonsai. Well, here we go:
La serissa phoetida o serissa japonica, also known as the Tree of a thousand stars, It is an evergreen shrub native to Southeast Asia that reaches a maximum height of 60 centimeters. Its small dark green or variegated leaves (with yellowish edges), and its easily controllable growth, have made many of us want to start in the art of bonsai with a specimen of this species, since also, in summer it is you can enjoy its beautiful flowers.
But it turns out that it is a species that lives in tropical or subtropical climates, and if we live in an area with harsh winters, we will have to protect it indoors or in a heated greenhouse during those months. Indeed, the rest of the year must be abroad, otherwise it would not have a good development, and most likely we will end up losing it before next spring.
What are the bonsai cares for serissa phoetida?
Although of course, there are more things we can do to make our bonsai look splendid all year round. Namely:
Location
to the Serissa it must be placed in an exhibition with partial shade. If we have to have it indoors, we have to choose a very bright room.
How to water a serissa bonsai?
Keep the substrate slightly damp, especially in summer, but avoiding waterlogging as it is sensitive to overwatering. We will water with rain water or with that which has a low pH (between 4 and 6).
Substratum
Image - Wikimedia / Ragesoss
The substrate must drain the water well; that is, it has to absorb and filter it, keeping the roots properly oxygenated. When this does not happen, it is easy for problems to arise. Therefore, it is highly recommended to mix 80% akadama with 20% kiryuzuna, or with kanuma.
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We will use a specific fertilizer for bonsai (for sale here), following the recommendations indicated on the packaging, from spring to late summer. This way we will ensure that it grows well, and that it is healthy.
Pruning
Pinching can be done throughout the year, as it is mostly done in order to maintain style. To do this, it will be enough to let 4 to 8 pairs of leaves grow, and then cut 2-4 pairs.
However, both formation and root pruning should be done at the end of winter, when the minimum temperature is higher than 15º. We will also have to remove the shoots that come out at the base of the trunk, unless we want to include them in the design.
Transplant
Its growth is slow in general, so it will have to be transplanted every 3 years. This is done in spring, when the minimum temperature is at least 18 degrees Celsius.
Likewise, it is important to say that if you have bought your bonsai in a non-specialized place (such as a supermarket), it is possible that the substrate it contains is of very poor quality.
If you see that when watering it is difficult to absorb the water, or if you find that it is a heavy and compact soil, it is best to remove it and put a new one, like this mixture: 70% akadama + 30% kiryuzuna. Do it in spring, so that it goes through the transplant without problems.
Common bonsai problems by serissa
There are a series of problems that are quite common when you have this bonsai, so we are going to explain their causes, and we will also tell you what the solution is:
Yellow sheets
When a plant, whatever it is, has yellow leaves, it can be due to one of these causes:
- Lack of irrigation: If the leaves that are turning yellow are the young ones, it may be that it is lacking in water.
- Excess irrigation: if the leaves start to turn black from the tips, and if the soil also looks very wet, it is because there is plenty of water.
- Excess compost or fertilizer: when the indications for the use of fertilizers or fertilizers are not followed, you can make the mistake of adding more quantity than the bonsai needs. If this happens, you have to water a lot so that the excess compost seeps out.
- Natural death of leaves: the leaves have a limited life expectancy. Therefore, if your Serissa has some yellow leaves, but is otherwise fine, you don't have to worry as they will soon appear new.
- Change of location: It is normal that some leaves turn yellow and even fall when you move them. Sometimes it takes a little getting used to.
Dry leaves
If your serissa has dry leaves, it may be due to one of these factors:
- Air currents: if you have it indoors, it is important that it is away from the fan, air conditioning, and passageways.
- It is burning: if it is near a window, the ideal is to move it a bit away from it so that its leaves do not "burn".
- Low ambient humidity: it needs high humidity, since its leaves dry out in dry places. To do this, simply place containers with water around it, or spray / spray its leaves with lime-free water in spring and summer.
- Leaf renewal: as we mentioned before, the leaves are renewed over the months. If you see that it has a few dry ones, you should not give it more importance.
Where to buy a bonsai from serissa phoetida?
Image - Wikimedia / David J. Stang
If you want to get one, you can do it by clicking here. Enjoy your plant.
Hello, I wanted to know why all the leaves have fallen off my serissa bonsai, I have it for two months I water it regularly and I fertilize it with natural liquid fertilizer, I changed the pot as soon as I bought it because its roots were coming out, the only thing I did was add More soil to the pot is inside it does not give much light but if more shade I do not know what to do I do not live in a humid place that is why I spray it frequently I do not know what to do
Hi Denisse.
The Serissa is a tropical tree that cannot bear temperatures below 10 degrees Celsius. My advice is that, as long as the outside temperature is comfortable, take it outside and place it in an area protected from direct sun. If you can't, put it in a very bright room, away from drafts.
Suspend spraying, and water very occasionally, 3 or 4 times a week in summer, and 1-2 / week the rest of the year.
Nor is it too much to treat it with a broad spectrum fungicide, to prevent fungi from harming you.
Greetings and good luck.
Hello, I need your help, my serissa phoetida tree, when they gave it to me it was beautiful, it was accompanied by two other small plants, it lasted about a month and a half, then I left it inside the house because the cold was horrible outside, it I was careless a bit and I saw that the leaves began to turn yellow, the other plants dried completely, the tree got worse and the leaves fell off, which were completely dry. I told a friend that he likes gardening and he told me to water it every other day and to add one as a vitamin for the tree (one are ball-shaped blue and others are like pebbles in cream, pink and light blue) , I did it and on the 2nd day a very small talk bloomed between the branches of the tree, the roots as they could be seen and I put a little more soil, it continued well until the 4th day someone took my tree and discovered that the little plant that had been born He died and they had taken away the earth that I put in to cover the roots, currently the tree is as dry, if not in its entirety, check if its trunk was green, but no, it is dry. The leaves are yellow, in the morning I take it out a little bit and when I leave I leave it in my room, so that my cat won't do anything to it, I live in Puebla, just started spring, I water it every third day. vitamins, but nothing works, does it still have a remedy or is my tree dead? I appreciate the help
Hi Luzette.
If the trunk is dry, unfortunately nothing can be done for it 🙁
The Serissa is a very delicate tree. To start with bonsai, an elm tree is better, which is placed outside.
A greeting.
I am reading in many places that indoor bonsai do not exist. I bought a serissa and I have it in the living room, which is very bright and is oriented to the south, I mean a lot of light. I have been with the bonsai for 3 days so it has not yet undergone any change but I do not want to suffer it. I have no terrace, nor option to take it outdoors, the only thing to ventilate. with that it would be worth so that my bonsai does not suffer or die
Hello Cristina.
Indeed, indoor bonsai do not exist, but there are species, such as Serissa phoetida, which have to be indoors during winter if temperatures drop below 5-10ºC outside.
I'm not going to fool you: the Serissa is a very delicate species that needs a lot of light. But if you ventilate the room from time to time (taking the bonsai to another, so that the drafts do not reach it), it could help.
Greetings and good luck.
Hello Monica,
I just bought a serissa and I do not want to be in danger with these things that you say here. My question, should I have it inside my home or not?
Hi Luis.
The ideal is to have it outside, in semi-shade, during spring and summer. In autumn and winter, if the temperature drops below 10ºC, it is better to keep it indoors, in a room with plenty of natural light and without drafts.
A greeting.
Hi there! I bought a serissa a few months ago and it had very few leaves, they told me it was normal. Bonsai continues like this (with very few leaves) but I see that it even blooms! I read in another comment that they changed the pot because the roots were exposed, mine is like this. Do I have to change it and cover the roots?
Hi Gisela.
Yes, the roots cannot be outside. I recommend transplanting it to a somewhat larger tray, at the end of winter.
A greeting.
Hello Monica .
I have a serissa phoetida since June, and it has been outside and it has been very good, sometimes it had a yellow leaf, but it has been 2 weeks that you have more and more yellow leaves, it is still outside, it has more shade than sun During the day, I water it in immersion when the soil is dry, it has new leaves growing, but I don't know if it is dying or I have to put it indoors.
A greeting.
Thank you
Hello Nuria.
Serissas are very complicated 🙁.
I recommend that you keep it indoors, in a room where a lot of light enters and where it is protected from drafts.
Water it when the soil is dry, and add a tablespoon of Nitrofosca coffee a month. This way the roots will better withstand the autumn-winter.
Good luck.
Hey.
I have had a Serissa Phoetida Variagata Bonsai about 5 years old for a week, should I be careful with something more than what you put in the article?
Can I spray water on the leaves or better water the soil?
I work in a compost warehouse, I would like to know what is the best composition for my Bonsai.
I have the Bonsai in my room, early in the morning I leave it in the same room but next to the window to give it light, is that correct?
Hi Peter.
Better to water the land. I personally do not recommend doing foliar sprays, since the water clogs the pores and could suffocate the leaves.
Now in winter to better overcome it you can fertilize it with Nitrofoska, adding half a small spoonful (of coffee) once every 15-20 days. This is not intended for the plant to grow, but rather that its roots are kept at a comfortable temperature.
Bonsai do not live as well indoors as a kentia palm can, for example. With the Serissa there is no choice but to keep it inside in winter, as it cannot stand the cold. In order for it to survive, it must be protected from drafts (both cold and warm), and be located in a room with plenty of natural light, the more the better.
Another thing you can do, oddly enough, is wrap the tray with a thermal plant blanket. It will let water through, but not air, so it won't be as cold.
It is also important to water with warm water, either rain, for human consumption, or acidified (diluting the liquid of half a lemon in a liter of calcareous water).
Regards and good luck.
Hello. I am observing that the leaves are drying, I usually water it once a week and it is in a place that gives it light, is it good that the window is open in the morning? Although the room faces an interior patio. What can i do to recover it? I don't think it is normal that the leaves are drying out and it has an ugly color. I have not paid it yet.
Thank you
Hi Peter.
The Serissa is a tree that does not withstand the cold, so it is likely that its leaves are turning ugly as a result of the low temperatures.
Drafts can be quite damaging, so I don't recommend opening the window. What you can do is take it outside on days when the temperature stays above 10ºC, in an area where it does not get direct sunlight.
To prevent it from getting worse, you can add a small spoonful of Nitrofoska once a month, not to fertilize it, but to keep its roots warm and the tree does not look bad.
Greetings, and good luck.
Good morning I bought my serissa bonsai I have it for two months I water it 2 times a week and I keep it in the window where the light and air hits it but the leaves are falling
Hello Gustavo.
Don't worry, it is normal for the leaves to fall off.
You can fertilize it a little with a liquid fertilizer prepared for bonsai - you will find it in the nurseries - following the instructions specified on the package.
By the way, what is the temperature over there? I ask you because if it is very hot (25º or more), it may be necessary to water 3 or 4 times a week.
A greeting.
Hello Monica, days ago they gave me the serissa, I really did not know her name and until today I knew her name, making me know less what was wrong with her. It happens that it began to dry out too ugly: cy I have read but I don't know what to do, the trunks are still green inside, but the leaves are completely dry, perhaps by mistake I transplanted it but it is still bad, everything gives light the day and also the light at night, it also hits the sun all day long, and just today I begged for it, please I need your help.
Hello Azarel.
The Serissa is, unfortunately, a species as beautiful as it is delicate 🙁
It cannot get direct sunlight, but it does need a lot of light. Indoors it has a hard time, but when the temperature drops below 10ºC there is no choice but to keep it inside, in a room where there are no drafts.
It has to be watered little, about twice a week. You can water it with homemade rooting hormones (here explains how to obtain them).
A greeting.
Hello Monica, I have an 8-year-old Serissa, who my brother gave to my mother for her birthday, I live in Seville, and I can leave it outside in a flower pot, although throwing the awning on it but the leaves are getting yellow and wrinkled, I think it is due to the irrigation, that I gave it to him pulverized, I already read you that it would be necessary to water it 3 or 4 times a week, my question is, what bottled water has the PH below 6 and if not, tell me , what water can I use or how to water it, thank you very much in advance
Hello Antonio.
You can dilute the liquid of half a lemon in 1 liter of water and water the bonsai with that mixture. Avoid wetting the leaves to prevent them from burning.
A greeting.
Thank you very much for your prompt response, Monica, if I can save it, it will be thanks to your advice, although I think that as I started to water it with a sprayer, I did not add enough water, now with this advice and a little more water I think we will save it.
Let's see how it goes. Good luck!
Hello Monica, yesterday I bought a 4-year-old Serissa, I live in Colombia, where there are no seasons and the climate of the city where I live is warm, always between 25 and 30 degrees all year round. In the place where I bought it, they recommended that I water it every day and leave it outside. My question is whether I should leave my plant in a place where it is directly exposed to the sun or in the shade, because yesterday I left it in direct sun and today many more white flowers have bloomed than before!
Thank you very much in advance, Greetings.
Hello Natalia.
Now at the moment it is more advisable to have it in semi-shade, since if it is always in direct sun it can burn. Go exposing it little by little to the sun and so it can continue to be beautiful 🙂.
A greeting.
Hello good. Where I live the temperatures range from 20 to 30 degrees, my serissa is in the corridor where the direct sun hits her for only 15 minutes in the morning, the rest of the day clear. I see several dry leaves, a month I fertilize it and water it every other day since we are in winter. What do you recommend for the leaves? Thanks
Hi Gerson.
It is normal for some leaves to fall off. From what you count, it seems that it is in a good place, and the care is correct.
Have you checked if it has any plagues? The most common are mealybugs, Red spider y White fly.
A greeting.
Hello Monica,
I have a Serissadesee for a year and a half. It was very good and flowered for about 8 months and then a plague hit it, I think it was whitefly. I was able to get it back from that with a home remedy that a friend gave me and I pruned it a bit, but the flowers didn't bloom anymore. I moved days ago and forgot to water it and now it looks dry. How can I get it back and flourish? I live in Quito Ecuador, where the weather is around 12-25 degrees all year round. Thank you very much for the advice!
Hi, Diana.
To recover it, I recommend watering it with homemade rooting hormones (here explains how to obtain them).
When you see it growing, you can continue to water it with normal water, and start to fertilize it with a fertilizer for bonsai following the instructions specified on the package.
This is how it will flourish again.
A greeting.
Hello, good afternoon
2 weeks ago I bought a serissa, and I have it on a table next to the sale where the sun enters, but its flowers do not bloom, what can I do?
Hi Alejandra.
It is normal for the bonsai flowers to remain as stops when changing the place plant (from nursery to home).
You have to be patient. If they fall off, don't worry: as soon as the bonsai adapts, it is likely to bloom again.
A greeting.
Hi!
I bought a young serissa a month ago, but I'm still confused about how to water it, should I do it by immersion? Or can I do it another way? Which?
I live in Brazil and although it is very tropical, we are in winter without much cold, do I leave it indoors at night? Or can I leave it out all day?
I appreciate the help!!
regards
Hello david.
Being in Brazil you can have it outside all year round, in semi-shade (but with lots of light).
You can water it by immersion. Fill a tray with water and leave it there for about 10 minutes.
A greeting.
Good afternoon, I have already read all the questions and answers, but I do not see something similar to what has happened to me, I have two serissas for about 2 months, when I bought them they had beautiful flowers, some, they did not fill the little tree, but at the spend the week and a half the flower buds turned black, as if they were burned, and so far it has not produced any more flowers, it has happened to my two little trees, one I have in the office and the other in my living room house: they told me to water them twice a week but I realized that the soil was drying up soon so I have had to water them almost every day, many of their leaves are yellow and part of the stem is black. In the office the tree is not near the window but if it is very bright, x at least twice a week I place it near the sale so that it receives sun and I open the window so that it has fresh air, now where I live we are in summer, temperature over 15 degrees even if there is a little wind. In the house, the tree is also in a place with lots of light, but since the air is cooler there, I have not brought it up to date. Regarding irrigation, I put water on the ground but also sprinkle a little on its branches and the base of the stem. I have tried to revive them with a mixture that they gave me to make my bougainvilleas bloom, but I don't see results, I see them dry, nothing like when I bought them. Please, what can I do, they are my first bonsai
Hi Conny.
I recommend you water them with homemade rooting hormones (here explains how to obtain them). Thus its roots will be strengthened and the bonsai will emit new ones.
It is also important not to fertilize them, since being weak an excess of "food" can harm them.
By the way, what kind of water do you use for watering? If it has lime, it is best to let it sit overnight before using it.
A greeting.
Hello, I bought a bonsai of that type .. it is the first one that I have (in my care) .. my mother had a different one but it was bad for her ..
Mm ... I want to know is what I do is fine ... I water it once a day so that the soil is a little wet but not so much that it is mud or suffocates it. ..at night I keep it inside my room and I put on some music (I usually put sounds to make them lively .. a custom) ... but I don't know well every so often I have to prune ... I think it's better to let it crest a little and After pruning and shaping it, it remains a bit comfortable ... also when I have to put compost or fertilizer.
I'm used to dealing with the crazy mood of my mom's plants. .and I have the habit of putting them in places a little over two with some sun so that they are not affected much by the sun's rays ... if I could I would like to know a little ... as if I can use other things as fertilizer or if it is okay to keep it in places somewhat shaded. .and although they say these plants are somewhat fussy, this is quite like saying it ... well-off.? She is not bothered by anything and she looks quite happy in my view ... I do not see her withered or something like that. .
Hello, Luli.
You can pay it in spring and summer, with a fertilizer for bonsai that you will find for sale in nurseries and garden stores. Follow the instructions specified on the package, and I'm sure your Serissa will make you beautiful 🙂.
Regarding your question, it is better that it is in a single, bright area. It does not grow well in shady places.
A greeting.
Hello Monica
More than 2 months ago I bought a serissa, I water it twice a week and I have it in a place where it gives it light, but its flowers have not bloomed and its leaves are drying and yesterday I realized that it has a plague, why has one little dots white and little animals, what can I do, I don't want him to die Help me?
Hi Alejandra.
I recommend treating it with Chlorpyrifos, to eliminate pests.
You can also water it with homemade rooting hormones (here explains how to obtain them). This will help it to emit new roots, which will give it strength.
A greeting.
Hello Monica
I bought a serissa for a few days and I wonder how I should water my plant, if it should be done directly on the ground or if you also have to water the leaves, thank you very much
Hello Adrian.
The soil should be watered directly, placing the tray in a container with water and leaving it there for about 10 minutes, with a sprayer or with a small watering can.
A greeting.
Hello such
2 months ago I bought a young serissa, the first month it kept growing and with many flowers, but the second month almost suddenly all the leaves and some branches dried up
I water it trying to keep its soil moist when it is drying and I take it out the window to get some sun
I remove the withered leaves and branches
I'm from Argentina, now it's spring
Hi Arthem.
It is normal. Bonsai have a harder time adapting than a »normal» plant.
Surely with such care it will end up recovering 🙂 In any case, if you can take it outside, in semi-shade so that it sprouts more quickly.
A greeting.
Hello
I took out my serissa in semi-shade and began to water it by immersion, without a doubt I improved, several leaves grew on several branches, but there are branches in which it is not growing, those branches are still alive because they are green inside, how can I make it sprout in all branches?
Hi Arthem.
If you are in the southern hemisphere, you can pay it with bonsai fertilizers following the instructions specified on the product packaging.
If you are in the north, I advise you more to wait for spring to arrive, since now in winter it will not grow much.
A greeting.
Good afternoon Monica
One of my bonsai is a serrissa japonica, it is two years old and I would like it to bloom, I have already started making the lentil rooting but you know of something else to make flowers come out.
The soil is always humid, it is on the balcony, it has a lot of light, sun at some hours of the day, I live in Cali, Colombia we have a climate of min 19 max 30 degrees. Humidity 80% and a UV index of 11.
I hope you can help me, thank you very much.
Hello Juan Sebastian.
If you do not do it already, I recommend you fertilize it from the beginning of spring to the beginning of autumn with a specific liquid fertilizer for bonsai, following the instructions specified on the package.
So sure it will bloom soon 🙂
A greeting.
Hello Monica,
They have given me a serissa for the kings and I do not know very well what care I should take, how to water it and how to maintain it.
I know it is difficult to be the first, but since they have given it to me I would like to keep it and be able to see it flourish.
A greeting and thank you very much
Hi Juanjo.
Congratulations on that gift 🙂
I recommend keeping it in a room where a lot of natural light enters, away from drafts.
The article explains when to water and fertilize it.
If in doubt, ask.
A greeting.
Hello Monica,
On the 30th they gave me a phoetida serissa for my birthday. On the 2nd I went on vacation for a week. The plant was very wet, and I thought that would be enough for the whole week. But on my return the plant was quite dry. After three days of being wet again, some shoots are back to their old vigor, but half of them have dried up. What do I have to do? Is there to prune dry shoots?
Hello Brunette.
I recommend you wait a few days, to see how those branches react. They may take out new leaves if the branches are still green. In the event that they are really dry, you can prune them.
A greeting.
Good monica, they gave me a serissa less than a month ago, I have no idea to keep it, I live in Andalusia and I have a balcony where the sun shines from two in the afternoon until sunset, what should I keep serissa on the balcony outside protected with a greenhouse, or inside next to the balcony window? And another thing, when I water it, should I pour water on it until it comes out of the holes in the pot?
Hi Abigail.
Nice gift, although complicated 🙂.
In Seville it may hold you, but you have to protect it from frost.
I recommend you more to keep it indoors, and take it out on those days when it is warmer in semi-shade. In spring you can keep it outside, in semi-shade, until winter comes again.
Regarding watering, yes, you have to water until the water comes out of the holes in the pot.
A greeting.
Good Morning. What room temperature does the serissa have to have? I gave it to my son for kings and they are turning yellow leaves. Thanks
Hi dove.
The Serissa is a tropical tree. When the temperature drops below 10ºC, it is bad.
Ideally, it should not drop below 15ºC.
A greeting.
Good afternoon,
As for the light you need, I have it indoors next to the window, but does it have to give you direct or better indirect light? I say this because on the outside I have read about this issue but inside I don't know if having the glass, I have to take the same care that it does not hit it directly or not. Thanks a lot
Hi Lluis.
No, you do not have to give it directly.
If you have it by the window, be careful because the leaves could burn when the magnifying glass effect occurs.
A greeting.
Hi there! I have many doubts with my Serissa. I bought it in March and it was gorgeous. I watered it every day and kept it indoors where it gave it a little light, but I took it out for an hour or two in direct sunlight. In June the leaves began to dry out. It had necrosis on the tip and the leaves were turning black. The man who sold it to me recommended that I put it out in the sun for a longer time and water it less since it seemed like overwatering. I did that all of July but it started to dry out completely. The leaves no longer continued to turn black, but turned brown / orange. I was worried that it was a lot of sun and little water and I have kept it indoors with light but giving it away 3 times a week for the last month and a half. A week ago all the remaining green leaves dried completely and now it is an orange tree with very dry leaves. I have constantly checked and all its branches are green (which fills me with hope), but I would like your advice so that it improves, since I have pruned it and it does not grow new leaves 🙁
Hi carmen.
Serissa bonsai is very difficult if the weather is not good. It is difficult for him to adapt to the interior.
Anyway, I would recommend watering it with homemade rooting agents at least once a week, to stimulate the growth of new roots.
Water it little: 2 times a week, or even 1 if you are in the northern hemisphere since autumn is now coming and it will take longer to lose moisture.
A greeting.
Hello Monica, I want to buy a bonsai and I like this species a lot but I have been reading a lot of comments and it seems complicated for a beginner and also I do not know if it would survive in the place where I want to have it. I tell you, I live in Almería (Spain), so the temperatures are not very low but my idea was to put it in my room next to a window, what do you think? Or what other species do you recommend for what I want and make it attractive. Thanks
Hello Angel.
Due to the climate you would not have many problems, but it is not a plant that adapts well to living indoors 🙁
The truth is that there is no bonsai that is adapted to living indoors; they often lack light or are hampered by drafts.
Now, the Ficus are the easiest, and where you plan to put it safe it would stay healthy.
A greeting.
Hello good afternoon Monica !!! I bought a bonsai serissa phoetida about two months ago and at that time it was very beautiful but for a while now the leaves began to dry, what can I do so that my bonsai does not die I water it every third day I water half a liter of water and it The temperature is 15 degrees, I have it abroad, I am from Monterrey Nuevo Leon
Hello Horacio.
It is normal for some leaves to fall off 🙂 The only thing, you have to be patient, but if there is no frost in your area, don't worry.
You can water from time to time with homemade rooting agents so that it emits new roots and is stronger.
A greeting.
Hello. My bonsai grew 3 purple flowers but before it had more than 10 white ones, why is that?
He also got a very abundant infestation of green bugs, what can I do?
Thank you
Hello Paula.
If it has flowered so little, it is probably due to insects, which from what you say could be aphids. In this link explains how to remove them.
A greeting.
Hello, I just bought this bonsai, it is 5 years old, it comes in its factory pot, the roots come out a little, would it be okay if I transplanted it to another bigger pot?
Hello Raul.
The Serissa is transplanted in spring, so if you are in the northern hemisphere it is better to wait a few months 🙂
Greetings.
Hi there! I bought a serissa phoetida bonsai about 3-4 months ago, I have it indoors (because there is a lot of sun on the terrace) and I water it when the soil is more or less dry. But still the leaves are falling off. Two months ago I saw that there were snails on the ground. Could this be what makes them drop? There is no more to be seen but I removed at least 10 small snails from the ground.
Greetings.
Hello Valentina.
If you can, it is better to be out of the house, in the shade. For example, sheltered by trees, or under a shade net.
Indoors he has trouble adjusting.
Anyway, and just in case, you can place a container with beer nearby (you can cover it with a mosquito net). This will attract snails, if any.
How often do you water it more or less? Do you have a plate under it? Stagnant water rots the roots, so if it has a plate underneath you have to remove it to prevent that from happening.
Greetings.