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I was given an Ilex Crenata in August, there is no outdoor space for it so it lives inside. There was leaf loss initially but then it was doing very well and growing new leaves and branches. I bought a bonsai food and was fed it late August, early October and then the 24th of January (I was leaving a gap as it was autumn).
About a month ago I went without watering it for too long (perhaps a few days too long?) and the trunk was wrinkly. I became more careful about watering and also moved it to a cooler room. It lives on a window sill facing the same way it was before, it is not South facing but I do not have a South facing window. Of course there has been very little sun recently as it is winter.
The main part of the trunk stopped being wrinkly and one set of branches remained wrinkly while the other was mostly fine, and there were many new green leaves and I was relieved. But now it is wrinkly again and the new leaves have turned darker and stiffer. I think it looks more wrinkly in the day and less at night but I may just be seeing it differently because of the light.
I have fed it in case it needs more energy but I am very concerned and not sure what else to do. I water it when the top of the soil starts to feel dry (which I think is the right way for this species, I read before about putting your finger in the soil but that would break the roots of my tree). I rotate it each time I water it.
I have not been misting it but I can order a mister and start if that would help.

I have attached photos. The food comes in a capsule and I sprinkle it over the top (it is meant to be poked it the soil but that would damage the roots), so that is visible in the photos.

Please help, I do not want it to die. Thank you.

Stop fertilizing. Plants get their energy from the sun. Fertilizer is just a bunch of salts, needed to build stuff. But as it is not growing, no need for minerals to be added.

The problem with letting it dry out is that the roots get damaged. And depending on the severity of the drying out, irreversably. I am afraid your plant may have damaged the roots to the point that the damage was too big to overcome.

There is nothing to do but keep it evenly moist, never wet, and wait. Only time will tell.

And place it outside, where it belongs

Thank you.

Would it help to move it back to a warmer room?

I was planning to leave it in a colder room for at least 6 weeks, it has been over 4 but would it help it to recover to move it back to a warmer room? It lives on a small window sill right next to but not touching the window in either room.


I read that Ilex Crenata should be inside in the winter anyway, and I do not have an outside place to put it.

Hello, since it’s a tropical tree, I’d keep it inside for the winter, but take it outside as soon as it warms up enough. As for the wrinkly trunk and leaves, I’d recommend watering often and keeping the soil moist at all times. Additionally, since it’s inside and not getting too much sunlight, I’d recommend purchasing a grow light, and possibly a humidifier to keep moisture in the air. Hope this was helpful

VioletMoon wrote: Hello, since it’s a tropical tree, I’d keep it inside for the winter, but take it outside as soon as it warms up enough. As for the wrinkly trunk and leaves, I’d recommend watering often and keeping the soil moist at all times. Additionally, since it’s inside and not getting too much sunlight, I’d recommend purchasing a grow light, and possibly a humidifier to keep moisture in the air. Hope this was helpful

Before you give advice you should get your facts straight...
Ilex crenata needs to be outside ( like all trees), but needs to be protected from frost by placing it in a frostfree space. Do not place it inside the house: too dry, not enough light.

lucR wrote:

VioletMoon wrote: Hello, since it’s a tropical tree, I’d keep it inside for the winter, but take it outside as soon as it warms up enough. As for the wrinkly trunk and leaves, I’d recommend watering often and keeping the soil moist at all times. Additionally, since it’s inside and not getting too much sunlight, I’d recommend purchasing a grow light, and possibly a humidifier to keep moisture in the air. Hope this was helpful

Before you give advice you should get your facts straight...
Ilex crenata needs to be outside ( like all trees), but needs to be protected from frost by placing it in a frostfree space. Do not place it inside the house: too dry, not enough light.

Actually, there are several trees that this won't work on. Ficus, jaboticaba, and others need temperatures no lower than 50F/10C and just frost-free of maybe 34F/1C will stress them too much. Indoors all winter stresses them, too, but it is the best we can do if the temps drop below 50/10 for a while, November to March in my case.

For Ilex Crenata, look up care requirements. Some trees it is 50/10, some 40/5, some freezing.

Thank you.

Humidity is something I had not considered, with the heating on so much it is probably fairly dry. Should I place a tray/plate of water underneath it and buy a mister?

There is nowhere at all outside I can put it, so unfortunately it just has to stay indoors.

The thinner branches are turning dark.

I just moved it back to the warmer room, I have been misting every other day for the last four days, watering every few days or so recently (more than I usually would).

Is there anything else I can do? Would removing the leafless little branches help or make it worse? Is there anything else I can do?

Hmm. You have a cooler room and a warmer room? You will not save your tree by putting it in a warmer room, ilex crenata is a temperate species and need cold winter dormancy.