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Hello all, I've had this bonsai for about 8 months and have since seen it grow well, watering it very small amounts daily and spritzing it once a day as well. It sits in front of an East facing window and gets good light. I actually do not know what type of bonsai it is and can't find a match online (See pics). Unfortunately, last week I was gone for 5 1/2 days, and it did not get watered during that time. The leaves have started to curl on themselves and appear dryer, but have not started to fall off yet.

Can anyone help me figure out how to save the plant from dying? It seems to be struggling, and I don't know what the next best step is (as a beginner bonsai owner). I've resumed watering it, feeling the moss and if feels dry then watering another small amount, as well as spritzing it with a spray bottle 2x/day. But after about a week since returning from my trip I can't seem to get it to look any better. Thank you and I really appreciate any advice/tips; it means a lot!

Pic 1: healthy bonsai end of april (grown since then until last week)
Pic 2: photo from today
Pic 3: close up of unhealthy leaves from today
Pic 4: close up of unhealthy base from today

first it is not a bonsai. Next you have it inside. Next you have been underwatering for a long time. Next you cannot leave a plant un watered and expect it to live, I doubt it will recover but you could keep watering and hope. As for the species have a look at the species guides on this site to see if it is there, the leaves are too shrivelled to identify, but you know what it looked like before

When roots dry they die. If there is still some alive roots they can recover with correct watering. But it can take months.

Small amounts of water daily is not correct watering. Go sheck some tutorials about watering bonsai and correct it.

It could be a "Gleditsia triacanthos" but not sure .. !?
The top layer at your Substrate (hope it`s only a top layer) looks nice, but it`s not helpful , you have no Indication if it`s wet or dry under it.
Now you have watered carefully, to much Water will not repair, may results the opposite, if the Leaves coming back .. more Water will needed.

It could very well be Gleditsia triacanthos. A temperate decidious tree. If that identifikation is correct it needs to be outdoors all year. Indoor it will die, with or without correct watering and there are no way around it.

Thank you for your advice! Will try my best. When I purchased the plant, it was already potted in this. After learning more, it seems it's most likely not the right pot as there is no drainage that would allow me to water it properly. So maybe will try to repot into something different, unless anyone thinks this is a bad idea.

I'll also try to bring it outside although it's been unbearably hot here lately so hopefully won't be a problem.

Will report back.

Unbearable hot is not good enough information. For me it is above 20c. For a Sheik in Saudi Arabia it may be above 40c.

If the tree have no drainage you have a problem. Outdoors it may be flooded from rain. Repotting season starts in early spring. The best is proboably to drill a hole in the current pot. Second best put it outdoors but under a roof so no rain gets to it.

Looking forward for the report in spring, success or not.

Thank you so much @tropfrog!I took your advice and drilled a hole in my pot, then watered it correctly with good drainage. I also evaluated my plant more closely, and the roots were not totally dried out and the trunk is still green which I feel is a good sign. I placed it outside and will continue this better watering routine moving forward. Will provide updates in the next 3-6 months.

Tropfrog wrote:

Unbearable hot is not good enough information. For me it is above 20c. For a Sheik in Saudi Arabia it may be above 40c .

I was visiting a friend in Ireland once who was about to pass out from the heat.

I had a long sleeved shirt and rolled the sleeves down. It was 74F/20C.

I won't type what he said.