First things first… after the Serissa acclimated to my room over the next few days, I then was able to expose the nebari (roots).  I also mounded up on the back of the trunk because the bark there is damaged by moss - this way, roots grow out from the damaged region.  At some point, I should repot.  The soil it is in isn’t very healthy for the Serissa - it is too moisture retentive.

My first venture into the art of bonsai.  Say hello to Serissafoetida, or Serissa for short.  She is pretty much the only tree of her kind.  There aren’t any other species in the genus, Serissa.  My one is the Chinese cultivar, the Tree of a Thousand Stars.  It blossoms delicate white flowers, lending to its name.  Native to the subtropical woodlands and wet meadows of southeast Asia, Serissa foetida thrives in a hot, wet climate.  Where I live, it is neither in the winter.  However, the plant is semi-evergreen and its thick leaves retain moisture very well.

flavorpill:

No explanation to this pic, just the fact that it’s awesome.

(Source: thethirdcockcrowing, via pag-asameanshope)