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For our anniversary, my wife gave me a ficus bonsai tree. About 2 months ago, it suddenly lost all its leaves. We took it to a garden store that specializes in bonsais, and we were told that it had root rot. They helped us trim it back and replant it, with the hope that it would start to thrive again.

It did not recover. I took it back again today, and confirmed it is officially dead.

Since this was an anniversary gift, I'm not inclined to just put it in the compost or trash. Since it is wood (albeit small), is there anything that I could do to somehow preserve it for sentimental reasons?

For example, something crafty or decorative, such as putting small silk flowers on the remaining branches and putting it in a small vase. The branches are so thin and brittle that most snap off when they are touched, which would make this difficult.

J. Musser
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Scribblemacher
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  • does your wife know it's dead? – kevinskio Aug 31 '14 at 21:14
  • I am truly sorry, but getting a cool grave headstone would be best. Then learn from the experience. Take a class in bonsai, a class in botany, get a few books on the subject...TRY AGAIN. But please, never fabricate a story. There was a reason this was a gift, make it so! – stormy Sep 01 '14 at 00:08
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    This question appears to be off-topic because it is about how to use a dead bonsai tree in a craft project, and gardening uses have been specifically ruled out. – Niall C. Sep 01 '14 at 04:39
  • You might get it bronzed, like they apparently still do with baby shoes: https://www.google.com/search?q=bronzed+baby+shoes&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&channel=sb – Wayfaring Stranger Sep 01 '14 at 18:14

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Cut some slices from the trunk, polish them up, carve or don't or hire that out, hang on wires, give your wife earrings for the next anniversary. Or beads, or (if there's enough wood) make pocketknife handle slabs, cufflinks etc... much nicer than a dead stick collecting dust in a vase, IMHO.

I don't know how much wood you have, but "jewelry items" don't take much.

Here's an example: http://www.artfire.com/ext/shop/gallery_item/Grahtoestudio/110477

Wooden pens are another option, with a bit larger wood requirement.

Ecnerwal
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