A Tree Story by Joe Polaski

This Hibiscus is named the 'Marissa Tree'.

Here is it's story.

In 1998 my wife and I lost our first baby, Marissa, full term, due to an umbilical death. It was devastating to Annie and me.

At that time my college advisor, Dick Reynolds, gave us a lovely letter and a little grocery store Hibiscus in a 4" pot.

We still have that tree, 38 years later.

At first we kept it in a 14" pot as a house plant, but every winter, it got sick and I almost lost it a few times. Finally I talked Doug Taylor into treating it as a Bonsai.

We nervously took off 90% of its roots and put it in the green pot you see here.

Then a few years ago we had a VERY wet season and the tree picked up a supposedly incurable virus.

The tree was very sick. After researching the issue I opted to bare root it give it a 3 hour soak un a 3% hydrogen peroxide solution.

Shockingly, the tree started to recover!

Fast forward 3 years and the Marissa needed new shoes.

It was horribly root bound.

Thanks to club member David Bressem, who sold me this lovely pot.

I wonder all the time what the life span is for a Hibiscus...

This tree is a family member.

Thanks to Bonsai we continue to enjoy it's company.