As the title suggests, I'd like to make a bonsai or two from some cuttings I made from a plant my mom owns. It's only been a week since I've had them and she told me that it'll be weeks before they root, but I've noticed some things that have risen my concern. I've kept them indoors, by my window every day and receiving full sunlight. I just changed the water after keeping it the same for 8 days.

Here's a collage of pictures to better illustrate my concerns: http://img851.imageshack.us/img851/2093/jasmine.jpg

Here are some questions I have:
Is that a problematic fungus?
Is that bug a pest to the plant?
Does the dark green/blackish branches indicate too much water?
Is the crackling bark on the cuttings some type of sign?
Is it wise to keep a few leaves at the top of the cutting?

I apologize for having so many questions, but I don't know of a better resource to refer to. Even answering a single question would be greatly appreciated. If any more details are needed, please feel free to ask.

Thank you!

I'm not a bonsai person or anything, but I did come across your post while searching for info on turning my jasmine cuttings (that are being rooted now) into a bonsai. While I don't have bonsai experience, I do have a lot of experience with Arabian and Winter Jasmine plants. I have some info that may be of some help to you.

First, identification. Are you absolutely sure that is a jasmine specimen? The reason I ask is because only one Jasmine that I know of has rose-shaped double blooms and that is the Arabian Jasmine (Jasminum Sambac) - primarily the Grand Duke of Tuscany Arabian Jasmine. The blooms on the Arabians are shaped much differently from the ones you pictrued. The petals are much more compact and rounded. The blooms usually only reach an inch or two in diameter. Those flowers look much bigger. I'm pretty sure I know what your mom has, though, is a Gardenia. Google the plant and look at the images - see if it matches up to what your mom has.

Next, lets talk about rooting. If you're trying to root a "hardwood" cutting, you'll need to change your method of rooting. Hardwoods don't usually root in water. They like soil to root. Also, you'll get best results if you use tip cuttings and a rooting hormone powder on the ends that you stick in the soil. Just yesterday I pruned my Grand Duke Arabian Jasmine plant and set 12 tip cuttings to root. A tip cutting is the end of a branch that has a leaf bud. You don't want to cut up by the bud, but go down a few inches (maybe 4 to 6 inches) and make your cut. Then strip all but top most two leaves and the bud. You'll want to have your rooting medium ready so you can just pop the cutting in the pot - you don't want to let too much time pass between cutting and potting. I use a peat moss and vermiculite mixture and a 4 inch pot. Don't pack the rooting mix, leave it loose. Then poke a hole in it a few inches deep.

Take your prepared cutting and dip it about an inch or two into the rooting hormone powder. Tap off the excess and gently put it into the hole you made in the rooting medium. Water the daylights out of the pot until it is fully saturated. Then place the pot with the cutting on a tray with about an inch or more depth. For the next few weeks, just add water to the tray when it gets dry. If it truly is an Arabian Jasmine, you'll want to keep it in an area with a near constant temperature between 60 and 70 degrees for it to root.

Lastly, your critter. That, my friend, looks like scale. You can google Scale Pest and see what you're dealing with. Most likely the critter came with the cutting. They're easy to miss as they are really well camouflaged. Once they attach to your plant, they're really hard to get rid of so eliminate it with extreme prejudice! See this Garden Web post about Scale insects http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/load/houseplt/msg0409431925853.htm l and you'll see what I mean. Whatever you do, do not let that little sucker survive. Check any plant that has come in contact with your cuttings to be sure that the critters didn't move on to them as well. (or worse yet, come from one of your other plants!) You might want to check your mom's plant to see if it has an infestation. If it does, the Scale insects could kill it. She may want to take action as it is a lovely plant.

The questions relating to the bark, branches and fungus are probably because the cuttings are dying/dead and decaying as they weren't meant to be rooted in water. Try again with fresh cuttings using the info I suggested above. I found some really good videos that helped me get started propagating from cuttings on Youtube.

So the cuttings ended up dying. I believe it was because of what you said in addition to being in plastic. I am definitely going to try the method you mentioned, as it makes much more sense.

Also, you were totally right about the species! It's a Gardenia, no doubt. I think she calls it a jasmine because of it's fragrance. Luckily, Gardenia seem to be a pretty common plant to bonsai!

So I will take new cuttings and root them using your method. Hopefully they can withstand the environment of a cold office room with a nice big window of sunlight. I'll post a follow up photo once they're nicely rooted.

Thanks again!!