Demanding Bonsai Safe for pets

Snow Rose

Serissa foetida

A delicate flowering shrub, popular for bonsai, featuring tiny white blooms and small, glossy leaves.

The essentials at a glance

Watering

Every day
Light

Bright indirect light
Humidity

60–80 %
Temperature

10–28 °C

How to care for your Snow Rose

Everything you need to keep your Snow Rose healthy: watering, light, humidity, feeding, repotting and pruning.

Serissa foetida is a beautiful but notoriously finicky plant, often grown as a bonsai. It demands consistent conditions: bright, indirect light, high humidity, and perpetually moist (but not soggy) soil. Any sudden change can lead to severe leaf drop. However, with attentive care, it rewards growers with a profusion of tiny, star-like white flowers and an elegant, woody form, making it a challenging but rewarding specimen.

Watering your Snow Rose

Every day

Water thoroughly when the surface of the soil just begins to dry, keeping consistently moist but not soggy.

How to know it needs water

Top soil layer feels barely damp
Leaves start to wilt quickly

How much light a Snow Rose needs

Bright indirect light

Bright, indirect light to partial sun. Needs consistent light.

Direct sun tolerated: 2 to 4 h a day
Orientations that suit it: East, South-east, South, South-west, West, North-west, North

Humidity and misting

60–80 %

High (60%+) Requires very frequent misting or a humidity tray to prevent leaf drop and thrive indoors.

Feeding and fertiliser

Every 14 days

Fertilize every 2-4 weeks during spring/summer; reduce in winter.

Recommended feed: Balanced liquid bonsai fertilizer, diluted. · 5-10-5

Repotting your Snow Rose

Every 12 months

Gently remove, prune roots, refresh soil, repot in same or slightly larger pot.

When: Spring
Potting mix: Bonsai mix
Mix in: pumice, pine bark, coarse sand

The tell-tale signs

Roots filling the pot
Water drains very quickly

Pruning your Snow Rose

Continually to maintain shape and encourage flowering. Pinch new growth; trim branches to shape; defoliate partially for bonsai to refine form.

Through the year

Watering is not set once and for all: it follows the light and the growth. Allow 2 days between waterings in the depth of winter, against 1 in the growing season.

Active growth · Days between waterings

Good to know

Its tiny white flowers resemble miniature roses.
Called 'Tree of a Thousand Stars' when in full bloom, for its profusion of small flowers.

Frequently asked questions about the Snow Rose

How do you care for a Snow Rose?

Water it every day. Give it bright indirect light. Ideal humidity: 60–80 %. Ideal temperature: 10–28 °C. Water thoroughly when the surface of the soil just begins to dry, keeping consistently moist but not soggy.

How often should you water a Snow Rose?

Every day Water thoroughly when the surface of the soil just begins to dry, keeping consistently moist but not soggy. How to know it needs water : Top soil layer feels barely damp ; Leaves start to wilt quickly.

How much light does a Snow Rose need?

Bright indirect light Bright, indirect light to partial sun. Needs consistent light. 2 to 4 h a day

Is the Snow Rose toxic to cats and dogs?

No, the Snow Rose is not listed as toxic to cats and dogs. That is still no reason to let your pets chew on it.

Why are my Snow Rose leaves turning yellow?

Yellowing most often comes from too much water: the mix stays wet and the roots suffocate. Check that the pot drains, empty the saucer, and let the mix dry before watering again. Too little light or a cold draught cause the same symptom.

When should you repot a Snow Rose?

Repot every 12 months, ideally in spring. Gently remove, prune roots, refresh soil, repot in same or slightly larger pot.