Dead Maple?

[thomasc96]

Hi,

My friend has a maple bonsai that they were gifted and didn't water for a week or so and kept it indoors with partial direct sunlight through the window for about 1-2hrs everyday. It had lost all it's leaves and majority of the main branch turned brown. I told them that they needed to keep it outdoors with morning-midday sun and watered daily depending on the dampness of the soil. Leaves started growing from the bottom half, however the top majority of the branch has stayed dark brown and my guess is that that portion of the bonsai is dead?

Is there any way to help recover this one or any suggestions on best way forward?

[Daluke]

The blackened bits are dead bro.

Cut back to the alive spot of the trunk.

Also remove the stones and check out the soil. It looks like a mass produced tree - probably just out of a nursery pot into a bonsai style pot with normal soil.

[shibui]

I agree with Daluke.
Black parts are well and truly dead and nothing you or anyone else can do will resurrect that section.
Fortunately there was still enough left for the tree to grow from so it has escaped total oblivion.
Chop the dead parts off close to the living branches. That's probably enough to do for now. I'd now encourage the remaining branches to grow so the leaves can feed the tree and recover some energy and health. Feed and water well for the remainder of the growing season. Looks like it is happy in the new location so probably keep it there for this year.

When the 2 remaining branches are strong and have thickened a bit we can work out how to move forward to regrow something that may be bonsai.