Help me choose species for my conservatory :-)

[massia]

Dear wise people

Which species can grow indoor in temps up to 40 degrees Celsius (in a conservatory)?

Can anyone help me with species-suggestions for bonsai to be living in my conservatory)?
I plan to grow the trees from seeds inside the house and move them to the conservatory after a year or two.
In the summer the temperature can get quite hot in the conservatory and vary between 15 and 40 degrees Celsius. This is why I’m posting in the “tropical”-section.
I also plan to take the trees inside the living area during winter, since the temperature in the conservatory drops down to 5 degrees (I live in Denmark). I don’t expect any species can manage a temperature-shift from 5 to 40 degrees.

Many thanks in advance
/Morten

[Matthew]

I would think the ficus variety wilk do well,maybe fukian tea,serrissa. The list is limited if u dont have good natural light and air flow.figs will survive 5 degrees no problem. They may shed leaves if its a sudden temp drop. My figs experience 40 +in summer and up to -7 in winter in a hothouse of course but its still close to zero in rhere

[Raging Bull]

Hi Morten, to my limited knowledge you have a couple of options. Why not try a desert plant or two, they can handle extremes of temperatures. Some kinds of acacia may do well, or a boab. The problem may be how to obtain these in Denmark. Another option would be to try some mediterranean plants that grow in the more extreme parts of Spain or the Moroccan coast, like cork oak or something similar. Shibui may be able to suggest some plants that do well where he lives, the climate there also has some extremes.
Cheers, Frank

[shibui]

Ficus rubiginosa will do very well anywhere between 1C and 45C and thrives inside where many other species do not. It is also fast growing and responds really well to pruning and repotting - all the attributes for a great bonsai species.

Where I live winter minimum is down to -5C and up to 43C daytime in summer. All my trees except for ficus live outside with just a little shade in summer so they don't dry out too quick. Most trees will tolerate a wide range of temps but they do need good air movement and plenty of sunshine so many do not like inside conditions.
For indoor plants look to sub tropical species. many ficus are good for bonsai. Try searching some American sites. In the southern states some people grow tropical and sub tropical species as indoor bonsai so there should be some good suggestions there. You may also find some bonsai nuts that are growing trees indoors further north where conditions would be comparable to yours.

[Pup]

Jerry Meislic an American grower of ficus grows them all indoors under lights.
Search for him on the net.

Cheers pup