Radermachera sinica Bonsai Plants GrowTropicals
China doll

Radermachera sinica Bonsai

£16.99
Pot size
12cm £16.99

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Description

Radermachera sinica Bonsai is the China doll plant in miniature tree form. A thick, pale, gnarled root base rises out of the pot like a sculpted trunk, and from the top of it springs a dense crown of glossy, emerald green, doubly divided foliage. It is the same species as the standard China doll and the lime leaved 'Golden' form, but where those grow as bushy, upright foliage plants, this one is trained on its exposed, swollen base in the manner of a ginseng ficus, so every plant has its own character. The contrast between the chunky woody base and the fine, ferny canopy is what makes it such a striking little specimen.

Origins

Radermachera sinica is a flowering tree in the Bignoniaceae family, native from the eastern Himalaya through southern China and northern Indo-China to Taiwan. In the wild it grows into a substantial evergreen tree with fragrant, trumpet shaped flowers, but in cultivation it is prized for its shining, intricately divided leaves and its willingness to stay compact indoors. The species holds the RHS Award of Garden Merit, and the bonsai form condenses all of that glossy foliage onto a stout base only a hand span tall.

Care

Give it bright, indirect light, with no more than a little gentle morning or evening sun; in a dim corner it turns sparse and leggy. Keep the compost evenly moist through the growing season, watering when the surface begins to dry, and never let it either dry right out or sit in water, as both will cost it leaves. Average room humidity is fine. Keep it warm, above 10C at all times, and away from cold draughts, radiators and sudden changes of position, because the China doll is famous for dropping leaves when its conditions change abruptly. Once it is settled and left alone it is an easy going plant, and a pinch of the new shoot tips now and then keeps the crown dense and in proportion with the base.

Live Arrival Guarantee

All plants are covered by our 7-day live arrival guarantee. We pack every order in protective, sustainable packaging designed to keep your plants safe in transit, and every plant is checked before it ships. On the rare occasion something is not right on arrival, we will make it good, provided the plant is still in its original nursery pot.

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Delivery & returns

Order by 1pm Monday to Friday for same day dispatch. Every plant travels in protective, plant-safe packaging with tracked delivery.

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How to care for China doll

Set me near a bright window, out of direct sun and water me little and often so I stay evenly moist.

In their words

What our customers say

Arrived just like the photos - maybe even fuller. Healthy, well-acclimated, and straight into my collection with no issues.

Emily P.

Flawless leaves, stunning variegation, and clearly cared for by experts. It’s already a talking point in my home office.

James R.

Hard to find rare plants that are pet-safe. Ours arrived in perfect condition and looks amazing without any worry.

Sophie L.
Get to know me

About China doll

Radermachera sinica Bonsai is a houseplant that takes a little effort. It needs bright indirect light, watering often enough to keep the compost evenly moist, average household humidity and a minimum temperature of 10°C.

Good for

Living Room

Care level

EasyChallenge

A little effort

Light

ShadeFull sun

Bright, indirect light

Bright, indirect light with at most a little gentle morning or evening sun. Too little light makes the crown sparse and leggy. Read moreShow less

Bright, indirect light with at most a little gentle morning or evening sun. Too little light makes the crown sparse and leggy.

Watering

Evenly moistDries out fully

Keep evenly moist

Keep the compost evenly moist in the growing season, watering when the surface starts to dry. Never let it dry out completely or stand in water; both cause leaf drop. Read moreShow less

Keep the compost evenly moist in the growing season, watering when the surface starts to dry. Never let it dry out completely or stand in water; both cause leaf drop.

Humidity

Average homeHigh humidity

Happy at normal household humidity

Average room humidity is fine. It copes with normal household air better than most fine leaved plants. Read moreShow less

Average room humidity is fine. It copes with normal household air better than most fine leaved plants.

Temperature

Keep above 10°C · Happy at normal room temperature

Warm and steady, 10C or above at all times. Keep it away from cold draughts, hot radiators and sudden moves, which trigger leaf drop. Read moreShow less

Warm and steady, 10C or above at all times. Keep it away from cold draughts, hot radiators and sudden moves, which trigger leaf drop.

Feeding

Feed monthly with a balanced fertiliser from spring to autumn, and let it rest over winter.

Growth habit

Tree-form →

Plant type

Bonsai →Foliage houseplant →

Also known as

Radermachera sinica Bonsai

Genus

Radermachera →
Good to know

Frequently Asked Questions

How is this different from the standard Radermachera sinica?

It is exactly the same species, trained differently. The standard China doll and the lime leaved 'Golden' form are bushy, upright foliage plants. The bonsai form is raised on a thick, exposed, gnarled root base that acts as a miniature trunk, topped with a compact crown of the same glossy, doubly divided leaves, similar in style to a ginseng ficus. You buy it as much for the sculptural base as for the foliage.

Why is my China doll dropping leaves?

Sudden change is the usual culprit. Radermachera sinica is well known for shedding leaflets after a move, a cold draught, a dark position or a swing between bone dry and soggy compost. Settle it in a bright spot away from draughts and radiators, keep the compost evenly moist, and then leave it alone. Once conditions are steady it regrows quickly.

How much light does it need?

Bright, indirect light is ideal, for example close to an east facing window or a little back from a south or west facing one. A couple of hours of gentle morning or evening sun is fine, but avoid harsh midday sun, and avoid deep shade, which leaves the crown thin and stretched.

Is the China doll plant safe around pets?

It does not appear on the ASPCA lists of toxic plants and is generally regarded as non-toxic to cats, dogs and people. As with any houseplant, eating a large amount could cause mild stomach upset, so it is still sensible to discourage nibbling.

How do I keep the bonsai shape?

Pinch or snip out the tips of new shoots once they have a few pairs of leaves. This keeps the crown dense, rounded and in proportion with the swollen base. It grows steadily rather than rampantly indoors, so a light trim every month or two through spring and summer is usually all it needs.

Does my plant come with a pot?
Your plant will arrive in its nursery grow pot — the plastic pot it's been growing in. We don't include a decorative pot as standard, and there's a good reason for that: it means you get to choose one that fits your space and style, rather than being stuck with something that doesn't suit your home.

It also means you're not paying extra for a pot you might not want. The nursery pot is perfectly fine to keep your plant in for a while, just pop it inside a decorative cover pot or cache pot and you're good to go. When you're ready to repot (usually after a growing season or when roots start poking out the bottom), you can move it into something more permanent with fresh soil.

If you're not sure what size cover pot to go for, check the pot selector tool listed above, you'll want a decorative pot that's a centimetre or two wider than that to give it a comfortable fit.
How big will my plant be when it arrives?
Every plant on our site includes the pot size (e.g. 12cm) and, where possible, an approximate height. That's the most reliable way to set your expectations, photos can sometimes make a plant look larger or smaller than it really is.

If you're thinking "that sounds quite small for the price," here's something worth knowing: younger, smaller plants almost always adapt better to your home than larger ones. They adjust faster to your light and humidity, put out new growth more quickly, and tend to establish stronger root systems long-term. A plant that grows into your space will usually outperform one that was already big when it arrived.

That said, every plant is an individual. The one you receive may vary slightly in height, shape, or fullness compared to the photo, that's the nature of living things, not a quality issue. We select healthy, well-established specimens, and if you ever feel your plant doesn't match what you were expecting, just get in touch and we'll take a look.
What makes your plants different from the supermarket or garden centre?
There's a big difference between a plant that's been sitting under on a retail shelf and one that's been looked after and cared for by people who specialise in exactly this.

Our plants are grown in house or sourced from specialist nurseries, many of them varieties you simply won't find at your local garden centre or supermarket. Before anything leaves us, it's checked over by our horticultural team to make sure it's healthy, well-rooted, and ready to thrive in your home. We're not shifting volume off a pallet, we're choosing plants we'd want to keep ourselves.

When you buy from a supermarket, you get a plant and a generic care label. When you buy from us, you get the knowledge that comes with it, detailed care guidance, a team you can actually contact if something isn't going right, and the confidence that what's arriving has been looked after properly from the moment it was grown to the moment it reaches your door.

We're a specialist nursery first, not a retailer that happens to sell plants. That's the difference, and you'll see it the moment you open the box.
What should I do when my plant arrives?
First things first, unbox it as soon as you can. Plants don't love being in dark boxes any more than you would, and the sooner yours is out and breathing, the better.

Remove all the packaging carefully, give the soil a check with your finger, and water lightly if it feels dry. Then find it a spot with appropriate light, but avoid putting it straight into harsh direct sun or next to a radiator. Think of it like arriving somewhere new after a long journey: it needs a moment to adjust.

It's completely normal for your plant to look a little tired or droopy after transit. This is called transit stress, and most plants bounce back within a week or two. You might see a yellow leaf or some drooping, don't panic, and resist the urge to overwater or start repotting straight away.

Our advice for the first couple of weeks: leave it in its nursery pot, water it only when the top layer of soil feels dry, and let it acclimatise to your home's light, temperature, and humidity. Once it's settled in and showing signs of new growth, you can think about repotting or moving it to its permanent spot.

Every plant we sell comes with a care guide on the product page so you'll know exactly what it needs going forward. And if anything doesn't look right, get in touch with our team, we're always happy to help.
Will my plant survive being shipped?
Yes! and we go to serious lengths to make sure of it. Every plant is hand-packed by our team with protective wrapping and secure, custom-designed boxes to keep it stable and safe in transit. We've shipped hundreds of thousands of plants across the UK and our packaging methods have been refined over years to handle the bumps and jolts of delivery.

During colder months, we monitor weather forecasts and offer heat packs where needed to protect against frost. In extreme conditions, we may hold your order for a day or two rather than risk sending it out, we'd rather you wait an extra day than receive a stressed plant.

That said, plants are living things, and the occasional transit wobble can happen. If your plant arrives damaged or isn't in the condition you'd expect, just get in touch within 48 hours with a photo, and we'll make it right, whether that's a replacement or a full refund. No fuss.

The short version: we treat every box like it's going to someone who really cares about what's inside, because it is.
Meet the family

Everything about Radermachera

China Doll plants drop leaves when they are stressed, not doomed. Give Radermachera steady bright light and even moisture and it grows fast and feathery.

More about Radermachera care
Radermachera Care Guide
Why Grow Tropicals

Plants delivered the way they deserve

Packaged with Care

Packaged with Care

Every order is hand-packed in eco-friendly, protective packaging - refined through thousands of deliveries to ensure your plant arrives healthy, hydrated, and looking its best.

Backed by our Live Arrival Guarantee.

Perfect for Gifting

Perfect for Gifting

From rare collector’s pieces to easy-care favourites, our plants arrive fully potted and ready to enjoy. Add a personalised note at checkout for a thoughtful finishing touch.

Delivered fresh, beautiful, and gift-ready.

Sustainability at Heart

Sustainability at Heart

All plants are ethically sourced from trusted growers, never wild-collected. Every order ships carbon-neutral in minimal-waste packaging.

Good for your home - and the planet.

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Radermachera sinica Bonsai
£16.99