Hi! I live in Singapore and I’ve just started my bonsai journey yesterday. I purchased a mini sekka hinoki in hope that it’s more manageable than regular sized bonsai.

This bonsai was purchased yesterday, and upon studying it at home, I noticed that the lower part of the leaves are brown (see circled pictures). Are these normal, or do they indicate that these part of the leaves have dried up and that it’s unhealthy? I thought these were branches at first so I did not ask or pay further notice to it at the store.

Sorry if this is a silly question, I’m totally new to this!

Thank you in advance.

Looks normal to me. This is a living plant and will lose needles and bits, you could snip the dead bits off, or just leave it and see what happens, just keep it out of direct sun if it is very hot, and don't forget to water.

It looks good for now. However you may find in the future that growing trees from cold temperate climate in tropics is quite a challenge.

I recomend to join a bonsai club near you to get advices better targeted to your climate and conditions.

Hinoki Cypress is particularly susceptible to dieback, and apparently 'Sekka' even more so. It is due to branches not getting enough sunlight, likely because of other branches casting shade. So yes, it's normal, but no, it's not ideal.

The foliage must be regularly trimmed and wired to control this issue. Read 'Pruning and Wiring' here: www.bonsaiempire.com/tree-species/hinoki
and general rules about styling and pruning:  www.bonsaiempire.com/basics/styling/pruning
I'd also recommend this video: 

Winterwoods wrote:

I purchased a mini sekka hinoki in hope that it’s more manageable than regular sized bonsai.
 

Smaller trees actually tend to require more care as they can easily dry out, especially in warmer climates.
This tree is not really suitable for Singapore and will likely struggle to survive long-term. There are lots of species that would thrive where you live, such as 'Samanea saman' which is an iconic tree in Singapore:  www.bonsaiempire.com/inspiration/progres.../brazilian-rain-tree

I would advise that you consider a more appropriate species for your climate, but you need some sort of outdoor space like a balcony for them to live as trees cannot generally survive indoors.

BL

I suggest you get a vietnamese blue Bell tree. As far as I understand very easy to grow in the tropics and wonderful flowers.

But there are a lot of other suitable trees.