horrific! It looked like they had just found a twig and loped off the top! And that was just for starters. It was sent in the middle of winter (a Christmas gift from my mom and dad I might add)But it was still hadn't droped it's leaves. It was poorly potted, like they were going for a root over rock style with out the rock.the top was cut off and it had 2 leading shoots. Needeles to say it it held on to it's needles all winter and never really went through a dormant peroied. It finaly droped it's dry as bones leaves near the end of winter but then spring came and it strugled and tried to bud out but failed and is dead very dead...I checked. This was the worst attempt at a bonsai I have ever seen, for this type of tree I could not think of a worse specimen then the one this company (and I use the term companay loosly) sent me. Stay away form this company! If could give a less then one star rating I would!!!