Significance of Bonsai Tree

The Bonsai Tree in Falconi's cabin represents time, and foreshadows the continuation of time. When the crew returns to the Wallfish after being detained on Orstead, Falconi comes to find that his Bonsai tree, which was centuries old, had whittled away to near death. Fortunately, Kira willed the soft blade to heal the tree, and by reaching out with her tendrils, she was able to restore the plant's life and its beautiful green leaves. This return of life directly correlated with the events of the novel, as the team figured they were heading into sure death for humanity, but thankfully, the Soft Blade (or the Seed) was able to restore life as it was known.