Tiger Bark Design/Branch Question

Hi everyone,

I have a very low branch on a tiger bark ficus that was clearly left there as a sacrific branch. But from another angle it looks almost like a root, and I could perhaps develop some aeials from it or something so I want to keep some of it. There is a big aerial coming from it. But the branch part in the back could be used as a new tree. It is very cool on it own but it simply does not work for the actual design of the tree. But the branch itself has other aerials. I'd like to save that branch as a cutting if at all possible (and help that back low branch develop into a cool feature. (see from the front)

So my question is whether I shoudl simply cut the branch at one of the red lines since it has those other aerials and then maybe put soil over that cut and hope roots develop, or whether it owul dbe best to try to do an air layer at those red lines? What do people think. I have never done air layering.

I would suspect it to have some roots as some goes down into the medium. I would wait for this to go outside and Temps to warm. Do a proper repot and see what is underneath the potting medium. That would my choice of handling it.

Cadillactaste said:

I would suspect it to have some roots as some goes down into the medium. I would wait for this to go outside and Temps to warm. Do a proper repot and see what is underneath the potting medium. That would my choice of handling it.

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Wise advice indeed

Thank you both. I got a couple trees last year, and learned my lesson about starting chopping on them immediately and overdoing things, and not doing them at the proper time. I did not kill the chinese elm I bought, but I did not do it any favors.

Was planning to wait till later to maybe do what I was asking about. My partner is a potter, so she is making a customn pot for it, so whether that low branch stays or not matters for the pot she is making. Takes about 5-6 weeks from start to finish, so jsut kind of planning some stuff now. The only thing I have done to this is cut off dead twigs and some leafs that had gall from the shipping peanuts (about a dozen leaves or so...not too bad!).

Grateful for your advice. I joined a local club a few months ago to try to make connections with people locally.

I have commissioned pots made for trees...all the time. The pairing if the timing is off. Is put off for the following year. I've my Tim Burton Acer...prime example. I can't repot it now into that pot.

I've also an Asian jasmine I'm waiting on blooms to be spent. To repot...to see if I can extend the neagari on it. As I want a Stone Monkey pot. And depth is important... he has one... but I think it's to shallow. So I've not bought it. So I see a commissioned pot being made. For health of the tree. I'll repot that tree back into what it sits in currently...and plan for its future with a SM pot.

Patience...and timing...health of tree. Is just part of the game.