Braided Ficus to bonsai

[James H]

Has anyone here been able to take a braided ficus and make a nice bonsai from it? one of my local nurseries has one on clearance, but it is around 6 feet high in the pot.

 

[carp]

My immediate response would be no.
Have you ever seen a tree braided in nature?
Maybe it happens, I don't know.
I don't think every bonsai needs to replicate nature, but I don't think that braided trees are art either.
I feel like the end result will look like the braided lucky bamboo.

But hypothetically, if the trunks were large and old enough that they had totally fused together, it might create an interesting fluted effect.

My opinion is just not to buy it.

Unless you separated the three trunks and created three trees.
But that's a different matter.

 

[MrFancyPlants]

I took an air layer off of a braided ficus. Which now has some potential in the trunk. It has had it's own issues, but it is possible.

 

[GrimLore]

My Wife unbraided a small one and is growing one single plant now. It seems to be doing ok and I can see it becoming a "decent" tree although not a good Bonsai in my lifetime. Either way it is a nice looking plant.

Grimmy

 

[sorce]

For the fun. Airlayers, cuttings, year round growth, and potential...

Clearance.? Clearance?

I'd buy it. Its totally on clearance!

A six foot high braided ficus lead me into this art! I still have peices of it.

Sorce

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Has anyone here been able to take a braided ficus and make a nice bonsai from it?

Absolutely not.

 

[edprocoat]

Has anyone here been able to take a braided ficus and make a nice bonsai from it?

I love when people here answer in absolutes on any subject. I think it depends on the individual plant. I have braided ficus for many years to thicken branches, create large trunks etc. The braided Ficus you see in stores are loosely or open braided which would take many years to fill in if ever.

Here is a link to one I am braiding the branches on now that started out as five separate whips fused to make the trunk on and another that I created the trunk on by braiding together either six or eight whips about 12 years before the thread its in.

Branches,
http://bonsainut.com/forums/showthread.php?13026-Braiding-Ficus-branches-to-create-thick-trunk-pictures-progression

Thick trunk,
http://bonsainut.com/forums/showthread.php?6801-Taiwan-Ficus-in-its-old-blue-pot

If you zoom in on them you can see the lines where they have joined together solidly yet still leave a slightly visible "seam?" where they joined.

ed

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

I love when people here answer in absolutes on any subject. I think it depends on the individual plant. I have braided ficus for many years to thicken branches, create large trunks etc. The braided Ficus you see in stores are loosely or open braided which would take many years to fill in if ever.

Here is a link to one I am braiding the branches on now that started out as five separate whips fused to make the trunk on and another that I created the trunk on by braiding together either six or eight whips about 12 years before the thread its in.

Branches,
http://bonsainut.com/forums/showthr...es-to-create-thick-trunk-pictures-progression

Thick trunk,
http://bonsainut.com/forums/showthread.php?6801-Taiwan-Ficus-in-its-old-blue-pot

If you zoom in on them you can see the lines where they have joined together solidly yet still leave a slightly visible "seam?" where they joined.

ed

Guess it depends on what you consider to be nice bonsai.

 

[carp]

Guess it depends on what you consider to be nice bonsai.

Quoted for truth.

Buy it, propagate cuttings, but don't look for the braided trunks to be bonsai.