How they make ginseng ficus mallsai

[KennedyMarx]

Come across this earlier and thought it was interesting.

http://ficusweb.com/ficus-microcarpa-ginseng.html

 

[Jeremy]

What I find more interesting is why these Figs are so popular . I understand they are a good beginner plant and newcomers find the roots interesting but .... they are plain ugly.
Yes, I have seen a few that have been transformed into quite nice bonsai but for me, fat tubers are to be avoided as they are nowhere near in proportion. Personally Id rather use more traditional Ficus species which are much more fast growing and easier to work on roots.

Around my parts, the chances of buying one of these Figs that actually has a few feeder roots are slim to none. Not trying to offend anyone but those roots just look like carrots. In bonsai we strive for radial roots with a spreading buttress, not downward growing light poles.

 

[Deleted member 17587]

The only place I've ever seen a ginsing ficus is at a big box store with rocks glued on top of soil. This is probably the reason for their popularity. To someone who doesn't know the first thing about bonsai, these probably seem unique and maybe impressive. I have one that I saved from a sale rack that was dying and only $5. The root mass that attempts to mimic a real trunk looks like a skinned chicken. Denver has quite a few large plant nursuries as well as a couple sources for dedicated bonsai nurseries. I haven't seen a ginsing in any of them. So as usual china is making something for nothing and making a killing.

I think these look best if you can get a root over rock effect. It's the only way the roots look normal cause they can't pass as trunks.

 

[Jeremy]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVnayWYs_7w Here is an example by David Cortizas, a nice sumo. Hoever, I feel the tubers could be dramatically improved by carving/cutting in half. And if that fails, the adition of aerial roots to add more interest. Kudos to him for showing what can be done with time and patience. Not enough to change my mind though.

 

[Neli]

I have one...Bought it 4 years ago for the grafted foliage. Left it in the ground and the roots escaped. The tuberous roots became so big that I decided to try to make something from it.
I have a feeling it can be done.
Here it is:
http://nelibonsai.wordpress.com/2014/03/02/723/

 

[A Random User]

Actually, the purpose of these makes logical sense to those
Who have spent years developing ficus as bonsai.
They are used as a foundation by which to achieve a very large
Thick trunk in a very short amount of time. Once they have reached
A desired thickness, they then have nice roots grafted over the
Top, hiding the ugly roots and presto... decades of trunk development
In a few short years... We here in America, sadly just scoff at them,
Without actually understanding their true purpose an meaning.

 

[Ross]

I have one...Bought it 4 years ago for the grafted foliage. Left it in the ground and the roots escaped. The tuberous roots became so big that I decided to try to make something from it.
I have a feeling it can be done.
Here it is:
http://nelibonsai.wordpress.com/2014/03/02/723/

That's awesome Neli! I love the brick you have hanging from it in one of the pictures.

 

[Neli]

He he he! Thanks! I was bending a branch. This is the latest and most "modern" method for bending branches...using large bricks.

 

[KennedyMarx]

Actually, the purpose of these makes logical sense to those
Who have spent years developing ficus as bonsai.
They are used as a foundation by which to achieve a very large
Thick trunk in a very short amount of time. Once they have reached
A desired thickness, they then have nice roots grafted over the
Top, hiding the ugly roots and presto... decades of trunk development
In a few short years... We here in America, sadly just scoff at them,
Without actually understanding their true purpose an meaning.

Are you saying that the plant gets air layered above the bulbous roots or that the bulbous roots get hidden by an array of aerial roots?

 

[Neli]

I use the bulbous roots as trunk on its own or with roots added. I should have ground layered mine at the widest part...but it healed so I did not want to risk it...I only dicovered after I gut it off that it had few roots there. So I am trying one and if it does not work will shorten it from bellow/.

 

[Neli]

I use the bulbous roots as trunk on its own or with roots added. I should have ground layered mine at the widest part...but it healed so I did not want to risk it...I only discovered after I cut it off that it had few roots there. So I am trying one method,and if it does not work will shorten it from bellow/.

 

[A Random User]

Are you saying that the plant gets air layered above the bulbous roots or that the bulbous roots get hidden by an array of aerial roots?

The roots are hidden giving the tree an enormous base, with nice roots.

 

[QuintinBonsai]

It's almost frightening to see all those hundreds of tubers lined up. Just waiting to be shipped across the world. And here I was thinking that this was actually how these ficuses grew. Thanks for sharing. It makes me glad that I chopped off the top portion of mine. They actually root so easily. That ugly root was interesting in the beginning, but things change over time.