I Likeus the Ficus

[Mellow Mullet]

Update:

The soil had quit draining well so I figured a repot was in order. Here is how it turned out:

Lots of roots...



All trimmed up...





Pot prepared, I have swapped over to this hot pink drainage screen. I feel that the trees like the color and grow better, it works better than akadama or kanuma...



Finished image....

 

[SniffingKrylon]

What a tree!

 

[Nanuk]

Love that ficus, well done sir.

 

[Carol 83]

Awesome tree, pretty pot. But that pink drainage screen makes all the difference, going to have to get some of that!

 

[Mellow Mullet]

Awesome tree, pretty pot. But that pink drainage screen makes all the difference, going to have to get some of that!

It really does, I use it in all my pots. It is better than superthrive, organic fertilizer, or akaposts. Simply magical...

 

[Ali Raza]

thumps up. Creative idea of using iron frame for bending the branches in downward direction. Great Ficus bonsai.

 

[Mellow Mullet]

UPDATE:

Defoliation Nation...I needed to get the old wire off and apply some new wire, so the leaves had to go. There were exactly 4,289 leaves on this tree, lol. Mrs. Mullet help me remove them. Anyway, here are some pictures:

Before:



A few gone:



All gone:



I am starting to get some decent ramification:









Thinned out and rewired:

 

[hemmy]

While it grows foliage fast, it is slow to heal wounds.

Great tree and progression! Do you still think it is F. benjamina? Mine heal wounds pretty quickly and I’d say quicker than my F. microcarpas when both are in shallow containers.

Also, how does yours respond to total defoliation, do you get any dieback? It looks like you leave the growing stipule which I think makes a difference on preventing dieback.

 

[Hartinez]

This tree is fantastic John! You’ve done great work maintaining and improving its health and style.

 

[Mellow Mullet]

Great tree and progression! Do you still think it is F. benjamina? Mine heal wounds pretty quickly and I’d say quicker than my F. microcarpas when both are in shallow containers.

Also, how does yours respond to total defoliation, do you get any dieback? It looks like you leave the growing stipule which I think makes a difference on preventing dieback.

I am really not sure if it is F. Benjamina, I have had someone tell me on FB that it is f. benjamina "exotica". The leaves are longer and narrower than regular benjamina, so who knows? This was only the second time that I have completely defoliated it, I was really chicken to do it the first time, but I finally mustered up the courage and did it. I have not experienced any die back which I will have to attribute to leaving the stipule as you noticed. It works out really well and the new leaves were 1/2 the size of the old ones on the previous defoliation.

If you do it, I think that you must leave the stipule. I had a larger benjamina years ago when I did not have much experience and I cut it back real hard and it died. F. nerifloria is the only one that I know of that will releaf from just a trunk.

John

 

[misfit11]

Awesome tree, MM! Makes me wish we could grow tropicals out here!

 

[Cadillactaste]

Well done my friend...what an amazing tree!

 

[Mellow Mullet]

Update:

Filling in nicely, just gave it a little trim to keep it in shape.

 

[Mellow Mullet]

Update:

A much needed haircut and rewire:

Before:









After:

 

[Cadillactaste]

Very nice John!

 

[luvinthemountains]

I really love the work you have done to lower the canopy and increase ramification. This is a beautiful tree and I find it touching how it passed from one generation to the next. Thank you for sharing.

 

[Mellow Mullet]

Update:

The soil had quit draining so a repot was in order:

 

[Mellow Mullet]

More:

 

[Carol 83]

More:

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I don't love ficus, although I have a couple. But that one is awesome.

 

[penumbra]

What a beautiful beast.