Just another ficus...

[Bonsai Nut]

Here's a longer term project I've been working on. I bought this ficus on the cheap about 10 years ago on eBay. It was labeled as a ficus bonsai, but it was really a house plant in a bonsai pot. When it arrived, I could even see the round plug of nursery soil where the seller didn't even bother to clean out the old soil. But I had been looking for a "banyan style" ficus for a while, and this fit the bill for a long term development project.

Before first styling - just a mop.



After first styling... too many thick branches and no secondary structure. (I rotated the tree about 45 degrees clockwise from this image to get to the current front).



Flash forward to today. Each time I repot, I shorten the root mass and spread the roots out.



Slowly getting there...



How it looks as of this morning. Because I repotted it, I did not fully defoliate. I will wait about six weeks until it is fully recovered, and defoliate it in early summer. The leaves are much smaller with the second flush of growth.

 

[BrianBay9]

Nice job. I’ve found that the California bonsai community doesn’t give proper respect to ficus. Seems strange.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

Nice job. I’ve found that the California bonsai community doesn’t give proper respect to ficus. Seems strange.

I've noticed as well. Perhaps they are considered "non-traditional" because they aren't one of the classics: juniper, pine, maple, elm, etc.

Though not directly related to ficus, I appreciated when they started doing "California native" shows... kinda forced people out of a rut in my opinion.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

A quick virt of where I am going with the design. Going to pull in the right and develop the left. Can't see it in this image, but for the last few years I've been working on a really important back branch - the tree had none.

 

[Carol 83]

A quick virt of where I am going with the design. Going to pull in the right and develop the left. Can't see it in this image, but for the last few years I've been working on a really important back branch - the tree had none.

View attachment 239317

Nice new level you've achieved as nuttier than the average nut, probably applies to a few more here

 

[Cadillactaste]

? SWEET! Love the history on it as well. Reminding ones...that there is a long future in our trees. Not just next week.

 

[Cadillactaste]

Or...even two years. It's the long haul baby! Looking good Greg!

 

[Ali Raza]

Awesome

 

[ihaveaspaceship]

Nice job. I’ve found that the California bonsai community doesn’t give proper respect to ficus. Seems strange.

its weird because our weather is perfect for them year round. I rarely have to protect them through the winter.
All the local shops near me sell tropicals at least.

 

[Nanuk]

Love the exposed roots.
Gnarly.

 

[Silentrunning]

When I lived in Florida there was a B&B called the Banyan House in Venice. They had a Banyan tree that was 30 feet tall and 60’ wide. Several of the branch roots were 2’ in diameter. People would drive for long distances just to see and photograph that tree. Since I have gotten into bonsai I often think how great it would be if you could make a miniature of that tree.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

When I lived in Florida there was a B&B called the Banyan House in Venice. They had a Banyan tree that was 30 feet tall and 60’ wide. Several of the branch roots were 2’ in diameter. People would drive for long distances just to see and photograph that tree. Since I have gotten into bonsai I often think how great it would be if you could make a miniature of that tree.

The one thing that has surprised me about this tree is the degree to which the aerial roots have thickened. It may be due in part to the fact that I have been removing all the downward growing roots. Ficus do not grow aerial roots here in SoCal - the air is too dry. I have several of them in my landscape, and not a single aerial root, so you have to buy your pre-bonsai with aerial roots or you will never get them. If the thickening of the aerial roots continues, over time I will lose a lot of the "banyan" character of the tree and it will just become a chunky ficus.

 

[BrianBay9]

Ficus do not grow aerial roots here in SoCal - the air is too dry. I have several of them in my landscape, and not a single aerial root, so you have to buy your pre-bonsai with aerial roots or you will never get them. .

You have to be right on the ocean in the fog belt. Ficus used as street trees in parts of La Jolla have great areal roots. I can get them going here in Alameda too. A mile or two inland and you have to go to extraordinary lengths.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

You have to be right on the ocean in the fog belt. Ficus used as street trees in parts of La Jolla have great areal roots. I can get them going here in Alameda too. A mile or two inland and you have to go to extraordinary lengths.

Yes I should have qualified my statement. I am only five miles from the ocean, but cannot grow aerial roots. Closer to the ocean people have a lot more humidity. I even know a guy in Huntington Beach who grows Spanish moss in his backyard.

 

[amcoffeegirl]

Jerry M. states that the key is to keep the trunk and older branches damp without keeping the soil too wet.
Someone said look up IBA tablets.
My phone of course autocorrected to IBS tablets so don’t search that one.
Also, have you tried placing a nick in the trunk and brushing with rooting hormone? Then covering with spaghnum and plastic very loosely.
I have seen others with great results using this method. Personally have not tried it though.

 

[Silentrunning]

Ficus do need some moisture for aerial roots but also need the lower branches to extend out past the roots. Once the branch starts to droops and gets too dry it will start sending roots from the branches. The Edison Museum in Ft.Myers has a beautiful old tree and provides a lot of information on it.

 

[Steve C]

I've always liked ficus that have a root system like this. Looks really nice!