名媛直播

I have had this ficus for awhile now, with every intention of turning it into a bonsai. I had got it from my aunt who had started me this ficus from cuttings. So there is actually 2 cuttings in the same pot which i wound together because they looked spindly. Can anyone give me their opinion if this ficus is still a good candidate for a bonsai? Or are the trunks already to big to begin bending?

This will be my first training one, however I had owned a smaller bonsai ficus many years ago, and ended up giving it away.

Here are a few pictures i found on the net. I would like to start the one I own, and hopefully make it to look like one of these. (wishful thinking I know) Mine is about 22 inches high, that is an 18 inch ruler beside it in the picture

The way it is right now, it's not so great.It's too tall with no lower branches. If I were you I'd air layer the top and use that. If I remember correctly ficus don't back bud easily so don't count on using the "trunk" for anything. You could try and leave a branch or two on the lower part and see if it will push out a new growth.

I knew i shouldnt have let it get so tall.... :blush: oh well guess i'll try doing that then, getting a new one with air layering as you suggested. Thank you.

ficus backbud like manic. You can chop a 50ft tree back to a stump and have a shrub within months. So no worries there. Just make sure you chop a healthy plant.

ficus also root cuttings amazingly easy and quick.the branches can be cut and rooted.while the trunks are reforming leaves than all can be bound together. it is a fast way to get fat ficus trunks.

ok so it will produce more leaves and new growth then. See my other bonsai, which was a ficus was constantly producing new growth on the trunck even after i would prune it to keep it looking uniform. this is the same kind of ficus just i let it go to long i think before i wanted to do anything with it..

So how do i manage to increase trunk size? but still keep it relatively the same height or maybe a little smaller. I guess my question is, where do i start with this plant, any recommendations?

See how I am. lol I had a ficus years ago that I couldn't get to do anything except look bad. It never budded low on the trunk and was finicky. I just assumed they were all like mine.

Hm.. Several ways to create fat trunks. Have a look:

thank you leatherback I will definalty check it out for further reading

I like ficus a lot. Not pure for the styles it can produce, but for the determination of this plant. It survives any and almost everything you throw at them.

My 1st ficus I cut up so badly but it survived and after letting it go through hectic droughts, it still came back.

Back budding happens quick and fast from¤y experience.

No Worries Pinkham. Its the same with me. Its gonna take me a LOOOONG time before I will ever take a Pine tree on again. Lost my Japanese Black Pine last week and I'm still pissed.

jjv, fat trunks gets developed quicker in open ground. Let a sacrifice branch grow and just keep the "bonsai" part neat and in place. When desired thickness has been reached you chop off the branch. Just make sure that the tree you are using / intend to use , has good scar repair qualities ( am I saying that right ??? )