名媛直播

I recently started a new job and was gifted what appears to be a "名媛直播" plant of the Ficus variety. I put 名媛直播 in sneer quotes because reading around this website makes me think it may actually be a "potted plant" or "pre-bonsai" as I see no evidence of any wiring or pruning. I'm hoping to get some answers along with the snark to these obviously uninformed questions.

1) It was sold by "9Greenbox" which I understand to be an online retailer. It arrived very moist, wrapped in plastic wrap. I didn't see any signs of visible damage, however it was obviously in a BOX for a few days (and thus without any light). Dead plant walking? Can plants even survive this sort of shipment? FWIW, it was unpacked the day it arrived...

2) I'm in Maryland, USA, and right now its about 20 degrees Farenheit, and we are predicted snow this weekend, so this plant is currently inside. I have windows that get some light, but none are really bathed in regular, strong sunlight. Elsewhere, someone linked to this so I've currently got it right underneath POFs that are on 24 hours a day. Should I turn them off for a period, or should I go for constant light in an attempt to get some light to this plant (the linked guide says 16-18 hours per day, but that is in a specially set up grow spot)? Also, obviously it isn't going outside for the forseeable future, does this means it has to live indoors forever?

3) On the "ficus care guide" it says this:

Regular pruning is necessary to retain the tree’s shape. Prune back to 2 leaves after 6-8 leaves have grown.

First, I should probably let it be for a bit, right? It is currently about 1.5 inches tall. The leaves are green and healthy looking, and have fanned out since being unpacked.

When it is ready to be pruned, what does the above quote mean? How do I count leaves? What does a "grown" leaf look like? Should I be photographing the thing to keep track?

4) Reading some of the other threads, it doesn't look like anything has been done to this tree in terms of pruning or bending, it just looks stuck in a pot. There are no wires or anything nor did it come with some. Should I be training it, or should I be letting it grow? Is this "pre-bonsai"?

5) I like looking at the plants on this website, but I personally have no eye for design. Are there any guides to growing a healthy looking plant? I'm not trying to do something crazy like aerial roots, I just want it to look 'nice.'

Thank you much in advance.

It most likely isn't a bonsai or even a pre-bonsai, as you stated.

1. Is it dead? How would we know? we don't have any pictures.

2. I don't know anything about grow lights so I can't help you with that

3. Are the leaves discolored? If so, definitely wait a bit. If they aren't, waiting can't really do any harm. I'm not sure what you mean by 'how do I count leaves?' You wait until 6-8 new leaves have grown on a branch and you cut it back to 2 leaves. Is that what you were asking?

4. Again, we need a picture to be sure but it is most likely not a bonsai or pre-bonsai. What most people are advised to do in the many other threads on this forum (There's a search feature that you can use to find them, you know) is to basically just treat them as a houseplant and to possibly learn bonsai techniques on the tree if they feel like it's a hobby that they want to keep going at.

5. I want everybody to sing this as a round
what shall you do with a ginseng ficus?
what shall you do with a ginseng ficus?
what shall you do with a ginseng ficus?
Adam's Art and 名媛直播!



Sorry, I got a bit carried away.
Ed

a 1 1/5 inch tall plant.. Ficus? unlikely. Post a picture please.

First, thank you!

Pictures attached to this post.

Are the leaves discolored? If so, definitely wait a bit. If they aren't, waiting can't really do any harm. I'm not sure what you mean by 'how do I count leaves?' You wait until 6-8 new leaves have grown on a branch and you cut it back to 2 leaves. Is that what you were asking?

Leaves look good visually to me, but that doesn't mean much. No discoloration that I can see. I'm not even sure I can identify a 'branch' yet. I am getting the idea that this guy is very small still. Sounds to me like it doesn't need pruning yet.

What most people are advised to do in the many other threads on this forum (There's a search feature that you can use to find them, you know) is to basically just treat them as a houseplant and to possibly learn bonsai techniques on the tree if they feel like it's a hobby that they want to keep going at.

Yes, I have browsed some of those other threads before posting, which is where the question came from. Others have asked and occasionally a reply comes in "This isn't a 名媛直播, but if you get some wires on it ASAP maybe it can be." Rather than having a messy houseplant I'd much rather have something that is pleasing to look at. I was reading one thread where the comment was made that the plant (also a ficus, if that is indeed what I have) had grown too tall without care and would never have a nice, dense foliage.

adamaskwhy.com/2013/04/07/what-shall-you...ith-a-ginseng-ficus/

Thank you. This is really interesting and potentially helpful. I'll spend some time studying this. I have a feeling I have a similar plant that was hacked apart, stuff in a pot, and sold as a 'bonsai.'

a 1 1/5 inch tall plant.. Ficus? unlikely. Post a picture please.

Well, 1.5 or One and One Half Inches, but I think that is a solid estimate. One picture attached as an 8.5 x 11 standard letter paper next to it, another has a fairly standard desk stapler, for scale. I'll look to locate a ruler for more exact measurements. I was measuring the "trunk" from soil to top.

OK,
ficus, yes. 名媛直播, no. It is at this stage no more than a cutting in a pot. Treat as a regular houseplant, take care to not keep it too wet. It looks too wet now. Ficus can only be outside if the temperature does not drop below 10c for any length of time.

Not going to lie, It's worse than we thought. It appears to be a seedling.
I honestly can't believe that they were selling that as a bonsai tree.

I'm lost for words

Umm...
Let it grow a bit...?

Ed

It looks too wet now.

Great thank you. I'll read up on this. I watered generously because it was in the shipping container.

Not going to lie, It's worse than we thought. It appears to be a seedling.

Bummer. I don't think it cost more than $10 (taxes/shipping included). Hopefully it grows!


Thanks for all the help so far. I'm going to care for it like a houseplant for the time being. Hopefully in a year I can check back in. Appreciate everyone's time!

Oh god









These people must be stopped.

I'm going to care for it like a houseplant for the time being. Hopefully in a year I can check back in. Appreciate everyone's time!

Perfect, that's exactly what we want to hear people say. It's nice to know that people can actually listen to advice every now and again.
Ed

SpencerM wrote: I recently started a new job and was gifted what appears to be a "名媛直播" plant of the Ficus variety. I put 名媛直播 in sneer quotes because reading around this website makes me think it may actually be a "potted plant" or "pre-bonsai" as I see no evidence of any wiring or pruning. I'm hoping to get some answers along with the snark to these obviously uninformed questions.

You won't get snarks if you expect them

Actually the snarks are usually reserved for people that claim they have done lots of research, but haven't, people that ask questions that are identical to questions that have been asked numerous times already, and people that call themselves keen gardeners, but continue to take care of a plant that obviously died months ago.

名媛直播Learner wrote: Oh god


These people must be stopped.

Twenty ffing USD for a year old seedling ???
I have 14 of those in my garden... 2 years old. What a shameless rip off.