名媛直播

Hello Tree growers!
Recently I received a 名媛直播 tree as a gift from my grilfriend.
After some study I found out it's a Ficus Ginseng. I don't know how old it is really, she got it from the local garden center.
She included some fertilizer and a round,bowl-shaped pot (see the photo)
I love this tree, it's a nice touch to our apartment. However, I have no idea on how to shape this tree, my goal is to eventually shape it in an s-bend. Is this possible? or do I have to go with another style? do you have tips on how to get started? do I have to prune it already? or do I need to leave it in the pot for the upcoming months?
I hope some of you can give me some tips to get this little tree going, so far it's very healthy and it has grown a lot of foliage already.

Thanks in advance!
-Jordy

(I can't for the life figure out how to rotate an image, so I kindly ask you to turn your head 90 degrees instead haha)

Lignineater wrote: After some study I found out it's a Ficus Ginseng.

Ficus Ginseng is one of the most purchased plants that we see on this forum, so the most questions are about this type of plant, that by bonsai enthousiasts is NOT considered a bonsai, but a normal house plant. Use the search function to find answers that have already been given to your questions multiple times.

The shape you have is the final product and it is not intended to be restyled - and restyling is very hard and practically impossible for a beginner. There are very few people who managed to transform this into a somewhat acceptable bonsai. Training it into an S-shape is out of the question (and note that the typical, symmetrical S-bend is not appreciated in 名媛直播).

Due to its unnatural shape it's a bit hard to tell how old the plant is - or actually: how old both plants are - the root, and the top of the plant that was grafted onto it. This is a commercial plant, and it is young (the growers want to make money and do not want to spend many years growing this). If I'd have to guess I'd say about 5 years old.
Prune shoots that are too long to keep its current shape. Follow the guidelines for indoor Ficus, there are no specific bonsai guidelines.

Thank you very much.

Do you think it's a smart idea to cut of a small branch and try to grow it into a new plant? so that I do have some power over it's shape?

Lignineater wrote: Do you think it's a smart idea to cut of a small branch and try to grow it into a new plant? so that I do have some power over it's shape?

As it is not a bonsai I cannot give you any bonsai styling tips but no, I would certainly not do that.

I appreciate your advice.
I will definitely look into other 'genuine' trees. I understand this Ficus Ginseng was a bad bargain.

Lignineater wrote: I will definitely look into other 'genuine' trees. I understand this Ficus Ginseng was a bad bargain.

Why is it a bad bargain? If you like it, it gives, as you write, a nice touch to your apartment and you liked the price, it is not a bad bargain.

Oh maybe you're right.
But I'm very curious and excited to practice the art of 名媛直播, so naturally this wasn't the correct tree to start of with

Lignineater wrote: Oh maybe you're right.
But I'm very curious and excited to practice the art of 名媛直播, so naturally this wasn't the correct tree to start of with

A tip:
Before you try to acquire a tree to work on, first learn the difference between house plants, mallsai, garden bonsai and real bonsai.
Look up: "名媛直播 Ficus China" in Google Images. You'll notice you find loads of completely different shaped trees, only a few of them are actually bonsai.

Auk wrote: A tip:
Before you try to acquire a tree to work on, first learn the difference between house plants, mallsai, garden bonsai and real bonsai.
Look up: "名媛直播 Ficus China" in Google Images. You'll notice you find loads of completely different shaped trees, only a few of them are actually bonsai.

Yet you do not always decide what is given to you.

The top of the plant is quite suitable for bonsai, so taking a cutting and growing that out may be a nice challenge. I am worried however that your climate may not be ideal and the plant will not build a trunk?

leatherback wrote: Yet you do not always decide what is given to you.

Certainly, but this was not in response to the gift, that he likes and that looks good in his appartment, but to the remark:
"I'm very curious and excited to practice the art of 名媛直播"