"fixing" a ginseng ficus?

[GailC]

Can you reduce or remove the ugly bulbous roots of a ginseng ficus? I've been looking at some for sale locally and I really like the top part of the plants but god, those roots...

 

[petegreg]

Have you read this?
http://adamaskwhy.com/2015/08/25/im-a-real-boy-umm-bonsai/

 

[GailC]

I hadn't seen that, thank you. I tried google but it was difficult finding the info I was after. I think the ones I was looking at are grafted, they have smaller, rounder leaves.

 

[aml1014]

I hadn't seen that, thank you. I tried google but it was difficult finding the info I was after. I think the ones I was looking at are grafted, they have smaller, rounder leaves.

They are most likely grafted, the blog that was recommended is a good one, I've read all of his posts. A couple people here that are great with tropicals are @Anthony and @carp those 2 probably give the best tropical advice on here hands down.

Aaron

 

[petegreg]

Yeah, there's a link under the 3rd picture in the article I linked. And says it was grafted.

 

[carp]

I'm just a troll. Don't trust anything I say.

 

[Cypress187]

Wow nice article, i heared/think/imo that ficus could almost get chopped and it will regrow roots (but layering is more safe).

 

[petegreg]

Wow nice article, i heared/think/imo that ficus could almost get chopped and it will regrow roots (but layering is more safe).

Yes, this could, F. microcarpa and retusa in suitable season and environment. I have some more ficus species that I know (benjamina, triangularis and pumila) and these probably couldn't.

 

[eferguson1974]

If you like the top but not the roots, microcarpa is easy to find without the gensing grafted roots.

 

[Saizan]

You can try to make a layer at medium level of those ugly roots, to do a sumo shohin.

Here you have three videos where you can see a layering of a Ficus gingseg, and the after results of some specimens. Videos are in spanish, but I think images talk by itself

EDIT: Same as the article posted before...

 

[Cypress187]

Yeah, David! He is awesome, if i only could understand spanish.

 

[KennedyMarx]

I've got one from last year that I'm about to start working on. Last year I repotted it into a one gallon can with mostly chunky perlite. It grew a ton. This year I'm going to saw the rootball flat right below the swelling and plant it in a wider cut down nursery container and let it do its thing for a year or two. I think in a few years I will have a decent banyan style going.

 

[Cypress187]

Oh i'm totally going to do this to my Ginseng.

 

[bilbocannon]

Awesome article. Im gonna do this aswell.

 

[bilbocannon]

Just repotted. Defoliated and tied down

 

[petegreg]

One more thing concerning ginseng origin... Adam L. says it's F . microcarpa 'Microcarpa' grown from seeds. That's why it forms these bulbous roots. Many ficus species do it this way, similar to Desert rose (Adenium) and Elephant tree (Operculicaria decaryi). So the roots are not grafted and those without bulbous roots come from vegetative propagation. It means we can grow them from cuttings / air layers.

 

[M. Frary]

I'm just a troll.

Don't take such names for yourself!
Gives real trolls a bad name.

 

[Nwaite]

Man I have to say I have not been able to bring my self to spending the $10 it costs for one of these....

But I might just have to try this out if I find a good looking ginger.

Thanks for putting up the link @petegreg !

 

[Redwood Ryan]

So the roots are not grafted and those without bulbous roots come from vegetative propagation. It means we can grow them from cuttings / air layers.

The roots aren't grafted, but the foliage on top is, for the most part.

 

[petegreg]

Yes sir, if you mean bilbocannonc's tree that is "wearing" F. retusa leaves probably.
I didn't consider certain tree, responded to eferguson1974 but I didn't quote his post.