Just enough room for this willow leaf ficus

Cadillactaste

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In the back of my mind...I knew I had room for a chunky small sumo.

I must say, this new growth coming in is charming. Though I grasp if will turn green. It's just a nice step on the journey for this one.

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Nice chunky little thing. 5" tall 5" wide.
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Shogun610

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Killer tree. Are there some tropicals that are hardier than others? For your area, when can you safely keep a tree like that outside , and do you put it in greenhouse/ indoors during winter.
 

Cadillactaste

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Killer tree. Are there some tropicals that are hardier than others? For your area, when can you safely keep a tree like that outside , and do you put it in greenhouse/ indoors during winter.
Thank you.

I live in a microclimate...since winter of 2013-14 our local nursery said we should classify ourselves as a zone 4. (We once was zone 5) That said...my night temps are very unstable. I've been two stepping my trees which aren't tropical back and forth into the cold greenhouse at night. This looks to be the first time in three weeks my non tropical trees may stay out two consecutive weeks. Without dancing.

That said...my tropical come out once my night temps hit 65F. That ensures me that it's leveled off and they can stay out.

I keep all my tropical inside under grow lights until my fickle weather is more appropriate. I refuse to two step them...when they are actively growing under lights. By waiting until then, they just continue to grow once outside...nothing seems to stall.

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Thank you.

I live in a microclimate...since winter of 2013-14 our local nursery said we should classify ourselves as a zone 4. (We once was zone 5) That said...my night temps are very unstable. I've been two stepping my trees which aren't tropical back and forth into the cold greenhouse at night. This looks to be the first time in three weeks my non tropical trees may stay out two consecutive weeks. Without dancing.

That said...my tropical come out once my night temps hit 65F. That ensures me that it's leveled off and they can stay out.

I keep all my tropical inside under grow lights until my fickle weather is more appropriate. I refuse to two step them...when they are actively growing under lights. By waiting until then, they just continue to grow once outside...nothing seems to stall.

View attachment 375266

that really is a hell of a ficus
 

Cadillactaste

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very nice. passed up on similar tree and pot for $49 or $69 recently...hmm
If you found a tree with such a good base for that price...this was far more than that number. You should have bought it. The pot came with the tree...irrelevant to me to be honest. I bought it for the sumo trunk. And I liked where it was headed. That left branch sticking out further. I liked that.
 

Cadillactaste

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very nice. passed up on similar tree and pot for $49 or $69 recently...hmm
If you found a tree with bones like this...for that price tag...go back and get it. I for one would love to compare the two.

Dang...I love the bones of this tree. 🥰
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PattyB

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Nice little Willow leaf, I really like the small ones best. There are some gorgeous large Willow leafs here on the forum but the Shohin and smaller are my favorites. I have only one and it is similar to your tree, my second year with it.
 

hinmo24t

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If you found a tree with bones like this...for that price tag...go back and get it. I for one would love to compare the two.

Dang...I love the bones of this tree. 🥰
View attachment 394268
I ended up back at that place and got it. Cleaned up a bit. They had it in some lava or red clay looking bits partially. Also nursery had it in shady spot i believe and in a greenhouse so I'll keep it outside partsun until nights drop below 50

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PattyB

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Nice tree, looks healthy. It may really take off after acclimating to being outside.
 

Cadillactaste

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I ended up back at that place and got it. Cleaned up a bit. They had it in some lava or red clay looking bits partially. Also nursery had it in shady spot i believe and in a greenhouse so I'll keep it outside partsun until nights drop below 50

View attachment 394788

View attachment 394789
Ahhh same species. I was thinking similar in trunk structure. My bad.

So...you repotted it? By your intentions of referring to cleaning it up?

Absolutely love the species...of course I've not wintered indoors yet. I know Dale Cochoy when he was alive...really tried talking me into this cultivar over a Tigerbark. Loved willow leaf he did.
 

hinmo24t

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Ahhh same species. I was thinking similar in trunk structure. My bad.

So...you repotted it? By your intentions of referring to cleaning it up?

Absolutely love the species...of course I've not wintered indoors yet. I know Dale Cochoy when he was alive...really tried talking me into this cultivar over a Tigerbark. Loved willow leaf he did.
thanks, was a tough call for me at $46 (random price...)
(better deal i think was 5 rooted cuttings of green island ficus for $5.95 i got)

I only knew it had a fat base, because i didnt like it initially, it reminded me of roots from ginseng ficus.
but ive wanted one for the foliage and then noticed a lot of the decent ones i see as bonsai have tuberish bases

I contemplated repotting it but decided to leave it until next year. it was neglected at the nursery, not in bright area
and i used chopstick to remove old dead foliage collecting in it. sprayed it out real good with rainwater, removed a stone they had
wedged down into the soil and refilled the void with soil. i gave the pot and saucer a good screbbing and got it into some open air
part sun... hope is to have it happy going into winter and ill give it some south window/grow light treatment over the winter

your tree and pot will be an inspiration for the tree...i was happy mine has some decent branching i can reduce to in the future, etc.
but hopefully the trunk beefs up a bit and ill likelly have to root work next year too
 

Cadillactaste

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thanks, was a tough call for me at $46 (random price...)
(better deal i think was 5 rooted cuttings of green island ficus for $5.95 i got)

I only knew it had a fat base, because i didnt like it initially, it reminded me of roots from ginseng ficus.
but ive wanted one for the foliage and then noticed a lot of the decent ones i see as bonsai have tuberish bases

I contemplated repotting it but decided to leave it until next year. it was neglected at the nursery, not in bright area
and i used chopstick to remove old dead foliage collecting in it. sprayed it out real good with rainwater, removed a stone they had
wedged down into the soil and refilled the void with soil. i gave the pot and saucer a good screbbing and got it into some open air
part sun... hope is to have it happy going into winter and ill give it some south window/grow light treatment over the winter

your tree and pot will be an inspiration for the tree...i was happy mine has some decent branching i can reduce to in the future, etc.
but hopefully the trunk beefs up a bit and ill likelly have to root work next year too
If you do Facebook...Bonsai Boon or something like that. He did some dramatic root work at the ideal time on a ficus. As well as reading Adam Lavigne's blog will give you good direction...for the future as well. Best of luck to you.
 
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