Big Trunk Ficus Prospect

thomas22

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Ran across this awesome Ficus today. It had a big trunk with great movement and taper.
The guy was asking $1500. I don't know if this is a good price or not.
The pic does not do it justice but what do you think about the price? I've never considered paying this much for material but with lots of work I can see a masterpiece in this one.
20161130_121857.jpg
 

sorce

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I'm a hell No.

But I would ask @Chuah , because this first reminded me of his Nationals winner.

I don't think you can get a better opinion.

For that $, It should at least be in an appropriate pot, with something semi-usable for branches.

Surface roots?

Sorce
 

sorce

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I would say absolutely not. Check out Suthin's ficus for sale as a comparison of price. See what you get for $1500 versus the tree you're considering. Just my 2 cents.

http://www.suthinbonsaistudio.com/sales

Holy shit!

If I was remotely considering the other....

I would have that ROR on its way to me right now.

Sorce
 

aml1014

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Giga is right, look harder, I scored a benjamina with a 6"single trunk for free a month ago.

Aaron
 

sorce

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In So Cal....

I'd be happy with a cutting!

Effing So Cal!?

You know...I confuse you and @Jeremy cuz of the similar avatars......
During the tiebreaker....
I was like, 'how the hell am I going to get this US only prize to Australia!?"

I kind of had you pegged to take that last prize!

Any way.....

You got mad skill.

Plus So Cal......

You should be selling those not buying them!

I'd be corn damned if you can't get a cutting to better than that in 6 years....
Max.

And....

You don't have to find a place to hide that God Awful pot!

Sorce
 

thomas22

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I would say absolutely not. Check out Suthin's ficus for sale as a comparison of price. See what you get for $1500 versus the tree you're considering. Just my 2 cents.

http://www.suthinbonsaistudio.com/sales

This answers my questions. The Suthin trees are really nice but I want a tree a can develop more. In my mind I was thinking I could buy for $1500 and it would be worth about 4K in about 5 years. As it turns out I was way off.
Got any more pics?
Sorry, no more pics.

Thanks for the kind words @sorce. Ficus grow fast here but I think this is a 20 year old tree.
 

ColinFraser

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The ficus he is considering is microcarpa, a much better species for Bonsai than benjamina, so the comparison to cheap house plants isn't really fair. Not that you guys can't turn them into something nice; it's just a whole different animal.

Pricing is tough. It might not be unreasonable if the tree has great nebari and branches in the right places. It does appear to have good taper and no major wounds on the trunk, but it's hard to tell any of that for sure from a picture . . . or even how big it really is. Pricing also has to take into account how easy it would be for you to find another one like it, and how much you want one right now :)

Here is another "comp" to compare to: http://wigertsbonsai.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=66&products_id=359

All that being said, you should probably shop around before dropping that kind of jingle ;)
 

sorce

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Ficus grow fast here but I think this is a 20 year old tree.

Seems mean to say 20 years done wrong.

I'll go with, not optimal.

If it's profit were after...

I think going from..
cheap house plants

To $1500...

Is easier than $1500 to $4k.

Hmmmm.....

Is it?

Sorce
 

thomas22

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Microcarpa not Benjimina. Profit is not the goal but It would be nice to know if I ever wanted to sell it I would make a profit.
 

namnhi

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Definitely not for 1500 but as ColinFraser stated... there is no comparison between Giga and the tree the OP posted.
 

sorce

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Definitely not for 1500 but as ColinFraser stated... there is no comparison between Giga and the tree the OP posted.

I think it has to do with the prescription on our individual future vision goggles.

I see these as more or less equal.

Those Suthin ones are different.

@LanceMac10 dick! Lol....that one is more appropriate than that one I didn't like...
That one was cold! I still laughed!

@ColinFraser is full of shit.
Seriously...I was hoping you would say something as a lot of your stuff flowed through my brain as I formulated the response I was formulating while you posted that shit I do not clearly understand.

I think, One of us needs a drink.

But Seriouslyerly.....

I do foolishly use my Ben growth to think of what it would take to make this from scratch as a Microcarpa....

I still think he could grow this himself better.
Or find one like one of your 3 giant cheapies.

What say you to that?

You know what else....

Maybe it is worth $1500.....

If only to get the opportunity to rid the world of that QuickMemo+_2016-12-01-10-46-45.png

Pot.

Sorce
 

LanceMac10

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If you feel the need to ask if something is "good" material...........it's probably not!!
This fig needs a major overhaul......and you don't even get a half-decent pot out of it!!!:D:D:D:D
OP can/should do better for that kinda' scratch.....but if YOU like it, don't worry about other folk's opinion!!!!!!;)
 

LanceMac10

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@LanceMac10 dick! Lol....that one is more appropriate than that one I didn't like...
That one was cold! I still laughed!
Pot.

Sorce

Was it an Elm? Can't remember.......folks get over-wrought around here sometimes. It's the internet, why on Earth would you let random comments rile you up?:confused:

So I preface most of my posts with...."I'm pretty sure I don't know what I'm doing, so I do it for me.....;):cool::cool::cool::cool:
 

ColinFraser

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There is definitely stock to be had out there on the cheap. As you guys mentioned, Craigslist usually has benjaminas; I've had good luck with microcarpa at landscape nurseries, but they will definitely take a lot of time, especially if you want a clean tapered trunk.
 

thomas22

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My opinion is that it is really good material in a crappy pot. I didn't even notice the pot when I was there looking at it. These are the kind of trees I was envisioning as a possibility. I'm aware it may be a huge stretch so don't fall off your chairs laughing at me. The bottom line is the price is too high.

Big Ficus.jpg big ficus2.jpg
 

ColinFraser

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