Ficus burtt-davyi

markyscott

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Several months ago I decided to downsize my bald cypress collection a bit further (I still have two, but that is plenty for me) and swapped the tree I wrote about in this thread for a really nice Ficus burtt-davyi. These are easily my favorite ficus, but, for whatever reason, large ones are really hard to find. I repotted the tree, bare-rooting completely, back in July - here’re pictures before and after repotting (back is before repotting, front is after).

8B69784C-6F67-4C17-8B9F-DE50B21E8CEB.jpeg54D13E23-6594-468B-B4B8-DBCF4B2EDE9C.jpeg

S
 

markyscott

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This tree has a nice history - it was Ed Trout’s demo tree back in 2011 at the LSBF convention in Corpus Christi. I remember bidding on it back then - I really liked it at the time. Still trying to locate some photographs of the demo and to find out where the tree came from originally.
 

amcoffeegirl

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If you happen to take a few root cuttings or start a few branch cuttings in the future- I would be interested in purchasing those.
 

markyscott

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Since then the tree was weakened considerably from poor pruning and from being completely defoliated numerous times. Here are some of the effects:

Really weak branches -
619493FD-A560-4ED2-A34E-4E99F7EC7A02.jpeg
Best to just remove these and regrow them.

Poor branch structure:
DDF89C38-1ABD-4115-94E8-3BEBF94C4C05.jpeg233382F7-AC26-47C9-829D-26E970F2AA9A.jpeg
Cut back to interior extending shoots - don’t always cut back into old wood. The tree will respond by growing octopus branches. Sometimes this can’t be avoided, so be sure to get back in there and thin to two. Otherwise you’ll get unsightly swelling at the cut site.

Scott
 

markyscott

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The tree sits in a well lighted location in the greenhouse and I live in Houston - I like to get in there and remove the weak and defective branches and thin so that the interior shoots get lots of light and stay healthy over the winter.

901E50B9-0696-4EB3-82D0-127B682C002A.jpegAE0A828D-F50C-488F-97EB-C084F1F731EA.jpeg

I’m sorry @amcoffeegirl - I did this a few days ago and didn’t save any cuttings.

S
 

amcoffeegirl

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I got my first of these just before it turned cold here. Salicaria has been my favorite but I really like these. Is yours the large leaf variety?
I’ve hear there are 3 different leave sizes but I don’t know honestly.
One thing I have noticed with these is the growth always wants to grow straight upward.
 
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markyscott

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I got my first of these just before it turned cold here. Salicaria has been my favorite but I really like these. Is yours the large leaf variety?
I’ve hear there are 3 different leave sizes but I don’t know honestly.

I’m with you - these and willow leaf are my two favorite ficus. These are pretty small leaf (abt 1”) and they get a lot smaller with development. I’m unaware of different leaf size varieties.
F2E889E1-F976-43C5-896E-C5E59F723EC3.jpeg
 

amcoffeegirl

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I have heard reference of 2 forms Congo and nana. So I thought that would imply that there is also a regular form between those two.
This is a pic from one of Ryan redwoods threads on here.

My leaf form seems to be the same as yours. The 2nd and 3rd pic.
I’m guessing nana. D2229E75-472E-4799-B6C4-F9CB6E11E538.jpeg
0708C265-0901-466D-9B5C-930BFB8692E7.jpeg73A951F0-7D58-4523-A54C-32526AEFA76D.jpeg
 

markyscott

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jason biggs

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What I find with them is that they don't always throw new branches where you need them...
Shouldn't be a problem with your super human thread grafting skills :rolleyes::rolleyes:
These trees in the wild are often shrubby and don't grow too large.
 

markyscott

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What I find with them is that they don't always throw new branches where you need them...
Shouldn't be a problem with your super human thread grafting skills :rolleyes::rolleyes:
These trees in the wild are often shrubby and don't grow too large.

Are they cultivated very often for bonsai there? Anything else you can share with me about their care?

Looks like they have a pretty restricted range. I’m also curious to know more about their native habitat. Full sun? Low elevation along the coast? Anything else?

S
 
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