Ficus carica collection

[aml1014]

Hey nuts,

Last night I was at my deceased grandmothers (R.I.P.) home which was left to my father. The back yard is in rough condition since she's been gone (a little over 4 years) and my dad is beginning to do landscaping to clean it up some. While he was telling me his plans, I noticed a small fig that was right in the soon to be demolition zone so naturally I offered to take it. It was planted about 7 years ago as a 5gl nursery plant and has struggled it's entire life in the spot it was in. So it never got very big (but produced every year).
It has around a 3" fused base from all of the subtrunks it has. I plan to let it grow for a couple years to fuse more and put some bulk on.

I know it's not a great species because of leaf size, but I didn't really get anything when my grandmother passed so I'm happy to call this tree mine (she also loved plants) and remember her by it.

Aaron

 

[Wilson]

Sorry for your loss, enjoy that tree! It is a great thing to have a tree that can remind you of someone.

 

[sorce]

Grandma's are the best!

Good for you!

Sorce

 

[Ironbeaver]

Sorry for your loss, that tree will be a great reminder. I managed to get some cuttings to root from the crab apple tree in my grandma's yard after she died, but I lost them in the bonsai disaster of 2002.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

I have seen some photos of bonsai created from F. carica, the leaves of some cultivars can be reduced to rather small ( 1 inch) size. Some don't reduce as well. To get small leaves ramification is key.

They root relatively easily from cuttings. They also sucker from roots, and root cuttings will grow too. The trunks are too straight on this clump, but it was just collected, not a worry right away. I would remove the second thickest trunk from the clump, pot it up separately. Then work the remaining as a clump style forest. Or let it get bushy, and make a different plan as ideas present themselves.

I like the idea of creating bonsai with fruit you can eat.

 

[aml1014]

I have seen some photos of bonsai created from F. carica, the leaves of some cultivars can be reduced to rather small ( 1 inch) size. Some don't reduce as well. To get small leaves ramification is key.

They root relatively easily from cuttings. They also sucker from roots, and root cuttings will grow too. The trunks are too straight on this clump, but it was just collected, not a worry right away. I would remove the second thickest trunk from the clump, pot it up separately. Then work the remaining as a clump style forest. Or let it get bushy, and make a different plan as ideas present themselves.

I like the idea of creating bonsai with fruit you can eat.

It really didn't mind being dug at all, even without care for the last few years. It's got leaves and little figs on it!

Aaron

 

[aml1014]

This thing got its first cutback and partial deflation today. It's been making figs since I collected it and I just got so tired of taking them off I stopped.

The one fig left after pruning (don't worry there's more on the way) lol
It's got roots crawling everywhere out of the drain holes. I think I'm going to throw it in a nice pot next year.

Aaron

 

[aml1014]

This thing needs pruning pretty regularly now that we've gotten HOT! Leaf reduction isn't even that hard on these guys.
Full size leaf
And the new leaves after pruning.
Aaron

 

[aml1014]

This one has done well all year, it's putting on its second crop of fruit.
Aaron