Ficus fun/torture

[karen82]

I decided to chop up my little mallsai macrocarpa I got for free a little over a year ago. I don't really have any specific plans for it, but I cut it into 4 pieces I saved (and a lot of trimmings I tossed).

This is the tree when I got it:


I just let it do its own thing and guided some of its aerial roots into their own pots but otherwise left it alone.
Tree today:


I wasn't too sure where to begin and I'm still a noob (though I'm building a greenhouse for them this fall).
Finally I decided on keeping 2 stumps from it and 2 pieces that are mostly just experiments,

Stump 1:

Stump 1 was the original base of the tree and was almost completely underground.

 

[karen82]

Stump 2 was basically just the next section of trunk. It had one large aerial root so I think it will survive well, but I'm hoping it will also grow roots from the trunk cut.




Then piece 3 which was the top of the tree with two long aerial roots.

It's just an experiment. I kind of knotted up the roots a bit as best I could and stuffed the whole thing into a gallon pot. It's in regular bonsai mix except for a top inch or so of perlite. I'm hoping that years from now it might have interesting exposed roots.


And piece 4 which had an awkward aerial root sprouting off the top. which I decided to leave to see what would happen.

 

[Michael P]

I will bet every one of them lives, and in a few years time you will have some very interesting material to work with.

 

[Housguy]

Nice job Karen, they look good.
Love the Nebari on this one.

 

[TN_Jim]

Nice job Karen, they look good.
Love the Nebari on this one.
View attachment 252400

man that vertical is pleading for some wire

 

[karen82]

man that vertical is pleading for some wire

I know, but my thinking was that most of that will eventually get cut off anyway. I'm hoping that years from now the roots may grow together into an interesting trunk.

 

[karen82]

I will bet every one of them lives, and in a few years time you will have some very interesting material to work with.

That's what I'm hoping for, they don't look like anything now, but hopefully will be something eventually.