Solange
Shohin
The tree I posted above isn't worthwhile? A fused tree becomes one tree. Here is a ginseng ficus, thought to be the oldest known trained bonsai in the world. It is real sweet. IMO
M. Frary
Bonsai Godzilla
So what?
Does anyone have 500 to 600 years to wait for this?
Does anyone have 500 to 600 years to wait for this?
Solange
Shohin
So what? haha It depends on what your definition of worthwhile is. You can grow a tree and it dies the day after you do, or maybe it becomes the oldest damn tree in the world. We sure snatch up 1000 year old yamadori like candy. The only way to get age is for time to pass, and it's not necessarily wrong to take the slow road. Besides, if we start with similar sized plants, which gets there faster? A benji or a shimpaku?
Scubacus
Seedling
I'll definently be doing outdoors, bit easier considering I live in a dorm at the moment, and can't really do much inside. I'll be on the hunt for junipers and elms, I'm sure there's somewhere around here I can find a good one.
Redwood Ryan
Masterpiece
Step one, grow for ten to twenty years. Everyone just hates on benjis for some reason. You know what else is a houseplant? Ginseng ficus. I hope everyone here knows the bonsai thought to be the oldest trained specimen is the retusa at crespi. No plant springs up with a fat trunk and proper structure overnight. I think as sorce has said elsewhere, we can be shortsighted in reaching goals, esp the older we get. If you are young and keep at it this braid could absolutely become that tree in a lifetime or less. Hell, I'm more than twice the OPs age, and it would probably be achievable in my lifetime. It's not a race haha! So, yeah, grow it for a houseplant with some minimal training for a decade or so, and go to town. It will be vastly rewarding. I never said it would be easy! I know choices of material change (usually towards shortcuts) but it would be a good project to hang onto for your entire hobby, and shock people when you tell em you grew it from a braided houseplant. Telling it like it is.
While I'm all for supporting newcomers, we need to be realistic. The tree you posted is nowhere even close to what the OP has. I doubt that tree is even a regular benjamina. It's more than likely a dwarf form or even a philippinensis.
People hate on benjamina because they don't make great material. They're finicky and drop older branches. Ginseng Ficus are houseplants, which is why people don't use them. OP's tree won't become what you posted in 10 or even 20 years. Even if it does fuse, it'll need trunk chops to build taper.
It's great to learn using this tree, but it won't become a show-worthy tree.
Solange
Shohin
He could learn to graft a dwarf form onto it couldn't he? And let's be realistic, the chances are extremely slim but it could become show worthy. Look at the oldest bonsai in the world above and tell me again how ginseng are houseplants. Then look at your own trees, on your blog and here and tell me how your microcarpas aren't real trees. They're just houseplants. lol!!!!
Redwood Ryan
Masterpiece
I'm not saying they're houseplants. The benji OP has, in the style it's in, is suited more for houseplant, not bonsai.
If you want masterpieces, start with quality stock. You're mixing the word ginseng up with the word microcarpa. The second tree you posted is a microcarpa, not a ginseng. Ginseng have big ugly roots. Let's get on the same page.
Solange
Shohin
You're joking? You do know "ginseng", and what is commonly referred to (but misindentified) as retusa, and microcarpa are all the same right??? Come on man.
Solange
Shohin
...and yes. what the OP has is not ginseng. But you do grow ginsengs!
Redwood Ryan
Masterpiece
No. I have microcarpa. No one calls your regular microcarpa ginsengs. No one that knows what they're talking about, at least. Google Ginseng Ficus, you'll see that the majority of the results are of tuberous trees. I know what I'm talking about, you're turning into a troll.
Solange
Shohin
Ok. We can agree to disagree about what they are called but hopefully we can agree they are genetically identical. "Ginseng" microcarpas are just grown from seed. That's where the tubers come from. https://adamaskwhy.com/2013/04/07/what-shall-you-do-with-a-ginseng-ficus/
Jeremy
Shohin
Ever grown a Microcarpa from seed?
M. Frary
Bonsai Godzilla
Do you graft? I don't. I may learn someday if the need arises.
Grafting isn't exactly a thing beginners do. People are always saying oh you could always graft a branch here or there like it's gluing pipe cleaners onto a paper Cat face for whiskers.
Redwood Ryan
Masterpiece
Surprisingly no, a lot of others but not microcarpa.
Redwood Ryan
Masterpiece
Yes, but when talking about a microcarpa you don't call it a Ginseng. That's where things get muddy. You call it a microcarpa, or Chinese Banyan. For all intents and purposes, a Ginseng is a tree with the big bulbous roots, not the trees used for bonsai.
Solange
Shohin
Right. So when we chop those ginseng tubers off and grow a microcarpa cutting suddenly it's not a houseplant, but bonsai material? haha People just seem to have a prejudicial aversion to the tubers because of the mallsai/houseplant effect. My opinion is they are the same thing.
Redwood Ryan
Masterpiece
Yes, because now it's actually bonsai material. Leaving the tubers on it essentially keeps it as just a typical houseplant. There's nothing bonsai about it. Once you remove them and begin to train it as a bonsai then you've got something worthy.
Solange
Shohin
that was definitely funny!
I have grafted, and I learned on ficus. Much easier than perhaps a pine, which I have never tried. It's not something a beginner does, but if he grows this tree out ten years down the road when it's ready for some dwarf foliage he won't be one.
Solange
Shohin
sure, but... they are the same plant.
Redwood Ryan
Masterpiece
Sometimes. A lot of the time they graft a form of microcarpa onto the roots.
I never said ginseng wasn't microcarpa. You were just going around calling every microcarpa "ginseng", which simply isn't true. The only "ginseng" are those with the big ugly roots. That's why they're called that.
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