Solange
Shohin
alright haha
Jeremy
Shohin
There is no ginseng, it is not a species, just a common nursery name for ugly. Reason I ask about growing from seed is that probably most Ficus varieties will develop tuberous roots from seed. The roots will often grow thicker than the trunk.
So what is a ginseng? Most commonly Microcarpa trained to have grotesque roots. They then take it a step further and graft another smaller variety of microcarpa leaves on. As @Solange stated, they are the same plant.
sorce
Nonsense Rascal
That was a nerdy Ass argument!
I love the Chojubai bit tho!
Funny how different our future vision goggle prescriptions allow us to see.
Sorce
I love the Chojubai bit tho!
Funny how different our future vision goggle prescriptions allow us to see.
Sorce
Solange
Shohin
I think he agrees they are the same Jeremy. There is such an aversion to tuberous roots that it has created a prejudicial view of them in this form, but strangely as soon as they get the old chop they are transformed into bonsai material. Minutes before it was the dreaded ginseng, now it's quality bonsai stock. I mean, shoot I have a salicaria growing tuberous roots that needs the chop. Nice stock already, and will only be improved when that happens. But it won't magically transform it's existing potential to become bonsai.
Solange
Shohin
Cheers,
My prediction is OP will probably move on from this project as he advances, but he doesn't have to. I would love to be proven wrong, and to see him beat the daylights out of people with his trees for as long as he lives. We can be honest about the probability of him getting rid of this, but at the same time honest that if material is simply allowed to grow, as all our stock is, one day it could be great. There is a lot of work somewhere in there haha Good first thread @Scubacus ! Shaking it up
Redwood Ryan
Masterpiece
Obviously they're the same. You're just incorrectly going around calling every microcarpa a ginseng. As Jeremy stated, ginseng is the name for the ugly ones. It's only quality bonsai stock once you take that step to remove the roots and turn it into useful stock.
Stop trolling, you know the difference.
Jeremy
Shohin
I admit, I hate seeing these unhealthy mallsai trees but if we look at the work needed to transform them into something nice, its the same as what we do with any tree. Collected or nursery bought plants with bad root systems are cut back heavily or layered all the time. That's really all these 'ginseng' trees need in order to look like pre-bonsai stock. And most likely chopping off the graft and allowing the rootstock to grow.
In the same context, we are looking at @Scubacus tree and saying 'oh no, braided trunks aren't bonsai'..... May I ask if anyone has actually walked through a rainforest and observed the Ficus that start life as an epiphyte? Roots grow down the host, eventually strangle it and the host then dies/rots away leaving the Fig to stand on its own with interesting hollows where roots are yet to fuse. These trees seemingly grow tall and taperless as they have simply taken the form of another tree, they are not banyans. Apparently taking images from nature and using them as inspiration for our bonsai is gaining popularity so with that I say to the OP, continue reading and posting and absorb as much info as you can. And practice your skills on this plant. It will get better with time.
sorce
Nonsense Rascal
The tree that got me started was a braided ficus.
It is long gone.
But I still have a cutting from it.
10/2012
So technically.....
I still have my first tree..
11/2016
Now...I understand this can never be sustainable in this size.
So if I ever want it to be....
It would again become a completely unrecognizable tree.
But I have learned many things with this thing. And I love it!
So yeah....
Maybe I will let this escape into the ground next year to get real.
Lifetime Scarless plan.
Sorce
It is long gone.
But I still have a cutting from it.
10/2012
So technically.....
I still have my first tree..
11/2016
Now...I understand this can never be sustainable in this size.
So if I ever want it to be....
It would again become a completely unrecognizable tree.
But I have learned many things with this thing. And I love it!
So yeah....
Maybe I will let this escape into the ground next year to get real.
Lifetime Scarless plan.
Sorce
Solange
Shohin
I do know the difference Ryan. My point in calling the microcarpa at crespi a ginseng was one of effect. Look at what unquestionably started as what would be called a "houseplant" or not worthy of bonsai stock and how it became the oldest trained specimen in the world. Calling a species or variety that is very common as bonsai a houseplant is ridiculous when the line is that arbitrary and thin. That is my point. Even this braided benji could be great. It will take a lot of time and effort. I started out by saying I know someone who has done exactly this, and the tree is great. It took them ten years to a presentable tree with smaller whips than this. It just took effort and time. I'll say it again - the greatest, biggest tree in the forest started as a seed.
Redwood Ryan
Masterpiece
Okay, but I grow Ficus exclusively. I do not think they're houseplants. I only think the GINSENG ficus with the tuber roots are houseplants. The end.
Jeremy
Shohin
I would call them seedlings. They are trees. Pre-bonsai? Not by my definition, a pre-bonsai should have some orderly training of roots and trunk. These are just seedlings put in overly deep pots for a few years to fatten the roots, then exposing them to make it look like some kinda octopus trunk
Scubacus
Seedling
Thanks for the responses and warm welcome everyone! Way more help and comments than I expected haha. Definently will be sticking around here!!
M. Frary
Bonsai Godzilla
You should really fill out your profile page so we can help you better. Where you live makes a difference in the care and the selection of trees suitable for your area.
Sorry for getting down on your ficus. I don't usually say anything about an individuals trees and I hope you don't think it was personal. But I felt you were being led down the path to failure.
The really cool thing about outdoor trees is you can collect trees from your area that are suitable to your growing climate. They don't cost a thing but some labor.
Welcome to the crazy!
M. Frary
Bonsai Godzilla
Do they live inside in the winter like philodendron,spider plants,African violets and the rest of the house plants?
Scubacus
Seedling
No no I totally understand, I've belonged to a forum before so I know what people say isn't a personal attack most if not all the time. I'll be filling out my page right after posting this message, totally forgot to earlier. Heard the best time to collect cuttings is in the spring (if I'm wrong please tell me), and where I live has a HUGE selection of planted trees all around my area, from all over the world that grow well around here, so I'm extremely excited to go out and start collecting! And why do people say welcome to the crazy?? I don't get it, is there a story behind it?
M. Frary
Bonsai Godzilla
Because here at Bonsai Nut we call the place the nuthouse.
Solange
Shohin
I just let them die like all the annuals.
Solange
Shohin
You'll know the crazy has hit when you find yourself arguing binomials vs. common terms for pages like in this thread haha
Solange
Shohin
Oh, and if you are into growing more ficus check out Ryan's blog. He is the Ficus Guy after all.
Because with the first tree you/we are able to keep alive you/we want to have and achieve more and more... Hobby, obsession, not crazy?
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