Ficus nerifolia with holey root base

KennedyMarx

Omono
Messages
1,708
Reaction score
427
Location
Indiana (Zone 6a)
USDA Zone
6a
Snagged this one off eBay last week. Shipped in the cold from Florida to Indiana. Sent on a Monday and it arrived on a Thursday. It was packed in a bunch of styrofoam peanuts with no heating packets or anything, but it hasn't missed a beat so far. Yeah, I realize the base is weird and there is a big chunk of reverse taper where the aerial root was allowed to grow. I think it has character though. I'm gonna think about which side to use as a front. I kind of like seeing the space between the original base and that thickened aerial root. But looking at the pictures the side that disguises the hole and reverse taper probably looks the best.


Ficus salicifolia / nerifolia by Charles_Willis, on Flickr


Ficus salicifolia / nerifolia by Charles_Willis, on Flickr


Ficus salicifolia / nerifolia by Charles_Willis, on Flickr


Ficus salicifolia / nerifolia by Charles_Willis, on Flickr

Potential front?


Ficus salicifolia / nerifolia by Charles_Willis, on Flickr


Ficus salicifolia / nerifolia by Charles_Willis, on Flickr


It looks like it's planted in straight turface. I'm going to let it be for now. Eventually I will repot it into a better mix, probably pumice and lava rock 50/50 that a couple of my other willow leafs are in. They seem to like it quite a bit.

Any advice or opinions welcome. :cool:
 

sikadelic

Chumono
Messages
900
Reaction score
375
Location
Southwest VA
USDA Zone
6B
I think both the "holey" front as well as what you labeled as the potential front would look great. I would probably lean more towards the holey side as it is different and unique.
 

thams

Omono
Messages
1,023
Reaction score
1,542
Location
Roswell, GA
USDA Zone
7b
I was actually tempted by this guy because of the possibilities. I'm a sucker for interesting root cuttings, so I would remove the thickened root to make a separate tree. Then I would really play with the planting angles of the tree to see what opportunities present themselves. I think this tree could have some crazy movement.

If you want to keep the root, then I would use the first potential front since it shows the nebari the best. Then I would prune the top to create more movement.
 

Poink88

Imperial Masterpiece
Messages
8,968
Reaction score
119
Location
Austin, TX (Zone 8b)
USDA Zone
8b
If this is mine, I'd chop this and plant the 2 root tubers separately. As it is, it doesn't appeal to me...looks like Ginseng ficus w/ Nerifolia grafted on it. Sorry.

BTW, the roots grow easily.
 
Messages
3,554
Reaction score
4,268
I gotta say that the 2 roots kinda bother me as well...
I think I would either remove and plant the root making another tree.
Or, bind them so they fuse together.
 

GrimLore

Bonsai Nut alumnus... we miss you
Messages
8,502
Reaction score
7,452
Location
South East PA
USDA Zone
6b
I vote for the last picture being the potential front AND binding those roots together :cool:

Grimmy
 

Redwood Ryan

Masterpiece
Messages
4,555
Reaction score
2,583
Location
Virginia
USDA Zone
7A
How about?
 

Attachments

  • kennedyficus.jpg
    kennedyficus.jpg
    47.9 KB · Views: 41
Last edited:

KennedyMarx

Omono
Messages
1,708
Reaction score
427
Location
Indiana (Zone 6a)
USDA Zone
6a
I like that virt, Ryan, but I chose something different. I wanted to get it out of the turface it was planted in, so I decided that I would rather do it sooner than later. Upon repotting into half lava half pumice, I picked a new planting angle.


Ficus salicifolia / nerifolia new potting angle by Charles_Willis, on Flickr


Ficus salicifolia / nerifolia new potting angle by Charles_Willis, on Flickr

I think the semi cascade style is a good choice for this tree. Of course I still have the reverse taper bulge to deal with. I am thinking about cutting a piece out of it like a pie slice then cinching it back together with raffia or tape to heal back together. And I have that long piece of trunk that is pretty straight. That will eventually need cut back and grown back out I think.
 

thams

Omono
Messages
1,023
Reaction score
1,542
Location
Roswell, GA
USDA Zone
7b
Nice!! I really like the new angle. Keep us posted with this one.
 

KennedyMarx

Omono
Messages
1,708
Reaction score
427
Location
Indiana (Zone 6a)
USDA Zone
6a
Update on this one. I put it into a slightly larger pot a few weeks ago and it responded with new growth. I had Adam Lavigne at my house a few days ago and he helped me choose a front and wire it out. He did the wiring.
 

Attachments

  • image.jpg
    image.jpg
    190.9 KB · Views: 51

thams

Omono
Messages
1,023
Reaction score
1,542
Location
Roswell, GA
USDA Zone
7b
Very cool! I like it a lot - I think it's going to have a great future. Definitely keep us posted with this one.
 

lordy

Omono
Messages
1,537
Reaction score
370
Location
central Maryland
USDA Zone
7a
I like the new angle a lot! And I think you may not need to worry with either the reverse taper (not sure I can see it) nor the straight section. With a good mop of foliage, which should continue to develop, both flaws could well be hidden. After repotting and changing the angle, I'd let it rip for another year and feed it will and see where you end up then. I suspect with some judicious thinning, you will have a very distinctive tree. And after all, you dont need what everyone else has, right?
 

Neli

Omono
Messages
1,300
Reaction score
25
Location
Lusaka Zambia
USDA Zone
hot
I like the new angle a lot! Something different!
Have you done a virtual????
If you are going for an apex on it, maybe to bend the first a bit more back before going up.
BTW, I love a good cascade....for me it is tops. Something for you to enjoy looking at.
 

Attachments

  • antidesma_acidum_retz_sambay_410.jpg
    antidesma_acidum_retz_sambay_410.jpg
    55.9 KB · Views: 20
  • 74856_174230649254285_6819185_n.jpg
    74856_174230649254285_6819185_n.jpg
    66.8 KB · Views: 16
  • 307554_141425502620537_1058786225_n.jpg
    307554_141425502620537_1058786225_n.jpg
    64 KB · Views: 16
  • prochineseelm.jpg
    prochineseelm.jpg
    19.3 KB · Views: 16

thams

Omono
Messages
1,023
Reaction score
1,542
Location
Roswell, GA
USDA Zone
7b
I had Adam Lavigne at my house a few days ago and he helped me choose a front and wire it out. He did the wiring.

Also, I meant to say that it's awesome that you had Adam over to help style your tree. His blog is a trip and I've learned a lot from it. He's currently caring for my large ficus that I got a little chop-happy with before I learned patience. I plan to keep it with him for a couple of years so it can recover and gain its vigor back before touching it again.
 

Jeremy

Shohin
Messages
421
Reaction score
850
Location
QLD, Australia
USDA Zone
10
I like the way Adam styled this tree, its very much his style. Always enjoy reading his blog.
I think you found th best angle for this one, its got a nice little future ahead:D
 

KennedyMarx

Omono
Messages
1,708
Reaction score
427
Location
Indiana (Zone 6a)
USDA Zone
6a
Adam is a good guy and really knows his stuff. He also helped me style (basically he styled) a couple big junipers I had as well. I love his blog and it always inspires me.
 

KennedyMarx

Omono
Messages
1,708
Reaction score
427
Location
Indiana (Zone 6a)
USDA Zone
6a
Here it is leafed back out. Still needs some branches to extend in the right spots then I can work more on the branch taper.
 

Attachments

  • Screen Shot 2014-07-28 at 7.49.31 PM.jpg
    Screen Shot 2014-07-28 at 7.49.31 PM.jpg
    41.3 KB · Views: 20

ericN

Mame
Messages
236
Reaction score
71
Location
chicago
USDA Zone
5
I really like the direction you are going with this tree.

Eric
 
Top Bottom