Green Island ficus cascade starting out

[luvinthemountains]

I have recently become interested in cascade plantings, and have started out with a couple of ficus. One is mame-size, and will probably never be more than entertaining, but the other is larger and I hope to eventually make something of it.

For now, it's pretty ugly. Very roughly wired and repotted today into an 11"H Zisha unglazed square pot. It is probably over-potted, but it will do for growing out. Also, I planted it deep, hiding a decent wide, grasping nebari under the soil for now.



The thing that bothers me the most is the long, cylindrical section of the cascading trunk below the pot rim. You can see there is a downward-facing bud close to the pot that could be grown into a new cascading trunk, removing either everything beyond that or chopping to the first horizontal branch.

For now, this will grow a while.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

I planted it deep, hiding a decent wide, grasping nebari under the soil for now...

...the thing that bothers me the most is the long, cylindrical section of the cascading trunk below the pot rim...

Good start. I know this is early in development, so take my comments with a grain of salt since you may already know all of this...

(1) You say it is planted deep. Make sure in the future you highlight a nice nebari and trunk base before the tree begins its cascade. The tree should not touch / rest on the rim of the pot.
(2) Minor style correction, but right now your tree is a semi-cascade. In a cascade the descending branch falls below the bottom of the pot. Yes I get that you are very early in development and may already know this.
(3) As you lay out your branches, don't forget to develop pads to the left and right of the descending trunk.
(4) I wouldn't worry about the cylindrical section of the trunk. However make sure you are adding changes in movement into the trunk. Don't just wire it in a straight drooping line. Think of how you would style an informal upright and try to bring energy to your composition.

 

[luvinthemountains]

Thank you for the detailed reply @Bonsai Nut! It is really helpful. Because that cascading branch is so pliable, I can move it around a bit without much problem. So I tried bending some gentle movement into it, to sweep in front of the pot as I have seen in other trees. I will wait and see what the tree wants to do.

 

[luvinthemountains]

This tree has had a pretty good winter. Should I keep it in the cascade style? Maybe a semi-cascade? Or @Cadillactaste I am thinking I might just take this out of the pot, wrap the root ball and put it in a much shallower pot to develop a neagari style. Options are so much funner than decisions...

 

[Paradox]

Its look good. I wouldnt to a lot to it to change it. Give it time and it could develop into a very nice little tree
Its already in a cascade. You could tilt it slightly (really just a little bit) up to get it a bit higher off the rim of the pot.
Not sure how this would work as negari.

 

[Cadillactaste]

I love neagari as most know. But this tree looks to be starting off on the right foot as a cascade. I love cascades as well.

 

[luvinthemountains]

Defilated and wired out for the summer

 

[luvinthemountains]

Defilated

Now that's a funny typo!

 

[hinmo24t]

The leaf on it looks like desert rose a bit. Good luck, looks nice

 

[swatchpost]

Any updates? Would love to see how it's progressing!

 

[luvinthemountains]

Trimmed this up today. Good time to get a shot while the structure is visible. The trunk transition is starting to close over and should look more natural with time.

 

[giventofly]

Looking good, I also started a cascade ficus, great to see someone doing the same.

Good start. I know this is early in development, so take my comments with a grain of salt since you may already know all of this...

(1) You say it is planted deep. Make sure in the future you highlight a nice nebari and trunk base before the tree begins its cascade. The tree should not touch / rest on the rim of the pot.
(2) Minor style correction, but right now your tree is a semi-cascade. In a cascade the descending branch falls below the bottom of the pot. Yes I get that you are very early in development and may already know this.
(3) As you lay out your branches, don't forget to develop pads to the left and right of the descending trunk.
(4) I wouldn't worry about the cylindrical section of the trunk. However make sure you are adding changes in movement into the trunk. Don't just wire it in a straight drooping line. Think of how you would style an informal upright and try to bring energy to your composition.

View attachment 345714

@Bonsai Nut about point 3) is this really a necessaire thing? Having pads on only one side can show the trunk similar to a front in other styles?

 

[luvinthemountains]

Here is an update. It is filling in very well, and new leaves growing in the tent are nice and small. The very tip of the cascade, however, has sort of stalled out. In the summer, I will try defoliating the upper branches to try and force growth downward.

(Yes, I do see the "sap" on the leaves. I am working on eradicating the scale.)

 

[Bonsai Pete]

I have recently become interested in cascade plantings, and have started out with a couple of ficus. One is mame-size, and will probably never be more than entertaining, but the other is larger and I hope to eventually make something of it.

For now, it's pretty ugly. Very roughly wired and repotted today into an 11"H Zisha unglazed square pot. It is probably over-potted, but it will do for growing out. Also, I planted it deep, hiding a decent wide, grasping nebari under the soil for now.

View attachment 345705

The thing that bothers me the most is the long, cylindrical section of the cascading trunk below the pot rim. You can see there is a downward-facing bud close to the pot that could be grown into a new cascading trunk, removing either everything beyond that or chopping to the first horizontal branch.

For now, this will grow a while.

I think it’s a great idea. You can get tight growth and nice pads unlike many ficus This is one I am just using aerial roots as a trunk. Then going to let aerial roots hang from outer branching.

 

[luvinthemountains]

This is one I am just using aerial roots as a trunk. Then going to let aerial roots hang from outer branching.

It has a great shape already. Good job!