Help with my tiger bark ficus

[Specter]

It had a bad scale bug infestation before I was aware, I had to remove most of the branches then today did a chop on it to remove the upper half that had died back. Is it to late for it? Any advice on what I can do to give it a fighting chance? Had it for 2 years

 

[cheap_walmart_art]

Does it pass the scratch test? I.e. if you take your fingernail and rub a little bark off on the trunk, is it a nice healthy green color? If so, just keep it in bright light, be sure the soil stays moist but not wet, and wait. Possibly even put a bag or dome over it for humidity.

If the scratch test shows dead brown wood, then you might be out of luck.

 

[Specter]

Does it pass the scratch test? I.e. if you take your fingernail and rub a little bark off on the trunk, is it a nice healthy green color? If so, just keep it in bright light, be sure the soil stays moist but not wet, and wait. Possibly even put a bag or dome over it for humidity.

If the scratch test shows dead brown wood, then you might be out of luck.

I'm partially color blind this is what the scratch test shows

 

[cheap_walmart_art]

I'm partially color blind this is what the scratch test shows

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but that tree is lost. Here is what a healthy ficus should look like under the bark. Notice the healthy green cambium.

 

[Specter]

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but that tree is lost. Here is what a healthy ficus should look like under the bark. Notice the healthy green cambium.
View attachment 416720

I was afraid of that

 

[cheap_walmart_art]

I was afraid of that

It's always a bummer, but it is part of bonsai. You know what happened here and you can use that experience for success with the next one!

 

[Specter]

It's always a bummer, but it is part of bonsai. You know what happened here and you can use that experience for success with the next one!

A friend of mine said he'd order me a ficus retusa. I'm curious to see it, currently I'm down to my ficus religiosa and a ginseng

 

[Soup Dragon]

A friend of mine said he'd order me a ficus retusa. I'm curious to see it, currently I'm down to my ficus religiosa and a ginseng

At the risk of sounding pedantic, when he says he will order you a retusa, he will order a microcarpa. Ficus retusa is never used for bonsai or even as a houseplant, although many use the name instead of microcarpa for some reason.

 

[Specter]

At the risk of sounding pedantic, when he says he will order you a retusa, he will order a microcarpa. Ficus retusa is never used for bonsai or even as a houseplant, although many use the name instead of microcarpa for some reason.

We actually ended up grabbing a couple ficus benjamina to bonsai from a local nursery.