Mame Burtt-Davyi

[Alex DeRuiter]

I just made this the other day. Let me know what you think

I like the trunk line, but I need to work on branch placement. I'll include a rough MS Paint sketch.

 

[treebeard55]

Nice trunk movement already. This may turn out a sweet little tree!

One thought: the main trunk movement is in one direction, and it looks right now as if you're bringing the apex back the other way. Is that what you mean to do, or just where the tree is right now in its development? I bring it up because mame are sometimes too small for much complexity in their design.

 

[Alex DeRuiter]

Thank you I was really excited when I looked at it a couple days ago and noticed the potential -- or at least what I saw as it's potential. lol

It's still not very far into development. I was planning on lowering the apex a tiny bit and keeping it with the movement of the trunk. I really wish I was better with photo-editing software, as I might be able to make a better picture of what I plan to do. But alas, MS Paint shall suffice. But yeah, I plan on changing the apex up. I just want to let it grow freely and recover from the chop for a season or two.

 

[Bill S]

Not sure about this being a burt davy, looks more like a benjamina.

 

[Alex DeRuiter]

Nah, I'm positive about the species. Not trying to sound arrogant or anything

It fruits and everything. This was taken as an air layer last year from the mother plant. Speaking of which, in the picture, the tree in the big black pot behind this one is the mother.

 

[Bill S]

Hmm interesting, I was under the impression that the Davi leaves were much smaller, and somewhat curled, I'll have to compare the ones I have to a benjamina.

By the way it is ok to be sure of yourself

 

[Alex DeRuiter]

Haha, thank you Bill

I think the leaves have gotten a little larger due to the type of lighting I have -- I'm not certain it's the best light to have them in, but it keeps them alive for the winter. I've been saving up for a nice system which I plan on getting this year.

But yeah, on the mother tree and the other air layer I took from it, some of the leaves are much smaller. Some of them have really broad leaves too. I wonder what causes this....could it be the light?

Anywho, what do you think of the trunk line?

 

[Bill S]

It's wiggely for sure, but not sure I'd go the pine tree look for it. I think I would try to hang a canopy on it at the level of the 3 branches below the top branch to the right.

 

[treebeard55]

"I just want to let it grow freely and recover from the chop for a season or two." Not a bad idea!

And for what it's worth, the new leaves on one of my veldt figs (the common name I prefer for burtt-davyi) have more than doubled in size over the course of the winter. Once I can move it outside again, it will start producing smaller leaves.

 

[jason biggs]

my burtt davy are all outside year round. minimum winter temp 3 degrees + for some weird reason there is a great size difference in the leaves-even on the same tree.They are supposed to reduce better than most ficus but time will tell....They put out fantastic aerial roots by the way....

 

[treebeard55]

Jason, if you don't mind, where are you? And is that 3 degrees Celsius, as I assume?

 

[jason biggs]

near the Kruger park in S.A. [Gods own country-that is if the current politicians don't pull a robert mugabe on us.....] our winter maximums dont drop much lower than 20 degrees..

 

[Alex DeRuiter]

How I envy you, Jason. I've actually been going through my tropical trees and weeding them out one by one so I'll have less to manage over the winters here. I'm trying to get down to only about three trees if I can...

 

[KennedyMarx]

Any update on this tree, Alex?

 

[Alex DeRuiter]

Gave this and the other air layer to a friend who became interested in growing.

However, the mother is here and is growing nice and strong: http://bonsainut.com/forums/showthread.php?9443-Ficus-Burtt-davyi-Update