My Tiger Bark Ficus

[VAFisher]

This is one of the first trees that I purchased a couple years ago during my 1st year in bonsai and the only one that has survived since that time. It has some issues, namely the terrible S curve in the trunk and foliage that's too far out on the ends of the branches. It lives outside all summer and comes in to a South facing window in the winter(I don't have any kind of light setup for it). I've been trying to chase the branches back but it doesn't back bud for me all that well. I defoliated it early this summer and it back budded some but nothing popped in close. I've tried pruning back to the first couple leaves on each branch and it just grows out from there. Despite the problems, I will probably always keep the tree since it's the only one that survived my rookie abuse. So, a couple questions:

1. Can I prune the branches back to stubs and expect them to bud out? Or do I need to leave some leaves?
2. If the tree was yours, what would you do about the trunk? I've considered ground layering it, or trying to encourage aerial roots to hide that curve, or maybe incorporating a rock so that it looks like the trunk is growing around something.

As always, thanks for looking.

 

[Giga]

here's what i'd do-though take with caution since winter is coming(heh had to) and you don't have a light setup other then a window. Cut all the branches(leaving no foliage) close to the trunk to get better taper and foliage close to the trunk-then make a tent around the trunk under the first branch out of saran wrap with a couple hole for circulation and water like normal. That should help keep humidity up for aerial roots to form, given a few years the ugly S curve should be less noticeable.

Only thing I would worry about is how fast you can get it to leaf out again, so this may be a better plan for late spring if you don't have a good indoor setup. Ficus can be pushed hard and leafed out and healthy within 4 weeks. Though if it was me I'd do it right now lol

Like the pot btw

 

[Alain]

I have a retusa also and I had the same ugly S shape problem.
I tried several things and nothing worked so as last resort solution I just chop the trunk, brushed the cut with rooting hormone and plant the rootless trunk in a plastic pot, and it rooted and it's thrilling now.
Also I pruned it back to close to nothing and it's back budding all over right now.

Here is my post about that treatment:
http://bonsainut.com/index.php?threads/one-year-torturing-a-walmart-retusa.20089/#post-277438

However I would like to add that this post represents my own experience only and that I decline all responsibility in case of severe injury or death resulting on any retusa (or any other species for that matter) submitted to the same extreme conditions!

 

[Redwood Ryan]

I wouldn't cut all the branches back to stubs. I would only cut it back to the first sets of leaves as you mentioned. However, the fact that it only budded out from that point when you last did it is a good indication that the tree isn't as healthy as it should be for this kind of work.

Get the tree healthy and growing well before cutting it back hard, then it'll sprout all over the trunk.

 

[Alain]

Get the tree healthy and growing well before cutting it back hard, then it'll sprout all over the trunk.

Yes sure, I forgot to tell that my ficus was really healthy during all the time I was torturing it!

 

[VAFisher]

Thanks for the replies. I think the tree is healthy and growing very strongly right now. The picture above was taken on Jul 20 and I defoliated it sometime around the 1st of June plus or minus a couple weeks. So that growth took 6 - 8 weeks. I'm nervouse to cut back to stubs so I think I'll try pruning back to the 1st set of leaves again.

The plastic tent around the trunk is the best way to try to encourage aerial roots? Any other methods that people have had success with? It's been a humid summer around here and I mist the foliage and wet the trunk down every morning, but nothing so far.

 

[mat]

It looks healthy to me. If it were mine, I'd cut back every branch hard, leaving no foliage (as Giga suggested). I think buds will pop on each one.

 

[Desert Rat]

Thanks for the replies. I think the tree is healthy and growing very strongly right now. The picture above was taken on Jul 20 and I defoliated it sometime around the 1st of June plus or minus a couple weeks. So that growth took 6 - 8 weeks. I'm nervouse to cut back to stubs so I think I'll try pruning back to the 1st set of leaves again.

The plastic tent around the trunk is the best way to try to encourage aerial roots? Any other methods that people have had success with? It's been a humid summer around here and I mist the foliage and wet the trunk down every morning, but nothing so far.

I've had good success with wounding the trunks and branches of ficus, swabbing it with rooting hormone solution, then surrounding it with loose volcanic rock (lave, pumice, or perlite) and foil wrapping it, like David Fukumoto does with his Schefflera. Allow the roots to grow down for a while and harden off, then expose to the "environment".

 

[sorce]

You're getting a lot of light in there.
I'd let it grow till it backbuds. It will.

Trunk ain't bad!

I'd work it how it is. Tighter crown, youre golden.

Sorce

 

[hinmo24t]

what did you end up doing to this tree, @VAFisher ?

 

[VAFisher]

what did you end up doing to this tree, @VAFisher ?

I got rid of it but honestly don't remember what I did. I either sold it or gave it to someone. I just decided I would rather work on nicer material.

 

[hinmo24t]

I got rid of it but honestly don't remember what I did. I either sold it or gave it to someone. I just decided I would rather work on nicer material.

no doubt...motivating me to go surgical on the one i just got then. hardcuts after work today