New here.

[Tbcobra]

Hello everyone, new here just purchased a tree yesterday. I do have one question to get me started. I was told the tree was a ficus, but I'm not able to find which species of ficus it is. Can anyone tell me?

 

[Poink88]

Welcome to B-Nut!

It is ficus nerifolia/salicaria/willow leaf

 

[GrimLore]

For certain

 

[quietobserver]

Good choice!

The tree in my collection the longest is a willow leaf ficus. Only one of the first few I purchased I didn't manage to euthenize. Named it dirty harry, because its too tough to be killed...

 

[Tbcobra]

Thanks everyone for the quick replies. I'm guessing the tree is 1-2years old (assuming) i have it potted in regular potting mix. does this type get any aerials later on?

 

[edprocoat]

Tbcobra, welcome to B-Nut ! Willow Leaf Ficus are great plants and can be kept indoors and thrive. They are not big producers of aerial roots though, I have seen a few with them but I believe they were induced to put them out.

ed

 

[Tbcobra]

Thanks for the advice regular potting soil is alright for a ficus correct? i guess i feel as if i lose my first tree i wouldn't want to chance another.

 

[Paradox]

Thanks for the advice regular potting soil is alright for a ficus correct? i guess i feel as if i lose my first tree i wouldn't want to chance another.

Regular potting soil is not the best. Someone with more experience with ficus than myself can give more detail on the best soil for ficus.

In your journey to learn bonsai, you will kill trees. Its part of the currency you pay to learn.
You have to be willing to chalk it up to experience and move on to other trees.

 

[edprocoat]

Getting a good draining soil would be better. Ficus do love the organics, I usually use thirds of lava chips, third existing soil and a third composted pine bark chips. I break the pine bark up by hand and try to get the smaller pieces to use. This way you have a free draining soil that retains some water as Ficus do not want to be dried out, and you get valuable organics which Ficus thrive on.

ed

 

[Bonsai Nut]

I'm guessing the tree is 1-2years old (assuming)

It appears to me to be a root cutting from a larger tree. You can see the old gnarly root, and then the part where it was cut off, planted up, and formed a new straight trunk. Note the different character of the trunk and the root, as well as the swelling at the base. Regardless, I would estimate even from a root cutting it would take 5 years to develop that trunk and branches.

Without sounding too critical - whoever put that wire on the tree has no idea what they are doing. I hope it wasn't you I would just remove it so it doesn't distract you. We would call this material "pre-bonsai" because it has been grown with the intention of being bonsai one day, but it has had almost no development work done on it. Good news is that willow leaf figs are really hardy and robust and put up with a ton of abuse, so they are great trees to start with!

 

[Tbcobra]

Ah, well the wire was on there when i got it. they were trying to get the limbs to start growing an umbrella style. I guess the tree is a lot older than i figured. i took it out of the pot earlier today and changed the potting soil out with a mix of rock,potting soil and compost. I did trim the roots back a bit as it was way too deep. I believe I'm going to have to get a different size pot as the large root that runs off the side of the trunk makes one huge circle then branches feeders off of it.