New to Bonsai!!! Need Help Identifying

siddtox

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Hi I am new to bonsai and got this from a friend. Can someone help identify:

1. What type of tree this is (I am leaning between Fig and Ficus) but could be completely wrong
2. The tree i think is in poor condition since all the leaves are on just one branch, so what can I do to save it/ improve its condition?
3. Can this be saved/ worth the effort?

Thanks
 

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Eckhoffw

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Lovely Ginseng ficus. Ficus microcarpa grafted on top. I would say, more sun. Outside sun.
 

Shibui

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Ficus is the proper name for fig so you are correct in both cases.
Ficus growth habit is to grow long branches with increasingly large leaves. To make it branch out you must prune the long branches. Pruning long branches will also help smaller ones grow stronger.
It looks like the rootstock has sprouted a shoot which will grow much faster and bigger than the part which is grafted on top. To save the grafted top you will need to remove that lower branch completely. Some people have elected to grow the lo branch and remove the grafted top. That choice is up to you.
It looks quite healthy so you just need to decide which part to keep then feed and water well to get good growth.

Whether it is worth the effort depends whether you like the look of those bulbous roots.............
 
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Forsoothe!

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I'm unclear on these Ginseng Figs. Why do they exist? All of the plants that I see here have a crappy top that is a remnant of a grafted top and/or the top has died and foliage is growing out of the root. What are they suppose to look like?
 

Eckhoffw

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I'm unclear on these Ginseng Figs. Why do they exist? All of the plants that I see here have a crappy top that is a remnant of a grafted top and/or the top has died and foliage is growing out of the root. What are they suppose to look like?
Cancer.

Good question! Seems to be a novelty plant that gets noticed and seems ‘funky’, or has character b cuz it looks odd.
One of my first potted plants. IKEA ficus.
I believe I paid 30$ for this thing 2 yrs ago. 2BB29C82-4CB1-4C74-A006-A7624B31F8B6.jpeg Was a splurge for sure. 🤷‍♂️
 

penumbra

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I'm unclear on these Ginseng Figs. Why do they exist? All of the plants that I see here have a crappy top that is a remnant of a grafted top and/or the top has died and foliage is growing out of the root. What are they suppose to look like?
I don't get it either. I think almost all of them are hideous.
 

Kanorin

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I think because they are so different from trees we typically see in North America/Europe they appear very exotic, so there is a market for them here. Also because they are so cheap to mass produce.
 

penumbra

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I think because they are so different from trees we typically see in North America/Europe they appear very exotic, so there is a market for them here. Also because they are so cheap to mass produce.
I understand what you are saying but they are anything but different from plants we usually see. The big box stores have been hawking them as bonsai for at least a decade. I am frankly quite tired of seeing them in all the stores including grocery stores. I saw one once that was interesting, in a way, and thought about buying it but just could not bring myself to do so. It would simply be taking up the space a much nicer plant could use.
They are simply a Chinese produced gimmick plant for western markets.
 

Joe Dupre'

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It's worth the time if you like it. It's worth it just to practice keeping it alive...... a VERY important part of bonsai. Be forewarned that there are bonsai people that will look down on it as not being an "in" bonsai. There'll be other bonsai in your life. It would be cool to look back in 20 years and say "This is my very first bonsai.".
 

penumbra

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It's worth the time if you like it. It's worth it just to practice keeping it alive...... a VERY important part of bonsai. Be forewarned that there are bonsai people that will look down on it as not being an "in" bonsai. There'll be other bonsai in your life. It would be cool to look back in 20 years and say "This is my very first bonsai.".
I agree with most of this except I really would not want to look back on this in 20 years as my first bonsai. I am definitely not a bonsai snob and I have no way of knowing what it would look like down the road, I am just giving my opinion. There are some really outstanding fig bonsai, I have just never seen one of these as a great bonsai. There is nothing wrong with cultivating it, but it is a novelty plant to me.
 

R0b

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I'm unclear on these Ginseng Figs. Why do they exist? All of the plants that I see here have a crappy top that is a remnant of a grafted top and/or the top has died and foliage is growing out of the root. What are they suppose to look like?

first post here, hi all


The species can makes good bonsai the mass produced one won’t easily turn into one.
 

Bonsai Nut

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Good question! Seems to be a novelty plant that gets noticed and seems ‘funky’, or has character b cuz it looks odd.

Yup. Same can be said for braided trunk scheffleras or ficuses. They look interesting... and are easy as heck to grow. When they first started showing up, I saw a lot of interest in them. Now not so much.
 

sorce

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If we start encouraging their instant return and refund, not foolishly helping folks with them, perhaps we can turn this large ugly ship around.

Welcome to Crazy!

Sorce
 
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