Pick a front, any front

[Redwood Ryan]

Here's a piece of stock I picked up from one of the Facebook auctions recently. It's a hefty Ficus microcarpa with a few options for a front.

Option one:


Option two:


Option three, somewhere in the middle that would require the removal/splitting of that big root:


Thoughts?

 

[ColinFraser]

Cool; thanks for sharing.
The straight section above the big chop reminds me a lot of this tree: Chinese Hackberry (Celtis sinensis).

Perhaps a consideration of where the next chop for movement/taper might be would inform your choice of front.

 

[ColinFraser]

For example, Option two seems to show a branch that might be a good way forward:
(I think the same branch is visible in option one too).



If you were crazy enough to do that (), then which way it leaned might dictate the front . . .

 

[JudyB]

#1 love the base from here... Everything else is buildable as you know.

 

[nickbachman]

I like Colin's idea. Get this tree from Robert Pressler?

 

[AaronThomas]

Nice!!! I like Colin's idea as well...

 

[Redwood Ryan]

Thanks Colin, I didn't even see that! Looks like that's the route I'll go!

I like Colin's idea. Get this tree from Robert Pressler?

Yep!

 

[ColinFraser]

Thanks Colin, I didn't even see that! Looks like that's the route I'll go!

Cool. I'll hasten to add that it's just design advice, not cultural advice. I'll leave it to you to figure out when and how the deed goes down

I also think I agree with @JudyB that side #1 is the most interesting. Perhaps that same branch will work as a leader from that side . . .

 

[Milly]

I agree with Judy. The base and trunk has so much more character in the first picture.

 

[Guy Vitale]

Option 1 shows off the base and best trunk movement. Remove or wire and bend the long straight branches and style the thinner branches for future development. Very nice ficus.

 

[milehigh_7]

#1 it has much more visual texture.

 

[LanceMac10]

#2 until you get that fat root sorted.....then #1 will look great.
You still chasing the "tropical dragon"?
I'm ready to throw in the towel! This one looks cool, though!

 

[Redwood Ryan]

Very interesting. #1 definitely has the most character, but the new leader is a little different than the one in the second picture. There's two choices for a leader in the first option, one in red and one in blue.



Decisions, decisions.

 

[ColinFraser]

Snip off that big leaf in the way, and post another picture!

 

[nickbachman]

Thanks Colin, I didn't even see that! Looks like that's the route I'll go!



Yep!

Nice! I have your tree's brother.

 

[milehigh_7]

You could wait, defoliate and see if you get a branch to pop somewhere else...

 

[Redwood Ryan]

Cut some leaves off, nice clear view:

 

[Redwood Ryan]

Ah, it seems I've stumped you all! I'm personally leaning toward option two just because of leader placement. Option one is nice, but that wrinkled appearance doesn't do a whole lot for me, and the leader transition would be so abrupt.

 

[ColinFraser]

The second photo appears to give you the widest possible base. As for the leader, the uppermost of those two right next to each other looks perfect.

 

[Redwood Ryan]

The second photo appears to give you the widest possible base. As for the leader, the uppermost of those two right next to each other looks perfect.

I think that's mostly because of that big root, which will need attention. I'll either end up splitting it or removing it altogether.