The Royal Ficus

[Redwood Ryan]

Hey Nuts,


I was in a rut and had contemplated getting out of the hobby, but then had a change of heart. This hobby keeps me happy. I always look forward to my trees after work every day. That being said, I bought another Ficus (microcarpa) a couple weeks ago and have been in love with it ever since. I'm calling this one the "Royal Ficus" because Scott Lee bought it from Royal Bonsai Garden (Suthin's nursery). It was imported from Thailand forever ago and the trained by Suthin here in the States.

I don't recall exact measurements, but it's about a foot tall with a 6 inch base and 4 inch trunk....roughly.

It's such a gorgeous tree. I think I'm going to be looking for a nice white pot to put it in to make the bark stand out.

Comments welcome as always.

 

[JJshives]

I think it looks great. An amazing tree thats very well ramified and developed. I would love to see the lowest branches brought closer to parallel to create a bit of separation in the canopy. I don't know that I've ever seen guy wires on a ficus but you could try it out and then if you don't like the image remove them because as anyone that has grown ficus as bonsai knows, those branches will bounce right back into their current position. What do you see yourself doing with it?

 

[sorce]

Nice...

Wire it!

Sorce

 

[thomas22]

That's an awesome trunk. Do you have any styling plans for it yet or you just going to enjoy it how it sits for awhile?

 

[just.wing.it]

Wow. Great tree! Very nice find.

 

[rockm]

Great little ficus. Congratulations! love the bark on it, not to mention that detailed ramification.

 

[Cypress187]

It looks like my Ficus in 20 years

 

[Redwood Ryan]

Thanks everyone! It's a well ramified tree, though I may lose some of that ramification. After a couple days with storms that dumped rain (for a short period), the tree has got some yellowing leaves. That's also probably due to being moved to a new location as well.

I don't have any styling plans for it at the moment. I'll probably slip pot it into a training pot to give it some room to recover, then study it to see how it can be wired.

 

[choppychoppy]

I see it as a MUCH smaller tree in the future.

 

[KayaMooney]

I see it as a MUCH smaller tree in the future.

Agreed, although this tree is well ramified the ramification is very far away from the actual trunk for a tree of this size. I would suggest chopping the branches back pretty far and wiring them downwards to start creating pads of foliage and definition.

 

[Vin]

That's a beauty! Glad to hear you're staying in this wonderful hobby.

 

[Redwood Ryan]

It's dropping quite a few leaves, which is a little concerning. I believe it's due to the soil, holds too much water I'm betting. Tomorrow I'm going to slip pot the tree into a bulb pan with some fast draining soil. I'm not going to work the roots at all since the tree is stressed, I'm just going to give it some room to spread out.

Once it's recovered and pushing roots I'll find a nice pot to put it in and then work the roots.

 

[LanceMac10]

It's dropping quite a few leaves it's due to the soil, holds too much water I'm betting.

Maybe don't water as frequently?

 

[Redwood Ryan]

Maybe don't water as frequently?

Not me, it's been the storms.

 

[LanceMac10]

Maybe tilt the pot. Still think you have time to do a actual repot. Take the sphaggy of the surface and take the pot out of the bowl?

 

[Redwood Ryan]

Nah, a slip pot is probably my best bet. It's badly rootbound and the new growth is dying off as well. A slip pot would give it some recovery room and room to breathe.

 

[LanceMac10]

Oh, I'm sure that there are TONS of roots in there!!!

 

[Redwood Ryan]

Oh, I'm sure that there are TONS of roots in there!!!

Yep.

 

[LanceMac10]

Too bad carp is a complete lunatic and doesn't contribute to the forum anymore, or was banned. Figure he would be helpful with something if this nature.
Kicken' trunk, but the crown is massive!! Nurse it thru the winter and cut back hard if you can bring it outside in the spring?

 

[Don Blackmond]

It's dropping quite a few leaves, which is a little concerning. I believe it's due to the soil, holds too much water I'm betting. Tomorrow I'm going to slip pot the tree into a bulb pan with some fast draining soil. I'm not going to work the roots at all since the tree is stressed, I'm just going to give it some room to spread out.

Once it's recovered and pushing roots I'll find a nice pot to put it in and then work the roots.

That's normal. Ficus do that. If it was mine, I'd do a 100% defoliation and thin it out a bit and shorten up the branches. Trees like this grow and branches lengthen and need to be chased back in from time to time. Its that time.