wanting to get a ficus

[Backwardsvg]

Hey there, I want to dip my toe in ficus bonsai. I am looking for something that is pretty low work, can survive indoors well (outside in summer). Something that I can just cut up for fun and practice on. Fast growing and strong would be great. (Am I making up a unicorn tree haha)

I don’t like the usual super fat ginseng look or tons of areal roots.

What’s your recommendation ?

 

[Carol 83]

don’t like the usual super fat ginseng look

Me neither. My brother gave me one. I chopped off the tubes. It's still ugly, but I have to keep it because he asks to see it every Christmas. Most ficus will fit your requirements. The only one I have that is a bit finicky is my Willow Leaf. It wants to drops it's leaves in November and play dead most of the winter, but it always comes back. Tigerbark are really vigorous and root super easily.

 

[ShadyStump]

I have ficus benjamina, and a hardy Chicago fig - actual fruit tree from the Home Depot garden centersg - but that's it for the moment.
Can't say much about the Chicago fig as this is my first go, but the leaves are the traditional lobed fan shape from the Adam and Eve paintings, and almost the size of my hand. Old wood doesn't really bend. Seems like it should be capable of nice nebari.

Benjamina, on the other hand, will make awful nebari. The roots tend to grow as these tuber like things to store water and nutrients for lean times.
That said, they are otherwise SOOOOO EASY it's almost cheating. I've kept one on my desk at work under a desk lamp with a grow bulb and timer August of last year through June of this year, no real sun, little fertilizer, left on it's own upwards of two weeks at a time. Healthy and happy, and coming along very nicely for starting as garden center seedling.

 

[Backwardsvg]

I was thinking a tiger bark from wigerts it looks like they have decent ones. Do tigers need grow lights in winter or just a bright window ? @Carol 83

 

[Carol 83]

I was thinking a tiger bark from wigerts it looks like they have decent ones. Do tigers need grow lights in winter or just a bright window ? @Carol 83

Wigert's is awesome, highly recommend. E-mail them through there website, they have MUCH more than what they post there. They are happy to send pictures to help you choose. I have grow lights, but I don't know that would be absolutely necessary, probably a bright window would suffice.

 

[Backwardsvg]

Awesome I might shoot them an email.

Do you use just a normal bonsai mix for soil?

I do have an led grow light but it’s the pink kind and it kind of annoys me

 

[Carol 83]

Awesome I might shoot them an email.

Do you use just a normal bonsai mix for soil?

I do have an led grow light but it’s the pink kind and it kind of annoys me

Ficus aren't particularly finicky about their soil, I use Bonsai Jack for most everything. I had those pink/blue lights for ONE winter, hated them.

 

[Backwardsvg]

I figured I would do about that same. It’s a great light but the color really throws me off. I want a white normal light next. We’ll see

 

[Carol 83]

I figured I would do about that same. It’s a great light but the color really throws me off. I want a white normal light next. We’ll see

I have full spectrum LED's, white light, much easier on the eyes!!

 

[ShadyStump]

I used this one at work, then bought another for home. Just to give you an idea how little these trees actually require to be happy.

Feit Electric 17-Watt E26 A21 Selectable Spectrum for Seeding Growing Blooming Indoor Greenhouse Plant Grow LED Light Bulb (1-Bulb) A21/ADJ/GRW/LED/HDRP - The Home Depot

Feit Electric LED grow lights provide the lighting essential for healthy plant growth while producing considerably less heat and using less energy than standard incandescent grow lights. Feit Electric

www.homedepot.com

 

[Lorax7]

I've wintered both tiger bark and benjamina 'Natasja' in my office at work with no lights, just an east-facing window and they did fine. I put them outside in the summer.

 

[BonScience]

they are otherwise SOOOOO EASY it's almost cheating.

I'm not a fan of the tuber look, almost hate it in fact. I found one on a Lowes clearance rack in a nice white pot for $5. The ficus looked dead with one green leaf and a bunch of brown and yellow ones but i figured at least i'll get a nice pot. The thing is growing like mad after i put it in some sphagnum moss and pumice. I can't really ID where the graft is on it so i guess now i have a tuber to experiment with. And its's kinda growing on me too.

 

[sorce]

You want this one?

Concrete hollow patch.

I saw Peter Tea do this with a trident. Having some concrete left over from my pot project, I decided why not. Heres the hole. This is part of my OG Benjamin. Sentimental practice material, emphasis on the mental. It's In a pot poured haphazardly of hydraulic cement. There's the taper Im...

www.bonsainut.com

Sorce

 

[Backwardsvg]

@sorce you know im a sorceaholic looks like a super cool one! Why you gettin rid of it? Just clearing out?

 

[sorce]

@sorce you know im a sorceaholic looks like a super cool one! Why you gettin rid of it? Just clearing out?

Probably more trying to lure you back here for some conversation than anything!

Also, I don't think anything will survive another winter cuz my neglect is rampant and eff shipping.

I think a future in new hands will be good for it.

Sorce

 

[ShadyStump]

I'm not a fan of the tuber look, almost hate it in fact. I found one on a Lowes clearance rack in a nice white pot for $5. The ficus looked dead with one green leaf and a bunch of brown and yellow ones but i figured at least i'll get a nice pot. The thing is growing like mad after i put it in some sphagnum moss and pumice. I can't really ID where the graft is on it so i guess now i have a tuber to experiment with. And its's kinda growing on me too.

I'm not either, but benjamina usually keep theirs below the surface. It can be avoided to an extent in the hard soil particles used for bonsai.

 

[amcoffeegirl]

I saved this picture a few days ago from Google for inspiration.
Not a typical tree form for ficus bonsai. Sort of ugly but also rugged.
The great thing about ficus is they can be styled in many forms.

 

[amcoffeegirl]

Oh wait this one too- I love this one.

 

[19Mateo83]

You want this one?

Concrete hollow patch.

I saw Peter Tea do this with a trident. Having some concrete left over from my pot project, I decided why not. Heres the hole. This is part of my OG Benjamin. Sentimental practice material, emphasis on the mental. It's In a pot poured haphazardly of hydraulic cement. There's the taper Im...

www.bonsainut.com

Sorce

If no one bites it will love North Carolina’s heat and humidity…. Hint Hint…

 

[Backwardsvg]

Haha sorry @19Mateo83 i swang through the sorce house had a blast and picked her up and we did some good ole fashion trading or as I think @sorce would put it

trading, bartering
real food.
life.
think about it