what to do with my ROR ficus?

[thailand-steve]

i have this nice root system growing over a rock now but this was one of the first trees i bought and didn't choose well. it doesn't have any nice fat lower branches.

so i'm wondering how to style this? as you can see, i'm going for a cascade but not 100% sure. maybe i should graft in a bigger, lower branch? or just wire that low branch really bendy and let it grow?

does anyone one have an ideas what i can do with this to make it look dramatic?

thx steve

 

[BrianBay9]

You could try approach grafts to establish low branches, using the higher branches you have now.

 

[KennedyMarx]

I don't think it wants to be a cascade, I think you're trying to force it. I would try to wire that top branch back to the right as much as possible and cut it back a little bit at the top to try to force some back budding that you can grow out.

Also the gap between the rock and the roots looks a bit weird, but I bet putting some sphagnum moss in the crevice would cause some roots to grow in its place.

 

[thailand-steve]

I don't think it wants to be a cascade, I think you're trying to force it. I would try to wire that top branch back to the right as much as possible and cut it back a little bit at the top to try to force some back budding that you can grow out.

Also the gap between the rock and the roots looks a bit weird, but I bet putting some sphagnum moss in the crevice would cause some roots to grow in its place.

thanks for the advice. i'll almost circularly lop off that root when the tree is a bit more established, like in the photoshoped one here, and remove a lot of the fine roots above ground.
i think maybe you are right about the cascade not right. i'll try get some low branches onto trunk on all sides

here i photoshoped in a top from a formal upright ficus. i'm not sure this is the right style either

this i like better and the low branch on the left us already there


by the way, that's my home made cement pot, i put a video on youtube about how to make them, look for 2112design channel