The Art of Bonsai

Category: Ficus natalensis

  • Taper for your bonsai

    One aspect that is critical to a bonsai’s design is the proper taper of the trunk and secondarily the branches should mirror the taper as determined by the trunk and the base of the tree. Not all bonsai need dramatic taper. Some bonsai are wonderfully designed with a long slim trunk that has little or no taper. Bunjin…

  • Taking a tree apart to improve it

    This is a young rooted cutting of Ficus natalensis but the two roots as indicated did not look right to my eyes. So I split the tree and allowed it to sprout back. I like the two new pieces and with more growth I think each may work out to be a reasonable bonsai tree.

  • Some steps in creating a bonsai from raw material

    This is a young plant grown from a root cutting of a Ficus natalensis. The root cutting sprouted three branches. To develop a new apex and create a better transition to the new apex, two of the sprouts were pulled together with electrical ties. A month or two passed and the ties were removed. The…

  • Ficus natalensis exposed root style

    Ficus natalensis is one of my favorite species for bonsai. It has many characteristics making it suitable for bonsai. One, of these is how easily it is grown from root cuttings. The images show one of mine that is only 2 years from a root cutting.