The Art of Bonsai

Category: seed grown

  • Seed grown Ficus microcarpa, Clump style

    I collected and sprouted a seed about 13 years ago that resulted in a plant that had low branches which I decided to keep as secondary trunks. The bonsai is what I would call Clump or Sprout style and is not that common in the bonsai world. It may be close to needing a nice container…

  • Growing figs from seed

    One of the ways that I obtain material that is not commercially available is to find seed of rare species. Growing from seed is not the fastest or easiest way to obtain bonsai but it does allow one to exert complete control over the development of a bonsai. While there are many ways to sprout…

  • Ficus tremula

    On a visit to South Africa I saw a very interesting fig, Ficus tremula, shaped as a small bonsai in the bonsai collection of my friend Hennie Nel. I was unable to find Ficus tremula for sale in the US  so I am resorting to growing them from seed. It will take many years for…

  • Ficus rumphii, a rare bonsai subject

    This is a Ficus rumphii, an unusual and rare bonsai subject in the west. This specimen is about 8 years old and seed grown. Leaves are large but reduce with defoliation. There is some random branch die back suggesting that this may not make the best bonsai subject. The bark is a rather stark whitish…