-
Ficus ‘Mexicana’
The scientific name for this plant is unknown. I am calling it Ficus ‘Mexicana’ since the plant originated in Mexico. Mexican has many similarities to the Willow Leaf fig, Ficus salicaria, but it has much larger leaves. The plant responds very well to bonsai culture and should be a welcome addition to the bonsai world.
-
Ficus ‘Exotica’
Ficus ‘Exotica’ is a fig found in the bonsai trade but its real scientific name is unknown. It has many characteristics in common with Willow Leaf fig, Ficus salicaria. Exotica has a more robust growth with wider leaves but it is a strong grower and can shape very pretty bonsai in not too many years…
-
Adding smaller leaves to a bonsai
My friend Tim Hoehn-Boydston has an extensive collection of Ficus trees. One that he has in his collection is Ficus benghalensis. He has two forms, one with normal large leaves and the other with much smaller leaves. Tim decided to graft the smaller leaf form into the large trunk of the larger leaf variety. This would…
-
Beefing up a branch
If a bonsai needs to have a heavier branch than it must be allowed to grow faster than the other branches. Thickening will occur in direct proportion to the number of leaves photosynthesizing on the branch. Keep more leaves to produce more energy and more growth to thicken the branch. After the branch has enough thickness…
-
A haircut
Developing a bonsai requires many steps. One critical step is allowing the bonsai in development to grow wildly. This allows the tree to gain strength and to form branches that will be used in its development. Periodically the overgrown tree will be trimmed back, given a haircut to bring the design back to a more…