Blog – Page 15 – The Art of Bonsai

The evolution of a large Ficus microcarpa – Part Two

The first 5 years of progress with a Ficus microcarpa, Chinese Banyan, was outlined in a previous blog see https://suspicious-pike.51-195-201-14.plesk.page/?s=part+l This is an update on how this fig has progresse as of April, 2015. It still has some years of refinement to undergo before it can claim its position as a mature bonsai. Two procedures were…

April 28, 2015

An unusual species, Pyracomeles vilmorinii

Some 20 + years ago a dear friend gave me a rooted cutting of an unusual plant. It is supposedly a cross generic hybrid of Pyracantha and Osteomeles. The plant has survived growing indoors for all these years and makes an attractive cascade or semi-cascade as it seems to like growing a bit downwards. The…

April 13, 2015

Unusual style, Ficus ‘Mexicana’

Exposed root styles are one of may favorites. This fig, Ficus that I call ‘Mexicana’ but whose real species name is unknown, is a root cutting of a mother tree. The original material was found in Mexico. The exposed roots are interesting to my eye. The canopy is not yet clearly designed. At some future…

April 13, 2015

How I grow a bonsai from a cutting

There are many ways to acquire a bonsai tree. One way is to take a cutting from a suitable material and to propagate it. In this case the mother tree is a Ficus rubiginosa grown form a seed from Australia. The mother tree has great bonsai characteristics so a piece of the mother tree was…

April 8, 2015

Ficus virens Lipstick Ficus, White Fig

Ficus virens has many common names; Lipstick Ficus in India and White Fig in Australia. Whatever it is called it is a huge tree growing in its native environment. It can stand alone as a single trunk tree or exist as a strangler fig with many aerials. The most famous trees of this species are…

April 8, 2015

Reverse taper

Trees ideally should have a wide root base that tapers up into the trunk. A bulge or lack of proper taper often ruins the visual flow from the rootline to the apex of the tree and is called reverse taper. In this case several root cuttings of Willow Leaf fig, Ficus salicaria, were bound togeter in…

April 1, 2015

Developing a bunjin/literati fig

Starting with this rather young rooted cutting of Ficus ‘Mystery’ I hope to one day develop a bunjin or literati style bonsai. The rooted cutting is now about two years old. Which of the designs seems to be the best to your eye? To learn more about bunjin/literati styles see https://suspicious-pike.51-195-201-14.plesk.page/bonsai-culture-and-care/general-bonsai-information/the-bunjin-or-literati-style/ The definitive reference work…

February 28, 2015

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…

February 28, 2015

Defoliation of my Ficus rubiginosa, PJ fig

I have had this fig for many years. In the last year or so I have just pinched out areas that needed restraining and left other areas to grow out to create heavier branches where needed. You can see the wide variation in the leaf size depending upon how the branch was maintained.

February 6, 2015

Ficus ingens, Red Leaved Fig

Ficus ingens is a fig found in Africa and it is often growing over rocks and is thus called a “rock-splitter”. The leaves are moderately large with a wavy edge and prominent yellowish veins. Its main attraction are the new leaves which come out varying shades of red. The spring flush is a very attractive growth with the…

January 30, 2015