The Art of Bonsai

Category: Ficus

  • Willow Leaf ficus after 20 years

    I started working on this tree nearly 20 years ago. It was a large Ficus salicaria, Willow leaf ficus, purchased from a Florida nursery and selected by my friend and bonsai artist Joe Samuels. Joe passed away some years back and was a great help to me in advancing my bonsai knowledge. The tree was…

  • My new Ficus book

    It is getting close to Christmas and the holidays. If you have a bonsai friend or Ficus lover that needs a great book please consider buying a copy of my new book, The World of Ficus Bonsai. You might even want to buy one for yourself. I will sign your copy and even add a…

  • Fusion

    Many of us do not have easy access to larger materials and must use small plants or cuttings to develop their bonsai. One way to utilize smaller material is to cultivate cuttings from a desirable plant. In this case it is a Ficus concinna with lovely new foliage that is quite red in color. I…

  • Ficus burkei ‘puberula’

    Ficus burkei ‘puberula’ can grow roots up from the soil and into the air and then back into the soil. Why they do this is a mystery to me but it also occurs with other Ficus species. In this case I removed the two roots and they sprouted foliage from the cut end. They will…

  • Root-over-rock Ficus

    Ficus are easy to develop into root-over-rock designs as they have aggressive roots that tolerate gradual exposture to air and the roots really do well growing over rocks. The photo is of a Ficus burkei ‘puberula’ cutting that was placed on the rock, roots wraped to keep them tight on the rock and then planted…

  • My new book is here, The World of Ficus Bonsai

    You can purchase it on:  Amazon – https://www.amazon.com/World-Ficus-Bonsai-Jerry-Meislik/dp/152553288X/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=The+World+of+Ficus+bonsai&qid=1555519664&s=gateway&sr=8-1 Apple – https://books.apple.com/us/book/the-world-of-ficus-bonsai/id1460062986 Friesens – https://books.friesenpress.com/store/title/119734000056702445/Jerry-Meislik-The-World-of-Ficus-Bonsai

  • Ficus tremula

    Ficus tremula

    One of favorite species for bonsai is Ficus tremula. I have only recently been able to find the species and started growing it. I originally saw the species in South Africa in the collection of Hennie Nel, a great bonsai artist and grower. The species grows easily from seed, cuttings and root cuttings. Leaves reduce…

  • Why won’t my Ficus cutting grow?

    Some 6 months I have been waiting for a cutting of Ficus burkei ‘puberula’ to show some signs of rooting. This is a long time for this Ficus species to show no evidence of rooting. I did see some foliage poking out of the soil in the corner of the pot. So, I unpotted the…

  • Nearly 40 years

    This is a Ficus rubiginosa grown from seed collected by a friend while traveling in Australia. I bought the young tree from him about 40 years ago. The photo shows how the tree has evolved from the left side photo taken in 1985 to the right photo taken in 2019. Rubginosa is one of the…