The Art of Bonsai

Tag: root cutting

  • 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…

  • Growing Ficus from roots

    One method to propagate new plants is from root cuttings. This is a thick piece of root that I cut off during the potting  process. I selected a root that showed some nice movment and planted the lower end into bonsai soil. I watered as needed and in 6 month’s time the end of the…

  • Ficus tremula, root cutting, progression

     

  • Root cuttings

    Root cuttings are one of the easiest ways to develop a good bonsai from throw away materials. Repotting a fig bonsai is needed every year to 5 years depending upon growth, species, size of pot etc. On removing some of the larger and more shapely roots the root is potted up with the root hairs…

  • 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.

  • Twisting and turning design

    This is an exercise in bonsai creation that is just for fun. The plant is a Ficus salicaria, Willow Leaf fig,  grown from a root cutting. This was a very long root, perhaps 2 feet in length. Foliage has sprouted at the cut end but how to design a tree out of it? One possibility is…