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Ficus sycomorus

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Jerry Meislik
Hank Miller
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Post  bonsaisr Fri Dec 20, 2013 3:14 pm

Thank you. One of the challenges of horticulture is learning which species grow well in your conditions.
Iris
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Post  bonsaisr Mon Jan 13, 2014 7:41 pm

Another interesting botanical note. As previously mentioned, this species has slightly hairy leaves. The hair is presumably to protect it from too much sun, or perhaps to capture raindrops. Since neither is needed indoors under the lights, I notice the new leaves are less hairy.
Iris
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Post  bonsaisr Wed Jan 15, 2014 10:53 pm

They spelled it wrong in yesterday's paper. I am probably the only one in the Post-Standard distribution area who noticed it. Hank is in Buffalo. I don't know if it was this paper's error or if it came in that way from AP.
The name of Ariel Sharon's residence was given as Sycamore Farm. Of course there is no way a place in Israel would be named after a northern temperate tree. The name is undoubtedly Sycomore Farm. It probably has one of those huge old specimens that are found in Israel. I left a message for the newsroom editor but he never called me back. I will probably get sympathy from Fiona.  Razz 
Google Translate and Wikipedia don't know the difference, either.
Iris


Last edited by bonsaisr on Wed Jan 15, 2014 10:57 pm; edited 1 time in total (Reason for editing : Additional comment)
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Post  Neli Thu Jan 16, 2014 7:49 am

He hehe! They grow here in the bush huge ones...everywhere, together with F sur. I think I have one small one but never bothered much about it. I am going to dig some big ones not and bonsai.  Very Happy  Thanks for the inspiration guys, and girls!
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Post  bonsaisr Fri Jan 16, 2015 9:01 pm

Alas. My tree was coming along. Jerry Meislik told me that in Africa this species sometimes defoliates during the winter (dry period). So I tried defoliating mine to encourage back budding & smaller leaves, but it died. Sad I will have to get another one from Hank.
Iris
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Post  Neli Mon Feb 02, 2015 3:28 pm

Here is mine, started from a tip cutting and went to check on it after Iris reminded me. I am still fattening it...want a nice short sumo trunk.
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Post  bonsaisr Mon Feb 02, 2015 4:22 pm

Coming along nicely, but remember, this species is limited in the ability to reduce leaf size.
Meanwhile, F. salicaria, F. benjamina 'Kiki', and F. b. TooLittle are progressing.
Iris
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Post  Neli Mon Feb 02, 2015 11:27 pm

Yes Darling. They are also hard to ramify. They back bud but not as much as other figs. I have also many sur...many!
I collect figs, so I have many many types I brought from all over the world.
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Post  bonsaisr Sat Aug 08, 2015 6:13 pm

Here is my current one, acquired in May.

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I always forget a scale indicator. The pot is 10 inches, 25.4 cm.
I wish I had gotten a before picture, but didn't get to it. I removed most of the original tree in gradual steps and changed the base. I shlepped all the way to Nancy Knapp in the Adirondack foothills north of Utica for a pot, but the root system was such a challenge, it wasn't deep enough. My deepest pot is a Nancy Knapp rustic tea bowl, & it looks fine. I hope to eventually work the tree down to a shorter size and a much smaller pot, but it doesn't have enough branches for a shohin. It has already given me several new branches, so I can't complain.
Yesterday I discovered that my antique collecting son has a Japanese trivet that will make a perfect stand for the tea bowl. Looking forward to the fall shows.
I mentioned previously that the ancient sycomores in Israel are totally shapeless, but they are a thousand years old, so beyond criticism. The sycomore made aliya (emigrated to Israel) without its wasp, so there are no young ones. However, it is quite common in Africa, and this is a typical specimen in a dry area.

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They run to a normal informal upright style, although a cultivated one in a park resembles F. microcarpa. You don't see many sycomore bonsai on the Internet. Many places where they could grow have low humidity. I gather they do better in a greenhouse or under lights for the winter.
Comments are welcome.
Iris
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Post  Precarious Sat Aug 08, 2015 7:26 pm

In the long run, it looks like there might be a crossbar problem with the two lowest branches, and at the next level up the way the branches are directed it gives the illusion of a crossbar.
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Post  Precarious Sat Aug 08, 2015 7:28 pm

In the long run, it looks like there might be a crossbar problem with the two lowest branches, and at the next level up the way the branches are directed it gives the illusion of a crossbar.
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Post  bonsaisr Sat Aug 08, 2015 10:25 pm

I see what you mean. It isn't as bad in 3D. I'll have to wait & see how it develops.
Iris
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Post  Neli Sun Aug 09, 2015 7:27 am

Well done sis!
Not many topics about FS on the internet, so this can be a good refference. I can see you are doing a good job. Sicamorus and sur are almost the same in growth habits here. I remember Lennard saying that he pinches his all the time after a leaf, when  he starts ramification to get back budding.
I was very impatient this year and started repotting them very early. This summer I will be too much out of the country.
I found the roots system just too vigorous compared to other figs. I repotted a microcarpa green island and the FS and the difference was huge in the root system. FS roots filled the pot to its limit and even started fusing the roots. It was so hard to comb them, but I managed to remove most of them.
I think this trunk is just too tall, but again if I chop it in half the top cut will be too big and Probably will need to put in the ground to heal that fast. What do you think?
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It had some wire marks but most of it healed very well and I reinjured the one that needs to heal
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It must be around 10 cm at the base. What do you think? Should I chop the first section of the trunk (just above the first left branch) in half guys and girls?
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Post  bonsaisr Sun Aug 09, 2015 5:33 pm

Thank you.
I wouldn't do any more trunk chopping. You need the taper.
Yes, you need to keep pinching the tips on this thing.
Iris
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Post  bonsaisr Sat Oct 10, 2015 8:06 pm

Wow. I can't believe how much my tree has developed since I took that picture. It is budding all along the branches. I am beginning to believe it will not do so well as a shohin, but is much better off in kifu or chuhin size. Presently it is about a foot (30 cm) tall & just fits on my light shelf. This weekend it is in Saratoga Springs with the Mohawk Hudson show.
Not much I can do about the apparent bar branches, since pruning them off would leave big gaps. I will ask the experts at the November Rochester open critique.
For more information about this species in its Biblical and historical context, read Tree and Shrub in our Biblical Heritage by Nogah Hareuveni (the book that got me hooked on bonsai) and Plants of the Bible by Michael Zohary.
Iris
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Post  Neli Mon Oct 12, 2015 7:55 am

Hi Darling,
I missed your reply. I have not chopped it yet but this straight section of trunk will irritate me till kingdom come. He he he! So better I chop it. After all I dont want to loose my reputation as chop chop queen. He he he!
I shall chop it just above that first left branch.
I have been comparing sur to sicamorus. Sur is a pain in the ..... Does not back bud, and terrible die back after repotting.
Lets see your Baby!
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Post  bonsaisr Mon Oct 19, 2015 1:16 am

Here is the recent picture. My plan for the winter is to prune back the old thick branches and encourage the skinny new ones to grow and thicken. Also will mulch with sphagnum moss to encourage surface roots. Maybe shorten it an inch (2.54 cm). Since I would like to prune the roots and put it in a smaller pot next spring, I would like suggestions for size, shape, style, and color of pot. Present pot is 10" (25 cm) in diameter.
Iris

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