Meet two of the new children - Ficus p.

Hello to all,

been working on these. Still a long time to go, but thought I might share.
[I usually listen to music as I work on my trees - try this please -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNApcyzaY60 ]

The first you would have seen as a seedling. I was growing the tree in the backyard for the bark, to test out how the Mayans did their writings/paintings. The tree started to provide seed and the birds did the rest. When I had to cut down the tree, I kept a good few of the seedlings.

I generally do not like Ficus as bonsai, especially for growing because they very quickly outgrow the design.

The seedling [year 1 a few months ]



2012 -



This one was found in the arms of an elderly tree, down in Forest Reserve, where I grew up. I liked the long willowy look and here I am also testing the "ball bearing" space idea with rounded sifted acrylic coated aquarium gravel and just compost.

About 14"[ 35 cm ] tall



As usual feel free to comment yay or nay.
Later.
Khaimraj

what kind of ficus is this? it looks like a nerifolia but longer leaves

Hello Plecostomus,

This is Ficus priminoides, and I thought our local University might have made a mistake, but the Venezuelans also have it listed on their Bonsai website as the same.
Possibly a mainland South American tree, as the birds love the fruit.
It grows to about 35 feet, maybe more, and is usually seen as a weed around the southern towns of Trinidad, growing in the drains, on walls or gutterings.

It weeps, and the leaves are about 6" [ 15 cm ] or so. Great surface roots and often very attractive shapes on trunks due to being cut back by the road or street workers.

I have two older trees, about 25 years from seedlings. One I found in a coconut boat [ the sheath ] and thought at that time, it might grow well in coconut compost.

Here are my two older trees, I haven't done any real training with them as I really don't get into ficus. Too fast to out grow the design.
This tree even as bonsai tends to want to weep and can be extremely feminine - graceful.
Until.
Khaimraj

The bottom half of tree grown in a half a 55 US gal. black barrel



This was just a whip from the coconut sheath still on the tree.

Khaimraj,
These look like great starts. I think you sent me images of this species before? How do you like it as compared to other figs for bonsai?
Can you send me a PM?
Thanks my friend.
Jerry

Jerry,

you caught me,as they say,with my pants down.I must apologize,those images were sent to you around 19/11/10 and I haven't even repotted the trees since then.

I had hoped to figure out a way to slow down the rapid thickening that takes place with ficus types and with this particular tree, retain the weeping quality [ much as a weeping willow can weep]
Additionally this tree Ficus p., has delicate grace about it that I also wanted to preserve for the observer.
Doesn't seem to get as dense as the standard US type, but I like the quality of space it does have.
Hence my restarting with smaller specimens.

The elders.
Here they are today -



[2]

Khaimraj,
It is a real problem to keep the light, airy and weeping pattern that you like. You can still weep the branches on the heavier and older fig specimens. They will look great although maybe not really light and airy.
Jerry