Large fused Ficus Natalensis

About 3 years ago I decided to make a number of larger fused trunk Natal figs with trunk calipers of 8-10" and good taper.  Below is a sequence of images over the last 3 years of one of these trees.  Initially  a large number of rooted  Ficus Natalensis  cuttings  were bound together.





After a year of unrestricted growth the tree the fusion was  not complete but far enough along to allow for the initial cut back.  The tree was again partially re-bound.



Last year the fused fig was transplanted in a shallower pot and thinned and allowed to fill our again again and partially wired.



In the spring this year the tree was again re-potted and allowed to grow throughout the summer.  Recently it was again cut back and re-wired.



In the next  growing season  the refinement will continue .  Enjoy. Hank

Nice sequence. Thanks.

How tightly did you bind them and what did you use?

Very inspirational progression pics!

Your fusing is a great success and you have saved many years! Even here in South Africa I don't get so much twiggy growth on my Ficus natalensis in such a short period.

Thanks for posting - I am surely going to give it a try.

Lennard

Nice work! And thanks for sharing the process.

I repeat the words of Mr.Fancy Plants.
Thank you very much.
Khaimraj

Sir, please show the early pics of back of the bonsai and pls show the arrangement of the small cuttings before binding them together with the plastic tape. i am new and learning . The pics are very helpfull and i thank you for that. The tree is excellent.On the way to a master piece.

Very good job Hank !
I loved to see your progression sequence. thank u for sharing.

Efi

How large of a number of cuttings are we talking here?

Hank,
Love your work. Very nice technique.
Jerry

Many thanks for the comments.  Somewhere around 75 cuttings were tightly bound together to create this ficus bonsai. I don't know the exact  number as I seldom keep track. A more detailed description  of the fusion technique is given in the following article: Bonsai: J. Amer. Bonsai Soc.  vol 47 num 3, 2013 pa 6-16.
Regards
Hank

i m so happy... so happy.... i am inspired and will share the material ... i have bonsai material with truck of only and only 1 inch.. but now i am inspired by your work..

MASTER bless me and my tree with your wisdom....

thanks for sharing .. i will post pics of my material soon..

Love your work

Inspiring work.

With the good rains this summer (year 4) my large ficus has quickly developed a nice crown.  I have to leaf prune the tree every few weeks.  In the next week or so I will re-pot in a slightly smaller pot.
Enjoy Hank

Very impressive for a fused ficus. I have tried fusing ficus in the past and I guess I have just not been patient enough and have removed the binding before the individual ficus have fused into one. How much time should you keep the trees binded together in order for them to fuse? Nice work!!

Wow! said it before and i say it again, gotta love Ficus.

Hank.
Looking awesome.
Jerry

I love this one, Hank....thanks so much for sharing. Great work.

Tom

Love the tree, Hank!

Well done.

Lennard

Thanks! I did some microcarpa as a test last year, but is growing really slow...and is not as thick as yours...Yours is inspiring and I will probably try to fuse some nataliensis and add to my microcarpa.

Worked a bit on another of my large fused trunk Natal figs.  It has been styled differently.  Enjoy Hank

hi,

day pic's please .....?