From Trash Room Benjamina to Banyan Bonsai. :)

I got a Ficus. Benjamina from a friend earlier this year, he had found it in the trashroom where he lives, it was nothing special really and just a typical neglected and overgrown "multi trunk" Benjamina from a supermarket.

This is how it looked when i got it.


As it had a rather nice start to a nebari and already some growth lower down the trunk i decided to take a chance on it and try to design my first Banyan Tree.

The follow are photos taken over the year.





Here it is couple of days ago, i think its well on its way to become a rather nice Banyan as it matures and develops more branching and air roots to support them.

One more step towards becoming a Banyan.

Very interesting presentation.

Looks like it's progressing nicely!

You've done well with it.

Thank you!, LanceMac10

Me being a complete novice when it comes to displaying trees would very much like to hear what you find interesting about it, and any other thought on how to improve would be much appreciated.

If anything, it's a little too centered in the pot.

Assess which one of those three large trunks you could do without and remove.
Their a little too alike and make it look like a bush.
Of course, if that is what you want, don't remove anything!

Now, cut a chopstick or two into several inch (or so) pieces, and use those pieces to brace some or all of those trunks apart, so the grove is leaning away from itself.  Leave it alone for a LONG time or they'll bounce back.  That will give it a more natural look as if each tree is struggling to get to the sun.

Thank you both! very good advice for the next work session, will now let it grow free for a while.

Very soon after last update i decided to plant the tree into a bigger container (without cutting any roots), since it has grown very well and was becoming to big for the propagator i decided it was time for its first real styling, after defoliation, removal of 9 trunks, some snips hear and there and bending the trunks outwards and this is the result, so far.

There is a lot of work to be done, and the central trunk will have to thicken up considerably, but i think this can become a nice Banyan/Clump Style tree in time.

January 2017 update.

Only used Clip & Grow and guy wires since i started developing this material.

This is a cool progression, thanks for sharing. Do you plan to develop some arial roots in the future? Also whats the scale/size on this one? -Jacob

Nice work on interesting subject. Do you have plans regarding the very thick above-ground roots in the front?

appalachianOwl wrote:This is a cool progression, thanks for sharing. Do you plan to develop some arial roots in the future? Also whats the scale/size on this one? -Jacob

Thanks, yes my plan is to let aerial roots form once the branch structure has matured some more, i am aiming for a wide and low Banyan tree.

It stands 30cm from the lip of the pot.

Precarious wrote:Nice work on interesting subject.  Do you have plans regarding the very thick above-ground roots in the front?

Thank you, i will try to remove almost all thick roots next repot, hopefully that and a more shallow pot will contribute to a better sense of scale for this tree.

Very cool. Keep us posted.

appalachianOwl wrote:Very cool. Keep us posted.

Echo that

Very cool to transform an ugly house plant in such a promising bonsai.

I made a imilar experiment with a Ficus 'Natasha', I already posted about it but haven't worked on it since then, actually. We'll see next spring, I'll make lots of cuttings from the now long shoots and try to start its little brother:

https://ibonsaiclub.forumotion.com/t14556-31-year-old-ficus-burkei-progression#149652

Long time since i update on this tree.. today i partially defoliated, restructured and repotted this tree.
It surely has come along way since being found as a neglected and rickety houseplant in a trash room 2015, with some more structural work over the coming years, better ramification and aerial roots from the top branches, as well as holding up the long and low branches is should become a rather convincing Banyan and a good bonsai.

Its now potted in a new type of developed and actually patented trainingpot called the 'TIE POT', this pot is genius and i absolutely love it!

Great progress. Well done!

It's coming up nicely...

i honestly did not see that one coming...

well done thus far !!!

I am glad you guys like the progression so far.

It has turned out to be a very fun and rewarding project.