The Kracken Molts

Now that the brutally cold weather has passed it's time to work on my tropical trees. Here the Kracken has molted.

I have started to wire the next level up. No need to wire the very top as most of that will be pruned off when the bottom branches are where I want them. I used inexpensive Korean aluminum wire even though the color fades quickly as it will not stay on the tree very long. Notice the wild movement to the branches. In order to maintain it the tree needs constant wire and pruning.




Here is a closeup of one side of the tree. I will remove the wire in about 2 months. The pot is still a bit large but as the Big Bad Wolf used to say "The Better to Grow You My Dear." I have posted the full history of this tree on my blog. Link below.

It is looking good Rob! I quite like the robust branches and the thick trunk, and the movement you achieved in the ramification. What Ficus is this? F. salicaria or F. microcarpa? And what is the size of the plant?

Regards,

Marlon Machado.

Marlon Machado wrote:It i What Ficus is this? F. salicaria or F. microcarpa? And what is the size of the plant?

Regards,

Marlon Machado.

Thanks Marlon, It is a Ficus Microcarpa. The branch spread is about 25 inches (63 cm) across and 19 inches (49 cm) tall.

looking great Rob! the ramification and movement is coming along nicely!

Rob Kempinski wrote:It is a Ficus Microcarpa. The branch spread is about 25 inches (63 cm) across and 19 inches (49 cm) tall.

wow, it looks smaller in the picture than it really is (or perhaps it was just a trick of my mind, since I thought it was a shohin Ficus salicaria). The plant must be even more impressive in person

Regards,

Marlon.

Concering the discussion "Bonsai or Tree sculpture" (or how ever it was called) I think that this is a really nice example!

Really nice!
Martin

Martin S wrote:Concering the discussion "Bonsai or Tree sculpture" (or how ever it was called) I think that this is a really nice example!

Really nice!
Martin

Exactly Martin. I am trying to evoke a mythical sea monster with this tree. Does a tree grow like that in nature? Usually not, but perhaps somewhere there is one, but even so its not exactly relevant.

exactly the kind of crazy trees i love...

ready to go out of the pot by itself

cram wrote:exactly the kind of crazy trees i love...

ready to go out of the pot by itself

Thanks Cram, as I mentioned I had defoliated the Kracken this past weekend. Here is an update.

Before shot, shown with a year's unmolested growth (except for taking a hedge trimmer to the top in the middle of last summer - the top will be the last part to style )


Now after defoliating. (For another project I actually counted the leaves that I removed. Want to take a guess? Visit the BCI Facebook page for details.



Close in shot of the branches. Some thinning will be needed. I also plan to do some root grafting this summer.