Another Willow Leaf Ficus

Hey everyone!

About a year ago I acquired a straight, plain Willow Leaf Ficus (and no it is not the same one I posted yesterday ) and attempted to do an air layer on it. The air layer did not work and I got something like this:

Growth from underneath the air layer:


I then chopped it and got this:


And here we are today:


Now a good friend of mine on another forum has suggested that I chop it again around here:


What are your opinions on where to go with this tree? I just thought I would ask around a little bit to see what others have to say. I have no problems with chopping here, but what do you all think?

Here is the tree as of today:

Dear Ryan

You are an the right track....make sure to only keep one branch in the top now, othervise a new ugly clump will be created.

Kind regards Yvonne

Yvonne Graubaek wrote:Dear Ryan

You are an the right track....make sure to only keep one branch in the top now, othervise a new ugly clump will be created.

Kind regards Yvonne

Thank you Yvonne. I wanted to remove that bigger branch on top, but I was going to wait until the branch growing straight up wasn't going to die first. But I think it will be fine, so I'll remove it.

I mentioned this briefly in another thread. Ficus salicaria seems to get enough light for the winter under fluorescents, but humidity may be a problem. My two mame willow leaf definitely prefer being kept in baggies up close to the tubes. They also like occasional spraying with a dilute solution of Miracid and iron tonic.
Iris

bonsaisr wrote:I mentioned this briefly in another thread. Ficus salicaria seems to get enough light for the winter under fluorescents, but humidity may be a problem. My two mame willow leaf definitely prefer being kept in baggies up close to the tubes. They also like occasional spraying with a dilute solution of Miracid and iron tonic.
Iris

Thanks Iris, I keep this one in my aquarium along with two other Willow Leaf Ficus and they all seem to be flourishing.

So, two months have passed since the last update on this tree. So far, so good. Now I have a question about the new leader for the tree. Should I make it the obvious leader circled in red, or make it the small budding branch circled in yellow? My concern with the one in red is that that transition just does not look correct. The problem with the one in yellow is that it is not even growing anymore and has dropped leaves. So, thoughts?



Here it is without the circles:

another option might be to cut back to here then allow that leader to grow out for some time to get a touch of girth on it. this would at the least start to bring your leader back over the center of the tree.

Ficus salicaria, at least here in the North, has the nasty habit of killing off mature branches and then growing new ones from the same location. The twig you mentioned with no leaves on it may be dead.
Iris
I think I caught the cold that Billy brought back from Israel.
Too much rain here, too.

bonsaisr wrote:Ficus salicaria, at least here in the North, has the nasty habit of killing off mature branches and then growing new ones from the same location. The twig you mentioned with no leaves on it may be dead.
Iris
I think I caught the cold that Billy brought back from Israel.
Too much rain here, too.

Well actually, that branch is alive I just recently cut it back. But that is certainly good to know, so thank you! So far none of mine haven't done that......

I agree with Iris, I wouldnt bet the farm on a small twig, Ive made the mistake of cutting a potential leader back in favor of a better positioned bud only to have that bud crap out on me. Leaving me then wishing I hadn't cut back my good leader, or at the very least wishing I had let the bud (or branch in you case) prove itself to me as it were THEN I could have cut back without hesitation.

Hi Ryan

This suggestion from man on the mountain is very good. But do not cut it now, wait untill the top is much fatter.

Kind regards Yvonne