Willow Leaf Ficus

This is the Ficus that I was asking about, I'm almost ashamed to post it after all the good replies, but here it is both side views. Suggestions on which side would be the better front appreciated, and I thank you all for your help!! Take care-John

I think I'd go for the first picture and remove the lowest branch on the right.

Then, you need to stare at it a good while and remove a few branches -- not all of them the little ones. After that you can wire them and put some movement in the straightness.

OK,,Since i found the tree and brought it home,,it has lost about 70% of its leaves..i know that is normal for a ficus in cold weather it just makes it look bad...can it be a bonsai??? your suggestions will great..sorry it looks so bad...everyone take care john

JIM,,Inthat picture all the branches go to the front,,they can all be moved with wire though..you say prune out the top???good idea there are lots of branches in the apex...thank you john

Remember what I said about Ficus salicaria & apical dominance in the North? Don't prune much in the top now. Wait & see how it does next summer.
Losing leaves now does not ruin it as a bonsai, any more than any deciduous tree. Just keep it as warm and bright as possible and don't overwater. It is semi-dormant. If you can keep it under a fluorescent light, put it in a baggie.
The taper isn't bad, but the trunk is awfully straight. If you can bend it at all, try to get some movement in the trunk with your heaviest wire.
Iris

Hello, I highly suggest wiring the branches before they get any thicker but I would keep the smallest of the 2 bottom branches and work my way up from there. Get rid of any opposite branching as ficus branches thicken quickly and you will get reverse tapering in those areas. There is too much going on at the top so I suggest selectively removing some branching and choosing an apex. Finally I highly recommend taking the tree out of its current container and planting it in a large and shallow growing container with only a couple of inches of soil. You will not regret the nebari (root flare) that you will be able to develop in a year or two.

Thank You,,Mrs Iris andLLazaro,,,Iremember what you told me about the top groweth..i will try to get some movement in the trunk and wire a few branches...it is under light now but not the baggie yet..i have water in the plastic tray not up to the pot bottom so itwill not stay wet..thank you both take care john

moyogijohn wrote:Thank You,,Mrs Iris andLLazaro,,,Iremember what you told me about the top groweth..i will try to get some movement in the trunk and wire a few branches...it is under light now but not the baggie yet..i have water in the plastic tray not up to the pot bottom so itwill not stay wet..thank you both take care john

It's not necessary to get movement in the trunk. Willow Leaf Ficus are very versatile and can make any style including Formal Upright.

My shohin Willow Leaf Formal Upright started very similar to yours.





Select branches, wire them down, feed regularly and pay heed to the roots. They like to form tubers that need to be reduced occasionally.

Dear Moyogijohn

Rob Kempinsky is right, ficus makes good "traight formal" trees. Also one of mine is this style....Your tree are born to be created like this....On the first photo of yours, in the top, is the thickest branch asking to be removed now, a branch next to it, pointing upwards, is perfect to be the next leader. In spring, I would remove all other branches in the top, and form new branches from the new leader. Also do you need to remove a few of the branches on the lower trunk.

Kind regards Yvonne

Thank You Rob for your reply...I played with the trunk some last night,,i can,t get movement in fear of breaking something so i wired the branches down some...can i ask how long your beautiful tree has been in training??? it looks so good it gives me hope...we do not have the growing season you have but maybe i can make something with this one...thanks,,take care john

Thank You Yvonne,,,I am following this advice and did some wireing and branch removeal..your trees are so nice.you do some great work!! take care john

Your tree is telling you that it is meant to be straight. If you bend trunk or slant it, then all the branches wrong(slant style would need low counterbalance). I agree with Rob Kempinski, and his shohin formal upright Salicicaria may have greatest natural looking nebari I have ever seen The roots taper perfectly from his grooming(Rob..if read this...ever consider bending second left branch back to left? Orin fine but maybe move that branch away from trunk line just a bit..just a thought) Also look how nice Rob's tree branch taper and maintain oval canopy off straight trunk(looks like Kofu Jap. beech) Dustin Mann

Thank You Dustin,,,I am going with the replies with this one..it is not much now but i would like to shape it like Robs in time,,long way to go i know but keeping it alive now is my goal!!! Take care john

moyogijohn wrote:it is under light now but not the baggie yet..i have water in the plastic tray not up to the pot bottom

Humidity trays are a complete myth. Get a baggie.
Iris

Dear Moyogijohn

A watertray together with the tree inside the "baggie" is better, then you will not have to water the tree, but it will still be kept moist, as the leaves are weat all the time.

Kind regards Yvonne

Thanks Mrs Iris and Yvonne,,, I thank you for your HELP...I will get myself some baggies...take care john

This is the result of some pruning.

I am sorry for the small picture...take care john

Dear Moyogijohn

The photo is quit small...and maybe you kept a topbranch, I would not have kept.
But, I am sure the tree is better now, than before.
I look forward to see photos in the future.

Kind regards Yvonne

THANK YOU YVONNNE,,,For your reply...the very top of the tree had died so i pruned it off..the branch i brought up for the apex is the next one one that was close to the cut...i can go lower if it does not look right.thanks for your help...take care john

Not bad John, but why are some branches wired up and others wired down?

Rayn,,I had a baggie over the tree ,,the branches pulled up takeing it off..the up branch on the left may become the apex,,removeing the one i have wired up now..what do you think????take care john

First of all, let me report that since I put a baggie over one willow leaf and put the smaller one in a mini aquarium, they look much healthier. I had to air one out a little because some algae started growing on it, so there is a happy medium.
There is nothing really wrong with your styling, but...
We cannot Google up a picture of F. salicaria in the wild, since it has never been seen. This species is known only in captivity, so you can style it any way you like. However, you have styled it more like a vanilla Japanese pine, which is OK for starters. Most of the big, well known Ficus species in nature have a very short trunk up to the lowest branch, and a canopy shaped like a mushroom or umbrella, unless they are grown as a banyan. For the tree to be a little more convincing as a Ficus, I would suggest you train the branches into more of a mushroom effect. Try to have a rounded top, not a single pointed leader.
Iris

Mrs Iris,,I am sorry but i don,t understand...do the branches need to come up insted of being down like they are now???the baggies are holding some moister sp..what do you think????take care john