Ficus question

Thanks folk's actually i just picked up this chinese ginseng ficus and i need some help with it.I was told it's about 2 years old,appears to have three in one pot i was told i could actually separate them into different pots.I'm just looking for some info about it it appears a mass of roots is above the surface not sure if this is normal ..also any help with pruning and styling would be awesome thanks in advance ken......................................NI

[img][/img]

is it a good idea to keep the moss on it ?

Glad to see you back!

I don't think this is a ginseng. Someone correct me here, aren't they microphylla (or some other ficus) grafted onto those odd swollen roots? Where's Iris?

Russell Coker wrote:Glad to see you back!

I don't think this is a ginseng. Someone correct me here, aren't they microphylla (or some other ficus) grafted onto those odd swollen roots? Where's Iris?

From what I've seen, I believe it's usually Ficus microcarpa, but I commonly see Ficus m. 'Green Isle' as well...

it was listed as chinese ginseng so i assumed that's what it was

Hi BUAS (Ken?)

To answer your moss question: from what I can see in the pic, there is a loose covering of sphagnum moss (the stuff you find in hanging baskets) over the surface. Is that what it is? If so, then it's a trick used by sellers and growers to promote root growth and is often (not always though) an indication that the tree has recently been repotted. If the moss is actually growing in the soil, then yes it is common in plants of the type in your pic to have that coating and it will in most cases have formed naturally. In general terms, we use moss on bonsai to make them look pretty in exhibitions but most of us will not keep moss on a tree because it can prevent water getting through to the roots.

Okay, back to the question I asked earlier before I got distracted and spent last night watching Monty Python movies: you are obviously keen and we'd like to help you. The best start point is to tell us something about yourself. Not your entire résumé - just things like how much horticultural knowledge and how much experience of bonsai you have. A more specific and big question is do you have access to an outdoor growing space where you live - even if that is just a patio or balcony?

The reason this is so helpful is simply because most bonsai are grown outdoors. If you only have an indoor space you are limited in what trees you could grow. If you let us know your situation we can give you advice on what sort of trees and how to look after them.

Hope this helps and clarifies why we're being so nosey.

Regards

Fiona


and don't mind Russell: he's not the messiah - he's a very naughty boy. Oh sorry - wrong movie.

fiona wrote:and don't mind Russell: he's not the messiah - he's a very naughty boy. Oh sorry - wrong movie.

What? Not all of the time, anyway.


I think if you put "ginseng" into the search bar at the top of the page and look through the threads you'll see why we are a bit confused.

I actually have zero bonsai experience but its something i've always wanted to get into and here i am .i spent summers as a child on a farm raising crops in upper conn so i've been around it alot.I live in an apartment but i do have a porch out back that i'm sure i could use if needed ...i'm very eager to learn so fire away

Excellent. Is your name Ken btw?

Okay, as a start point:
One of the confusions often held by newcomers is that bonsai are indoor plants. This is not helped by stores labelling trees as "indoor bonsai". Most bonsai are grown outdoors (hence why we asked if you had access to an outdoor area). The only trees that should be considered "indoors" are those whose native environment are far hotter than your own (tropical trees for example). I live in a temperate part of the world but we have winters that go down below freezing and our summers aren't that hot either. But even I have all but three of my trees outdoors all year round (I have in the region of 40 trees). Those trees are indoors right now because they originate from the Mediterranean and other warm climates and cannot tolerate low temperatures. But even those three go outdoors once the danger of frost has passed here. Question: what happens if you grow outdoor ones indoors? The answer is that they will either completely perish or they will suffer badly. Our modern living (central heating etc) is a big killer of bonsai grown indoors when they shouldn't be as is the lack of light afforded by most indoor settings. You can of course try keeping them on a window ledge but you are only buying time in most cases. It is unlikely the tree will thrive.

You asked a question about chinese elms earlier. I suspect your climate is not unlike my own and if that is the case then what I've said about cold protection applies. My CEs live outdoors from about March to November. Then if it's a bad winter, I put them into an unheated glasshouse.

So, how do you know which should stay out and which need a bit of protection? That's where the horti knowledge comes in. Trees don't do anything radically different just because they're bonsai. Trees that happily grow outside (eg in parks or gardens) in your area all year round are likely contenders for bonsai for you. You can get specifics of trees online and/or in the wealth of books on trees available. Your immediate task is to find out the names of the species that are in your area and a nice simple guide to identifying species is a really handy item. Better still is a friend who knows the different species already.

The reason it is important we get an identification of your other tree is because it probably is a tree that needs a bit of molly-coddling in your climate. I wouldn't consider growing any sort of ficus over here as it is too far removed in terms of its temperature requirements from what I can give it. To get the big stunners that Jun and Rob K and some others on here grow, you'd need to move to Florida or the like where they don't know what cold is.

Anyway, that's enough for one post or your head will explode. :lol:


One last question - whereabouts in Massachusetts are you so maybe the guys over your way can chip in with some details of local clubs, shows etc?

Yes my name is Ken and i'm from Worcester mass...i'll see what i can dig up about trees in my area

so are we still not sure what type of ficus it is?

I'm sticking with microcarpa.

it has Aerial roots starting on it......... they look awesome

Russell Coker wrote:Where's Iris?

Trying to figure out what that is.
First of all, it is definitely not what is usually sold as ginseng Ficus, which is not a bonsai candidate anyway. Ginseng Ficus is a Ficus microcarpa (Chinese banyan) grown (not grafted) on large tuberous storage roots. Since they are roots, not stems, not even true tubers, they will never sprout branches & the canopy is only at the top. Just a novelty, like those grafted cactus.
Not being that big an expert, I can't really tell what kind of a Ficus you have there. Unless it's the light, the bark does not look like either Chinese banyan or Ficus benjamina (weeping fig). The leaves look superficially like F. microcarpa, but the drip tip (that point) is too pronounced. On the other hand, the leaves look too thick for F. benjamina. You could contact Jerry Meislik & ask him. http://www.bonsaihunk.us/
As far as advice, it doesn't matter. Lose the moss. Do not repot at this time. In April, repot into a much bigger, but shallow pot in coarse bonsai soil. You can get the soil at New England Bonsai Gardens www.nebonsai.com/
You could separate the three trees, but you might get a better looking result by keeping them together. However, they have to be arranged artistically. Get some books out of the library and Google on the Internet. Look up pictures of three tree bonsai.
And most important, join the nearest bonsai club.
Iris

Iris-

Could these be Phillippinensis?
-Jay

would more photos help at all?leaves ? close up of trunks?

That would be good, Ken.

[img][/img]
[img][/img]

best i could do with my cam

Ficus microcarpa. Go here. http://www.bonsaihunk.us/info/ChineseBanyan.html
From what I could see on the Web, Ficus philippinensis is quite different.
Iris

bonsaisr wrote:Ficus microcarpa. Go here. http://www.bonsaihunk.us/info/ChineseBanyan.html
From what I could see on the Web, Ficus philippinensis is quite different.
Iris

yes indeed, as soon as I saw better photos I knew we weren't dealing with Phillippinensis
-Jay

so any ideas as to how i should style it since its a group planting?

Hi again Ken.

There are those in bonsai who can look at a tree and immediately see the direction they want to take it - they are the real bonsai artists. Many of us lesser mortals though will look to the experts' trees for inspiration before we make up our minds and if we can't see the trees in person, then we rely on books or websites.

Someone has already mentioned Jerry Meislik and given his website address. If you can, also get hold of his wonderful book Ficus: the exotic bonsai - between the two sources you will see lots of wonderful examples.

Also, use the Search facility in the drop-down menus at the top of the page and you can read through existing threads on ficus by others. You'll get many fine examples from members like Rob Kempinski and many of our tropics based members.

But, what you will also note is that their trees most often have thick trunks while yours do not. Before I launch off down this line can I ask where you got your ficus from?

i got it online from hirts gardens in ohio was listed as chinese ginseng ficus