Today I am sharing a new bonsai tree in my collection
Received this young #tree as a gift from a friend, grown by a local nursery.
This is a Ginseng Ficus. All I know about it, is that this is a tropical species, not native to my region, so it has to be kept indoors during the winter or all year.
I have so many question about this tree, and I will have to research as much as possible to give this tree a good start in its new home. If you are knowledgeable about Ficus trees and bonsai, then please help me out in the comments below with your feedback.
The #roots (part of the #nebari design in bonsai terminology) are enormously swelled, and almost constricting each other. I am unsure if this is a result of the way it was cultivated, or if this is a natural condition of the tree. The soil looks to be mostly peat moss and perlite.
My belief is it looks as if the soil line used to be much higher up on the neck of the trunk, and was reduced to showcase the large roots.
The crown of the tree ends with a thick cut where the old trunk used to continue. I believe the last owner prefers to grow a tall healthy trunk, and then chops it off as a sacrificial limb, to promote the growth of many smaller branches. This gives it a strongly tapered trunk to branch ratio, which is ideal for bonsai. However, I am not sure that having so many branches connected to the same junction is a good idea, as that may promote a whorl, causing a weak point in the tree and a disfigured trunk.
Big Question:
If you were going to re-style this tree, which limbs would you choose to keep, and which would you remove? Let me know what strategy would dominate your approach.
Questions to Research:
Where is Ginseng Ficus native to? What are its origins?
What sort of habitat is this tree evolved to live in? What sort of needs does it have: sunlight, temperatures, soil, water, nutrition, diseases, pests, etc.?
How old would you guess this tree is?
How can this tree be propagated?
Why are the roots so large? Is this normal?
Any changes this tree might require as a bonsai? Root pruning? Height of soil? Composition of soil? Branch selection/styling?
Is there a best time of year to prune indoor bonsai trees? Do wounds heal easy, or does it require careful work to seal the wounds?
Getting a new bonsai tree can be an exciting time. I look forward to seeing how this young tree evolves.
Photos in this post are all #originalworks by @creativetruth, unless stated otherwise.
Find me on discord and chat with other tree growers, bonsai enthusiasts, and gardeners. We have quite a few accredited experts filling out our ranks, and a helpful Spanish-speaking community.
Bonsai!
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It's nice to see that my bonsai hobby is starting to produce a #wealth of luck and #success. One tree becomes two, then tree, then four. Such a simple concept to grow money on trees. If only I had the business sense to sell any of my collection. It is a difficult choice for an artist and a nurturer of trees to make, to part with one of their own.
May my happy trees bring #fortune and blessings to all of my friends here on steemit!
