This little fella has just taken root in its new mini pot. It hasn’t really begun training yet because I want it to get accustomed to its new home. I’ve only cut it back to promote root growth. I might make a cascade from this baby bonsai. It seems pretty well established so far so it’s training shall soon begin.
I trimmed this branch off of a mother tree and then simply stuck it in water for a month or two near my kitchen window, which is a North East facing window. Nice light there and I always have some kinda starter plant there. Check it out…
I love that little niche! Such great indirect light and easy to keep track of fragile plants when you’re so often by the kitchen sink.
As for the baby ficus, a little history about her momma, shown below.
She used to be a home for a veiled chameleon named Monkey. She looked like this…
That was about 12 years ago and Monkey has moved on sadly. She had no cage, just this tree with a cool home made drip system from the ceiling, through the tree, and out the pot into a container that pumped it back up again. One drip at a time. She loved her freedom and it was great to watch her play and sunbathe. Alas, Monkey is gone, but her house has lived on! This ficus used to have many trunks and was basically a bush of sorts. Over the years I’ve been slowly removing all the trunks to make it a single tree.
It’s now in a healing phase and also has little to no proper training. I’m hoping that some new branches form towards the middle of the trunk do I can make this half the height of is now. I just don’t want to risk killing it on account of the sentimental value. Poor little Monkey. Sniff sniff.
I like the crazy nebari that was hidden in the bush and other trunks for so many years. In time, those trunk scars will heal…
Note the grommets I added to the pot as anchors for guy-wires once the lower branches grow in. I see potential with both of these easy to care for trees. Ficus are slowwwww growing but can be really abused and bounce back. Good tree to practice on and you can easily propagate them from cuttings. Lots of bang for your buck in other words. Give it a try! And say a little prayer for my sweet Monkey.
We honor your presence with us, Monkey, and hope to see you again as we all cycle through the whole.
Lovely little tree, will it get mini fruit I wonder? Nice pic.
I’ve never seen any figs from this species before. I have other clones of this host plant in all sorts of different situations, i.e. outdoors in sun, outdoors in shade and indoors. None of them have ever bore fruit in almost two decades. My ficus religiosa has bore tiny fruits, but not this one.
Interesting.
I’m hoping to learn a few things with this species myself mate. Last ficus I had was kept in the bathroom but it expired. Got a new ficus project though which I’ll post about soon.
I look forward to seeing that! Like I said, they are slow to grow and heal, but very hard to do permanent damage to.