[NathanM] Ficus

[NathanM]

Ficus - appears to be a Benjamina.
Current height - 410mm
Cost - Free. Self sown in a pot near a few of my other figs.
I have repotted it into some better soil approx 6months ago. That's all that's been done.

ficus001.jpg

ficus002.jpg

[NathanM]

Apologies for the poor pic, the light was terrible in the kitchen. But this is next to the computer with kens comment there as proof

ficus003.jpg

[NathanM]

Root pruned a bit this arvo. They weren't all that pretty. still aren't haha. But better. Not it's in a cut don 250mm pot for some breathing room.
Pics tomorrow

[NathanM]

Pic of it in the cut down 250mm pot. Didn't get a pic of the roots as i was running out of light
Cut of the leader in favour for a new one.

ficus01.jpg

[NathanM]

This is poweering on as expected. It has put on quite a bit of growth. I have done an intial styling on it. Just a basic trim and wire. WIll upload the pics tomorrow or wednesday

[NathanM]

Wow, this has changed since the last photo. It's in great health and was getting a little shaggy, as benjis can do from time to time!!
So i had wired it since the last pic, but now I have removed wiring from the trunk, and done a little rewiring as well. Trimmed here and there. Left the bottom left branch to grow out as it needs to thicken.
I have left the shoot/branchlet above the first right branch in case I decide to use it in the future, although the current right branch has secondary branching already.
a couple of pics.
Before removing wiring and trimming. pic of back

After

pic of the leaf, makes me wonder if it isn't a benji??

[NathanM]

So I finally thought I should do some more work on this one
I let a branc up high get a bit too heavy, so it had to go, and now that long one is the start of a replacement. It shold thicken relatively quickly.
This is how the tree is right now
Apologies for the poor picture. Just using my phone camera, and the phone is a bit sick

shohincomp.jpg

[The Ficus Guy]

As to whether or not it's a benji, I'd say it is due to the look of the leaf.

[Jerry Meislik]

Nathan,
She is looking good.
Jerry

[NathanM]

Thanks Jerry.
But I am still unsold my self haha
It is a bit boring. Granted, I never thought it would be anything great, the trunk is jsut a bit crappy. I am contemplating removing the lower left branch and wiring the first right branch down quite dramatically, and potentially making it into two foliage pads at different heights....
It would at least be a bit more dramatic and intersting..
Hmmmm.

[NathanM]

Will Update with a pic tomorrow,
Still growing!!

[NathanM]

Took a pic... and then decide to do some more
Before:

shohincompbenji31051201.jpg

After:

shohincompbenji31051202.jpg

Prune back to get branch taper and help shorten internode space. Also rewired... With a fairly obvious styling change
The lower branch will be removed. leaving it as a sacrifice for now