Ficus Root cuttings.... will they grow?

Forum for discussion of Tropical bonsai – Ficus, Bougainvillea, Fukien Tea, Dwarf Umbrella etc.
Post Reply
shanemartin
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Posts: 40
Joined: August 30th, 2011, 11:54 am
Favorite Species: Maples
Bonsai Age: 30
Location: Northern NSW

Ficus Root cuttings.... will they grow?

Post by shanemartin »

I have just styled my first Ficus in years.... (Tiger Bark) not sure of botanical name, and at the root pruning stage had to remove a huge ugly coiled root.
There could be 2 unusual shohin bonsai in the making if it grows from root cuttings. Has anyone tried this form of propagation with figs? I've saved a lot of the branch trimmings to pot on as normal cuttings, which should net me quite a few nice trees for the future, but i'm curious to know if they will grow from root cuttings. I have done it many times with chinese elm, and it's a great way to start off new and unusual shohin.
Last edited by shanemartin on December 16th, 2011, 8:03 pm, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
Joel
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Posts: 1203
Joined: November 12th, 2008, 3:04 pm
Favorite Species: A yet to be found native
Bonsai Age: 0
Bonsai Club: The School of Bonsai
Location: Gladstone, QLD
Been thanked: 5 times

Re: Ficus Root cuttings.... will they grow?

Post by Joel »

Most Ficus spp. don't grow from root cuttings. There are a few exceptions however, such as Ficus cordata ssp. salicifolia - one of the Willow Leaf Figs.

Joel
User avatar
kvan64
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Posts: 1627
Joined: September 10th, 2009, 9:46 pm
Favorite Species: black pine
Bonsai Age: 16
Location: brisbane
Has thanked: 6 times
Been thanked: 36 times

Re: Ficus Root cuttings.... will they grow?

Post by kvan64 »

Yep, I only had success with willow leaf fig.
Always we hope someone else has the answer.
Bonsai is an art of shrinking.
Hornet
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Posts: 503
Joined: August 2nd, 2011, 2:29 pm
Favorite Species: Ficus, Natives, Mosses
Bonsai Age: 0
Location: brisbane
Been thanked: 1 time

Re: Ficus Root cuttings.... will they grow?

Post by Hornet »

Ficus natalensis will also grow from root cuttings
User avatar
bodhidharma
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Posts: 5007
Joined: August 13th, 2009, 1:14 pm
Favorite Species: English Elm
Bonsai Age: 24
Bonsai Club: goldfields
Location: Daylesford, Victoria....Central Highlands
Been thanked: 11 times
Contact:

Re: Ficus Root cuttings.... will they grow?

Post by bodhidharma »

I have had one for three years now. It stays green when i scrape the cambium but it never throws a bud. It just sits there. I am having the same experience with a trident maple root cutting. It is a strange phenomenon as to why it just does not die.
"Advice is rarely welcome, and the one's who need it the most welcome it the least"
Post Reply

Return to “Tropical”