Ficus Thoningii

[mudlarkpottery]

Anyone tried this fig. This one, too, is from South Africa and is supposed to be rare. I've googled it but am just looking for anyone with practical experience. It was a 2mtr long pencil. I chopped it off and plantaed it in the ground with several cuttings from the rest.
Penny.

[BonsaiBoy]

Can you post a picture please Penny?

BB

[PeterW]

Never tried it and cant seem to find anything to suggest that it is or is not a suitable specimen Penny. Go for it, your already a new ground breaker, 0ne day Irise's, next day Ficus Thoningii!
Regards
Peter

[Jon Chown]

Hi Penny, You can read about Ficus Thonningii here http://www.fao.org/docrep/X5327e/x5327e14.htm#TopOfPage

and here is a picture of the leaves

Ficus thonningii - Wild Fig.jpg

Best I can do at the moment.

Jon

[mudlarkpottery]

Hi Peter. i love the idea of sending Louisiana Irises to Louisiana - something like sending coal(s) to Newcastle.
Some photos. Thanks for the info Jon.

PICT0009.JPG

PICT0008.JPG

PICT0010.JPG

[stymie]

Jon's link indicates that it has bark and very quick response to lopping. It should work as bonsai in the larger sizes because of the big leaves. It would be a bonus if the leaf size can be reduced dramatically after a trunk has been produced. Pioneer work such as this is how all the bonsai knowledge has been accrued.

[mudlarkpottery]

It looks like a few cuttings have struck but I'll wait a bit longer to check. The medicinal info from the website Jon posted was certainly interesting. I might think about trying some of it too. It is definately a fast grower lengthways but not across the width.
Penny.

[Kevin Nel]

Ok Guys, I know this is a VERY OLD POST!!!!

We have F toningii, more recently changed to F. burkei in SA, and it is an excellent subject IMO. It gives far more and compact ramification than its relative, F. natalensis. Now, how the whole complex works, you get F natalensis in Natal....all along the coast, as you move north and inland you get an intermediate spp. of the two and then in the far north and in the western parts of SA you get F. thoningii(burkei). Both these species are relatively similar looking, wrt leaf shape and size.

According to your import laws in Aus, you are not allowed to get either of the two species from us. The best F. thoningii types for bonsai that I have seen in collections come from the Sabie, Pelgrim's Rest, God's Window area in the Lowveldt.

@mudlarkpottery: the plant of yours does not look anything like thoningii....the leaves are far too large imo....they are the same size as F. natalensis

So who of you have these growing? Hehehe

[Neli]

I agree Kevin.
I have ficus burkei...leaf is much smaller and different shape.
Here it is:

Ficus_burkei_JYR5_200rocko.jpg

Ficus_burkei_SvN_DSC_0077_330zzzzzzzzzzzzz.JPG