First time Ficus wiring

[bundyfisher]

Last weekend at Rods when he styled my clump I also had this small Ficus which was a cutting about 6yr ago and growing on top of a small ornamental pond ,then was planted in the first pot and placed with the other indoor plants. This tree had never been wired or styled ,it just grew in this crazy fashion ,like a zigzag.The only down side with this plant is that every time you touched a branch IT BROKE even Rod was nervous ,but said he was up for the challenge .so with great tenderness more pruning was done and some wiring just to slightly change movement .I am happy with the finished result ,the tree has great natural movement and a good appearance of leaning forward with embracing arms .The rear low branch when filled out will give nice added depth.
Cheers
Tony

[Jamie]

nice tony!

i like where this tree is going now from seeing it first hand i knew it had potential, now i think you have opened that up well done

i look forward to see it when it fills out

well done


jamie

edit- loving the pot aswell!

[bundyfisher]

Thanks Jamie When Rod offers to style your tree ,you just sit back and learn. That day I learnt a fair bit (with me asking a million questions and Rod being generous with his knowledge). This tree is very very brittle with branches ,but having that zigzag growth habit gives it excellent potential. Thanks again Rod
Cheers
Tony

[Jamie]

to right there tony i bet you were able to learn alot too, did you right it don or take a tape recorder?

it looks good. i like it, and that pot is great to


jamie

[Jerry Meislik]

Tony,
Nice work on your Ficus. It seems likely to be related to some other of the Ficus benjamina cultivars like Wiandi or Rianne. These have branches that literally cannot be wired. Even slight movement of the branches and they break off with little or no warning. The best way to handle them is clip and grow rather than wiring. Fortunately they have a natural zig-zag growth pattern.
Jerry
http://www.bonsaihunk.us

[Shannon]

Good on you Tony! Glad to see Rod's showing you some skills, he is a wealth of knowledge and a good bloke .

[Rod]

Well done Tony good to see your tree posted , I enjoyed the day too. Mate looking at it in a pic I think it wouldn`t hurt to remove some more of the main branch. We are so lucky to have someone with Jerrys knowledge help us out , thanks JERRY . Jerry I had never seen one of these before , mate they are one crazy plant to wire I thought I had lost my touch . It`s interesting the way the branches grow , in a zig zag . ROD............

[Jerry Meislik]

Rod,
You haven't lost it. This plant is totally impossible to wire until you did it.
Jerry

[Rod]

Thanks Jerry, I had never seen anything like it. Not the type of tree too learn how to wire on , it certainly has an unusual growth habit. Have you seen any as mature bonsai? ROD.............

[bonzaidog]

Nice one,Tony and Rod...Rod I've seen some quite sizeable specimens at a nursery over here,they look really interesting,with that growth habit they exhibit,all done by cut ,n grow,and as you may have also found out,the roots are quite brittle as well,I recently repotted one and it was like a certain young member of the Royal Family combing his hair !....Dog.

[bundyfisher]

Thanks for the responses guys .Jerry thanks for the info on this tree ,have you seen many of this type as bonsai ?

[Jerry Meislik]

Yes, I have seen quite a few as bonsai of this material but none of masterpiece calibre. They seem easy to train into bonsai minus the wiring as the wavy branch pattern makes wiring "less necessary". The danger is that a simple bump with another tree branch or a soccer ball hitting the branches or a careless arm movement may leave a precious branch on the ground. This can ruin many years of careful clip and grow training.
Jerry