Port Jackson Fig on Western Australian rock

[daiviet_nguyen]

This Moreton Bay fig (ficus macrophylla) is from a cutting. The cutting was from my first
bought Moreton Bay fig. This was from my university days -- a good 15 years ago! Time
flies!

These photos were taken on 15/March/2008.









"Details" of the trunk:



Trunk diameter: 17 cm. Measured right on the surface. This includes the big root as seen
on the first photo. Excluding this root, it comes down to about 12 cm.

Tree height: 32 cm. Measured from the soil-surface in the pot.

Average width of the leaves: 4.5 cm.

Average length of the leaves: 7.5 cm.

(There had been times when the leaves were much smaller.)

Japanese pot, oval shape. I bought this pot second-hand. I recall paying about $30.00, very reasonable
I think.

Pot length: 27 cm.
Pot width: 20 cm.
Pot height: 6 cm (including the "legs".)

Since the photos were taken, I have messed this tree up a little. I think it would need at least two
growing seasons to regain its "former glory" (if there was any.)

I did not pay much for the rock. I seem to recall $2.00 to $3.00. And I was told it is from Western
Australia. I fall easily for WA rocks! But they seem to disappear altogether now.

(This post is to mark our 19th year in Australia.)

[Pup]

G, day
Daiveit very nice little tree. I am willing to bet though by looking at the leaves it is not Ficus macrophylla( Morton bay fig). It looks to me more like a ficus rubiginosa ( port Jackson fig) which by the way in my opinion, and that of many others who grow ficus is a better subject for Bonsai. The leave does not form a v at the petiole. Just my opinion Pup :

[Steven]

Congratulations Daiviet on your 19th year as an Aussie! Hopefully you and your families dreams have come true.

Looks like this tree was cut right back a season or so ago. Were you not happy with the way it was shaping up or was it done for another reason?

Regards,
Steven

[daiviet_nguyen]

Hi Pup,

You are right. It is a port Jackson fig, not Moreton Bay. I took it to Garden Worlds for confirmation.

The lady told me that Moreton Bay figs' young leaves are usually much bigger than this one and
the leaves are generally darker as well. I must have got the names mixed up at some point.

Thank you for pointing this one out.

I hope the picture below is of a Moreton Bay one?

Hi Steven,

When it was younger, I kept cutting it back, so it developed several bodies. It looked bushy, so
I cut them back quite severely just a few months before the photos were taken. I hope to develop
its shape to something more inline with its natural growing.

(We are very happy in Australia. We all completed university, something that we could never
have done in Vietnam.)

[Pup]

Daiviet. This time I think you are right. If you look at the leaf and petiole you will notice the indentation. Also you will notice how much more course the internodes are.
Which as I said before make them undesirable. Some of the top growers of figs in Queensland, one in particular hates them.
Lindsay Bebb he wrote an article on them in BCI international magazine. About Ficus. Hope this of help Pup

[Jon Chown]

Nice on Viet. This will look good once you get the leaf size down and produce some secondary branches. I like the trunk. Are you going to keep it small?

Jon

[daiviet_nguyen]

Hi Pup,

Thank you for the info. I will check them out.

Hi Jon,

I have messed up a little. I think it will take a while to develop branches. I plan to keep it in
this size. (I am only a small boy. Big pots give me problems moving them around.)

Regards,

V.