Ficus microcarpa Epiphytic style

[Jerry Meislik]

Some years back I created this Epiphytic style bonsai. It is about 7 Ficus microcarpa trees attached with wire and nails to a dead stump.
Oer time the stump is rotting out and may form a hollow trunk typical of many later stage epiphytic Ficus.
Any thoughts appreciated.
Jerry

[Aussie_Bonsai]

great bonsai. it definately has some character.

[Jerry Meislik]

Thanks AussieBonsai.
This is a fun way to utilize small material that you have lying around.
Jerry

[Pup]

Jerry many here will be fascinated with this, but if you had named it strangler you would have got more comments. As many of the Ficus enthusiasts here are interested in creating this form of Bonsai.

I think what you have here is very interesting, I have a self sown seed of a Ficus rubiginosa on a piece of rock which it is now breaking apart.

Thank you for showing us Jerry.

Pup

[lennard]

Jerry, what's the possibility of getting more roots going? it would be nice to get a fused roots netted effect going which will look nice when the stump rot away.

Placing the tree in a high humidity environment, like an aquarium, and keeping the stump moist and the potting medium dry, will lead to more roots forming.

Even ringbarking some of the thicker roots higher up in a high humidity environment will lead to new roots forming.

Interesting project

Lennard

[MattA]

Hey Jerry,

Yet another great ficus, this is going to look awesome as the trunk rots out. I agree with Lennard about getting more roots happening & making them crisscross over & around the stump.

I have my eyes on a couple of selfsown figs round town to collect. One is growing upside down on a date palm, the way the roots have snaked up & around the trunk following the receding growth is wild.. Will try & get a photo next time I am in that way.

Matt

[Ash]

Jerry it is lovely! Given time and gradually more roots this will be really captivating. I like the choice of pot to go with it.
Ash

[NeilW]

Fantastic work Jerry, thank you for sharing..cheers

[Jerry Meislik]

Thanks for all your comments Neil and Pup. Pup that is one problem with Ficus and root over rock. That rock must be hard the Ficus will split and crack it apart!
Ash, I appreciate your thoughts on the pot. I was not too sure that it worked well with the design.
Lennard, I think you are right that with more roots criss-crossing the trunk it would look better. The roots that are there were the ones that existed in the growing pot when I got the little trees. No new roots have grown since the initial potting. The existing roots just got heavier but no new ones grew. In order to get new roots going I would need to "injure" the existing ones and wrap them up again. Of course this would speed the rotting out of the trunk. It is already getting really soft and one day I may need to re-think the design. Do I let it rot our or do I get another dead trunk and put the trees on it anew? Depends on whether I want the tree to represent an early strangler with the host trunk intact or a later stage in which the trunk is rotting out.
Matt, love to see your Ficus picture. Sounds like it may be a real winner. Sorry I can't go out and find such materials.
Jerry

[Jerry Meislik]

PS. I have an old article on the creation of this tree here.
http://www.bonsaihunk.us/EpiphyticCreate.html
Jerry

[bodhidharma]

I enjoyed your creation and progression of this tree Jerry. I have believed in the past that we use brass screws or nails to adhere the tree to the stump as per phoenix graft. You have used iron nails to do this and then wired with Aluminum? and then wrapped with Alfoil. How does that go with electrolysis or is that only produced when you use copper wire? I know from experience that electrolysis can kill the tree yet yours looks healthy to me.

[Jerry Meislik]

Bodhidharma, I did not know about electrolysis hurting trees and so I did not mention it to the tree and I have seen no problems.
Ignorance is bliss!
Jerry

[Ash Barns]

Bodhidharma, I did not know about electrolysis hurting trees and so I did not mention it to the tree and I have seen no problems.
Ignorance is bliss!
Jerry

HaHaHa! Great sense of humour and a great tree Jerry. Lovin the book you sent.

Ash

[Jerry Meislik]

Thanks Ash.
Hope my humor is not giving offense.
Jerry

[bodhidharma]

Thanks Ash.
Hope my humor is not giving offense.
Jerry

Not in my direction Jerry but, great awareness to recognise it could have. But i am surprised you have not heard of electrolysis. It happened from the transition of copper to aluminum wire in Bonsai. People started using the both together and the trees started suffering. The two mixed together cause a reaction which kills off the tree. Now it is known that the two metals mixed together do cause said phenomena. Hmm.. i wonder if i have started an Urban Myth. I remember my teacher warning me about it (and who am i to disagree with his experience) as i had both wires in my box. A chemist has confirmed to me that does happen when she was visiting my Gallery. Maybe time for an experiment.