My try at root over rock with a Ficus Aurea Strangler fig

[SpongeMann]

I found a pretty cool rock at work . And I carved the rock to guide the main roots. My Dad just passed. So I want to make this one in memory of him and the stranglers from the rainforest back home on the Island of Puerto Rico. These ficus grow pretty fast . The leaves are kind of big. But I plan on grafting it in the future to complement the small rock.

[Brian]

good work. That will develop into a fine tree in a few years.

[SpongeMann]

Thank you Brian .I feel good about this one I have another one I am doing as Neagari .

[Brian]

Heres my fig. Sorry its a bad photo, but I have been growing this on a rock for 25 years.

The pot is 24 inches in diameter and the trunk is as thick as my thigh.

[SpongeMann]

Wow nice trunk ! That your tree has that rock in a kung-fu ! I dont have any trees of that caliber. Hopefully I can keep this going for years.

[SpongeMann]

Hey Brian do you have any root over deadwood? I have old cedar stumps all over my property. So I was gonna plant ornamentals. So I dug two out. And I think they are cool. I wrapped a strangler fig root that I got from a tree growing out of a Palmetto in Bradenton Florida. The tree had on root that had finally reached the ground. It s been 4 or 5 months and it hasn't sprouted a branch . Its still alive woth btight green cambium.And the other stump I would like to try with an airlayer. I have a Shefflera airlayer that needs to be cut off. Do you think it would strangle the the stump.

[trident76]

That fig looks awesome Brian. Can we please see a photo of it in it's entirety?

[SpongeMann]

Yes I would also like to see it more .Feel free to add more pics Brian.

[Brian]

I took another photo today.

[Brian]

I have wrapped the roots in sphagnum moss and covered with plastic. I am letting the foliage grow this summer but I will cut it back in the Autumn.

[SpongeMann]

Very cool. That tree definitely has that rock in a kung fu grip. I need to take a trip to Wigerts it's 5 hours away. They have a great selection of trees.

[Brian]

Thanks Spongeman. I remember attending the Brisbane bonsai AABC seminar in 1988 and went on a fig dig with a member from the local club.

That tree was a small specimen I collected. Its a Queensland small leaf fig.

[trident76]

Hi Brian. I just wanted to ask, with the tree so well established on the rock for so many years, what does the current wrapping with moss etc hope to acheive? Fantastic looking tree btw. I loooove root over rock.

[SpongeMann]

Do you have any pictures of the Small leaf? Trident76 thats a good question that I was planning on asking Brian. The only thing I could think of is for root flare but I am eager to know also. We got keep this conversation going guys. I would like for people (including myself) to kinda use this thread to learn about Ficus. Thank you guys for participating.

[Brian]

The rock is planted deep in the soil and thats why the pot is deep. I am slowly repotting the tree in a higher position every few years to expose the roots, so the sphagnum moss was a temporary solution to keep freshly exposed roots from drying out. I will remove it around April.