Any idea what type of ficus this is?

[Agriff]

I inherited this from a housemate about 4 years ago when I moved out and knew nothing about houseplants. My new housemate knew enough to take care of it and save it from its glued on rock base/repot it, but they've done nothing more than water and let grow for the past 4 years. Now I'm moving into my own house and re-interested in this plants potential as a bonsai.

It obvious has roots as a mallsai, and at one point there was a pretty heavy trunk chop. Does this species have hope for shorter internodes? And is it too late in the season to prune some branches to try to encourage some back budding?

 

[just.wing.it]

Microcarpa i think.... grafted to the tuber roots.

 

[Carol 83]

Sometimes sold as Ginseng Ficus. I only have a couple of ficus, but trim mine when they've been outside for awhile and growing strong. They are on the east side of the house, so get morning sun and afternoon shade.

 

[Agriff]

Sometimes sold as Ginseng Ficus. I only have a couple of ficus, but trim mine when they've been outside for awhile and growing strong. They are on the east side of the house, so get morning sun and afternoon shade.

Gotcha- so you think this one lacks the vigor it would take to safely prune back at this point?

 

[Carol 83]

Gotcha- so you think this one lacks the vigor it would take to safely prune back at this point?

There are lots of ficus enthusiasts here, surely one will jump in with more specific instructions. It looks to be in regular potting soil and maybe a little rot possible on the tubers from being kept too wet? If you could ease it outside and let it get stronger, and repot and trim back when it's a little stronger.

 

[PA_Penjing]

ficus microcarpa aka "pot bellied ficus" grows these thick swollen roots on it's own. Then they are chopped and sold as bonsai. I'm fairly positive this one isn't grafted. But it seems to be massively lacking in vigor. I would slowly get it into full sun before doing any work. F. microcarpa is the only indoor tree I own, it never drops leaves on me when I bring it indoors and I have never had a pest problem with it (here in PA). I dropped tropicals a long time ago but this one was so hard to hate that I just hung onto it. I brought it to work to have something to mess with.

 

[Cadillactaste]

You need to set this outside and not allow it to get below 55F so two step if need be. The tree is leggy. Which means not enough adequate light to keep it happy while indoors. Then once vigorous...then work the tree.

I'm assuming watered recently and the trunk appears to look wicked. I hope the trunk is firm and no rot. If soft and squishy and rot. That isn't good.

 

[PA_Penjing]

Also don't get too down on it for being a "mallsai" these things are like playdough, you can fix whatever you don't like. Mine had similar roots so shoved a cool looking rock in the open space and encouraged aerial roots to grow over it. And to answer your question I have gotten the leaves to come in around 1" maybe a hair larger. I defoliated 90% of it in mid June while it was in full sun. But again you must get it much happier and acclimated outdoors before you go doing anything like that.

 

[Agriff]

So...I'm on vyvanse for ADHD and about to switch meds because I get wayyy too overexcited and do shit like this:

I went to check the soil moisture because I wasn't sure whether it had been watered, and realized that my housemate never fully repotted. I couldn't get my moisure meter to the bottom because it hit glued rock. So I panicked and dumped the soil out. It was mostly dry coco coir with some perlite, with big chunks of glued rocks still layered in. The top soil was bone dry but the bottom was damp. I...bare rooted () the plant and honestly it doesn't have a whole lot of feeder roots for having been in that pot for 4+ years.

I repotted in the same pot with about 50% pumice, 25% Napa 8822 (DE), 25% coco coir, some of which was taken from the last pot and had that perlite still in it, so not quite 25%. Oh and about 3 tbps of worm castings. Then I put it out on a tall planter next to my front stoop, which is eastern facing and gets some shade in the mid-day due to the overhang from my house, and watered thoroghly with a pitcher of water that had about a tbps of 2-3-1 fish/seaweed emulsion.

Long story short, did I just kill this plant? Lmaoo....but seriously. It was on an eastern facing porch with lots of indirect light before- should I still ease it outside? What are the general guidelines for "easing" a plant? An hour extra each day?

 

[Agriff]

I hope the trunk is firm and no rot.

Trunk is totally firm!

 

[Cadillactaste]

Trunk is totally firm!

Good sign... but still a weak tree. Focus on getting it vigorous healthy before doing any work to it.

 

[PA_Penjing]

because it's a ficus it may survive, probably a good chance it will. Tropicals are normally repotted in summer up here, but again, when they are in great health. I usually start with 1-2 hours of morning sun for 7 to 10 days. If no sun burning (leaf discoloration) happens then I move it out and inch or three, and wait awhile to see what happens and keep repeating until it's in full sun. I do it by feel, I have been gardening a while so it's intuition and observation. Sorry if I wrote detailed instructions it would just be guesses. I used to grow succulents and it was always tricky getting them outdoors in spring. They'll get completely smoked if they get full sun too fast. But the sunburn doesn't show itself immediately, it takes a few days. It's been a long time since I sunburned something so ... I guess it's a good approach?

 

[HorseloverFat]

So...I'm on vyvanse for ADHD and about to switch meds because I get wayyy too overexcited and do shit like this:

I went to check the soil moisture because I wasn't sure whether it had been watered, and realized that my housemate never fully repotted. I couldn't get my moisure meter to the bottom because it hit glued rock. So I panicked and dumped the soil out. It was mostly dry coco coir with some perlite, with big chunks of glued rocks still layered in. The top soil was bone dry but the bottom was damp. I...bare rooted () the plant and honestly it doesn't have a whole lot of feeder roots for having been in that pot for 4+ years.

I repotted in the same pot with about 50% pumice, 25% Napa 8822 (DE), 25% coco coir, some of which was taken from the last pot and had that perlite still in it, so not quite 25%. Oh and about 3 tbps of worm castings. Then I put it out on a tall planter next to my front stoop, which is eastern facing and gets some shade in the mid-day due to the overhang from my house, and watered thoroghly with a pitcher of water that had about a tbps of 2-3-1 fish/seaweed emulsion.

Long story short, did I just kill this plant? Lmaoo....but seriously. It was on an eastern facing porch with lots of indirect light before- should I still ease it outside? What are the general guidelines for "easing" a plant? An hour extra each day?

No stimulants is better... any amphetamine-derrived pill will SCREW your life.. inside-OUT, given time.

I’m OCD/ADHD.. diagnosed when I was a 7-year old... I’ve been UNmedicated for 5 years now...

Gotta learn how to take those “rough edges” that the meds are trying to “smooth out”.. and use them as tools..

ALSO... If you TRULY have the imbalance that causes ADHD... those pills.. when taken CORRECTLY... shouldn’t jack/amp you up... it’s the opposite.. ESPECIALLY vyvanse.. they have a lysine molecule.. so slow it down... if you are getting “up” effects.. it’s DEFINITELY not the right medication... and will most likely cause problems.. I hope you get it figured out.