Best Fig tree for indoor Bonsai list (UK) - do you agree?

[astronoob]

That is the infamous Ginseng ficus. Which is not a species, but a product form. The species is well suited for bonsai; Here is one of mine in early development stage:
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From what I understand there is no such thing as ficus ginseng, it's just microcarpa grown in specific way, roots above the soil or something.
So if you will grow microcarpa from a seed or a cutting, you might still have a bag of potatoes underneath your soil.

But perhaps I'm wrong.

 

[darzuo]

Btw. what do you guys think about putting cuttings into a pot full of wet/damp spaghnum moss?
I've seen people having much success with it, but with other indoor plants.

ficus will root in pretty much anything as long as you keep it damp.

So if you will grow microcarpa from a seed or a cutting, you might still have a bag of potatoes underneath your soil.

Root growth is a combination of the species growth habit and how you allow it to grow. Pretty much no species will have desirable roots for bonsai without any work. In fact if you're worried about bulbous roots I'd say salicaria are the worst offenders, as they grow huge swollen roots naturally. You usually end up having to prune back very hard, but it does provide some nice root flare if done well. I think Eric at Bonsaify has a video dedicated to willow leaf ficus if you look for it.

 

[leatherback]

From what I understand there is no such thing as ficus ginseng, it's just microcarpa grown in specific way, roots above the soil or something.
So if you will grow microcarpa from a seed or a cutting, you might still have a bag of potatoes underneath your soil.

But perhaps I'm wrong.

you are wrong.

Ginseng ficus is just what the ugly thing is referred to, and as such, it exists. There is no species F. ginseng, but only very few people actually would think that as the ugle grafts are clear to anybody taking more than a glance at the plant. It is not a species, as said before. It is two varieties of f micropcarpa grafted together.similar to how pretty much all zelkova in bonsai trade are not zelkova but chinese elms.

I think you may be misunderstanding the concept of developing bonsai. It is NOT about the species. Yes, which species you use matters. But pretty much no tree will grow into a great bonsai without work on roots, trunk, branches.
As before, do not overthink which species is best. Skills of the grower are what matters.

 

[leatherback]

Note that location is usefull for people to judge what advice would help you best. Although if you are in chatgtp I supose any nonsense will do, and you might think it funny, in reality it will hinder you from getting advice fitted to your growing conditions.

 

[Paradox]

Btw. what do you guys think about putting cuttings into a pot full of wet/damp spaghnum moss?
I've seen people having much success with it, but with other indoor plants.

Ive rooted willow leaf cuttings by keeping them in damn small grain bonsai soil

 

[astronoob]

you are wrong.

Ginseng ficus is just what the ugly thing is referred to, and as such, it exists. There is no species F. ginseng, but only very few people actually would think that as the ugle grafts are clear to anybody taking more than a glance at the plant. It is not a species, as said before. It is two varieties of f micropcarpa grafted together.similar to how pretty much all zelkova in bonsai trade are not zelkova but chinese elms.

I think you may be misunderstanding the concept of developing bonsai. It is NOT about the species. Yes, which species you use matters. But pretty much no tree will grow into a great bonsai without work on roots, trunk, branches.
As before, do not overthink which species is best. Skills of the grower are what matters.

When it comes to my own tree people here and on Reddit mentioned I got rid of the grafted stuff successfully.

And supposedly what I have left is microcarpa.
So the stuff that is developing on the fake trunk, is just a different kind of microcarpa?

Anyway if I put a cutting into soil, I will get those bulbous roots too but underneath soil?

And the tree kind of matters, of course skill and experience matters more. But for example natalensis requires less bright light, so logically it could be thriving in my indoor environment, while other species not.

And there is the thing called taste too, I don’t want to have trees I don’t like.