Ficus Benjamina “wiandi”

[Hartinez]

Just wanted to share a ficus I’ve been working on for about 4 years. Unfortunately I lost most of the photos from its purchase and the following 2 years. I e got 1 shot from last year and today.

it started as a triple trunk but I removed 2 of its trunks and rooted outas there own trees over the years. It’s come a long way.

this ficus type hates wire and almost every time I attempt to do so, I end up snapping the branch. It’s been all clip and grow up to now.
I’m going to apply a few guy wires to bring down a few of the lower branches. The pot is oversized but will allow the tree to bulk up a bit more

I brought the tree in about 3 weeks ago, and it’s still growing very well as I’ve got a great southern facing window with no overhang cover or trees that block the light.

scale with scissors

detail shots



future planting angle which shows of a wider base.

 

[Hartinez]

2017

2018

today

 

[amcoffeegirl]

Great work so far. I love the color of these trunks.

 

[Hartinez]

Great work so far. I love the color of these trunks.

Thanks! Yeah they are fun and have great character once they mature up a bit. I think in 5-10 yrs when the trunk is twice the size it'll be a really great tree. Ive got several others at my dads house, but there not quite as great. When I trim this one here soon Im going to do a lighting setup and propagation area in my house to root out as many cuttings as I can. at least thats my plan.

 

[Colorado]

Nice little ficus! I have one of these “wiandi” cultivars as well. Much smaller leaves than the species.

Haven’t tried to wire mine yet but I’ll be careful if I do. Thanks for the heads up!

Brought mine in about the same time and mine is also continuing to grow well in a south window.

Plans for future styling?

 

[amcoffeegirl]

Go for it. I understand the love of ficus. I have about 30 right now. They are fun.
I killed the only wandii that I had. I do have Salicaria and Burtt-davyi. (However you spell that one)
Keep us posted on your updates. Show your other ones if you can.
It’s good to share them here because you will always have a copy and you can update your thread as you progress with it.
Also it helps new growers learn what they can start with and how long it takes.
Thanks for sharing

 

[Hartinez]

Nice little ficus! I have one of these “wiandi” cultivars as well. Much smaller leaves than the species.

Haven’t tried to wire mine yet but I’ll be careful if I do. Thanks for the heads up!

Brought mine in about the same time and mine is also continuing to grow well in a south window.

Plans for future styling?

I think I like the slanted style as of now, a sort of informal upright look. I’m working on getting wider and taller to increase the leaves surface area. Not much different than now, just a thicker trunk and base.

 

[canoeguide]

I know not everyone loves working with benjamina but I love the bark color/texture and look. This looks great with a nice movement in the trunk!

 

[Hartinez]

I’ve been working on extending the growing season indoors in my south facing bay windows. Quite bright and receives at least 8hrs of full sun. It’s still growing strong after removing overextended growth and oh so carefully applying guy wires to space out branches.

I’m also attempting to get all of the cuttings to root in this tray. Some long woody cuttings from another speciemen and some quite small cuttings from the one pictured. I’ve got these, seedling heat pads, to keep soil temps up for root growth. Hopefully I’ll have a whole slew of these ready for their own pots come summer 2020.

 

[canoeguide]

I love seeing the update! With all those cuttings you should definitely consider growing some into whips and fusing them.

I love this tree as-is, and I wouldn't necessarily have the courage to do it, but I'm seeing an air layer possibility that would give you a semi-cascade from the top part and a slant style from the bottom portion. Something to ponder, maybe.

 

[Hartinez]

I love seeing the update! With all those cuttings you should definitely consider growing some into whips and fusing them.

I love this tree as-is, and I wouldn't necessarily have the courage to do it, but I'm seeing an air layer possibility that would give you a semi-cascade from the top part and a slant style from the bottom portion. Something to ponder, maybe.

View attachment 271407

I appreciate the opinion! But def not this one. I’m happy with this tree as is, and will continue to up pot to increase the size of the trunk and base. I think I’m another 10 years I could double the thickness as it is now. I’ve got others that are coming along and there is no reason the whips wouldn’t take, but we’ll see!

some others I’ve got.

 

[Hartinez]

Well all the little cuttings died over 1 cold night. I live in a very old house (1905) and the windows are original double hung with weights. Still has single pane glass. Look great, but don’t function very well. I have to draw the heavy curtains to keep the cold out. The seedling tray was right up against the window over 1 night and kapoot.

I did however successfully root several larger cuttings in water with more to come.

 

[Hartinez]

Also. Wired out the crown a bit on the big tree and guy wired the larger branches. This type is not forgiving at all when it comes to bending and wiring. Branches snap with ease, which makes working on this one a bit stressful.

it’ll go in to this pot, possibly this summer. But I may hold off and approach graft a few new roots And keep it in a deeper pot.

 

[Hartinez]

One of the cuttings I took last year has grown well over the summer and inside my house for me. I decide to cut a section off and root that. Then wire the tree for a leader and primary branches. There is a second cutting in the same pot that will need to get moved in to its own pot this summer. The way the main cutting was planted and rooted makes the base really great and should make a lovely shohin/mame in a few years time.

 

[Hartinez]

I appreciate the opinion! But def not this one. I’m happy with this tree as is, and will continue to up pot to increase the size of the trunk and base. I think I’m another 10 years I could double the thickness as it is now. I’ve got others that are coming along and there is no reason the whips wouldn’t take, but we’ll see!

some others I’ve got.
View attachment 271408View attachment 271409

The bottom tree from this post has taken a beating. My kids have bumped it so many dam times, breaking little branches with ease. It’ll need some serious love this summer.

 

[Hartinez]

Almost time for all my tropicals to start living outside again! This winter season has been my best yet at keeping my ficus happy. I’ve got extra sphag packed around the base to further improve the base and surface roots. I’ll pot into a shallower pot shown earlier in this thread next year.


pot by ejiri taizan
Front

back


top

 

[penumbra]

Thanks for sharing this, I just bought two smaller ones and seeing yours is inspiring.

 

[Hartinez]

Thanks for sharing this, I just bought two smaller ones and seeing yours is inspiring.

Thanks! FYI they are VERY brittle. Wiring is so difficult to do. Once they get past a certain size it’s almost futile to try and wire them in to place. I’ve found that building an initial structure very early in development is the way to go.

 

[penumbra]

Thanks for the tip. I like clip and grow method and guy lines just fine.

 

[DBPooper]

I like your front. But I like the back as the front, personal taste and flow. I feel weird about it because I think I'd normally go with your front as my front...