Ficus religiosa potential

[Lou T]

Figured I’d share these images showing the potential for Ficus religiosa in bonsai. This is a specimen I’m growing in ground that I’ve used to source many layers and cuttings from. It will eventually be lifted towards the end of the season. The growth you see here is a result of pruning to induce growth on lower branches that will eventually become primary branches. This section will eventually be layered off and will form it’s own piece. The tree pictured is about 10 inches tall.

Ficus religiosa often features very long internodes and large leaf size. As you can see from the images, pruning to the second set of leaves on these branches has resulted in nice ramification featuring uncharacteristically short inter-nodes and leaf reduction for the species.

 

[namnhi]

I have a few in pot that I start from cutting about 10 odd yr ago.

 

[TrunkTickler]

Figured I’d share these images showing the potential for Ficus religiosa in bonsai. This is a specimen I’m growing in ground that I’ve used to source many layers and cuttings from. It will eventually be lifted towards the end of the season. The growth you see here is a result of pruning to induce growth on lower branches that will eventually become primary branches. This section will eventually be layered off and will form it’s own piece. The tree pictured is about 10 inches tall.

Ficus religiosa often features very long internodes and large leaf size. As you can see from the images, pruning to the second set of leaves on these branches has resulted in nice ramification featuring uncharacteristically short inter-nodes and leaf reduction for the species.

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Is that about how much dieback you normally experience? I just chopped mine rather hard

 

[Lou T]

Is that about how much dieback you normally experience? I just chopped mine rather hard

Yeah, even on large trunks and stems I don’t experience much dieback with this species. I don’t ever apply cut paste.

 

[TrunkTickler]

Yeah, even on large trunks and stems I don’t experience much dieback with this species. I don’t ever apply cut paste.

Thanks, that's reassuring. This is what I did.
All the growth was at the spindly tips with no ramification in the branches.

Cheers,
Connor

 

[Lou T]

Thanks, that's reassuring. This is what I did.
All the growth was at the spindly tips with no ramification in the branches.

Cheers,
Connor View attachment 249039View attachment 249040

Nice! That’s a beauty of a peepal. Please do post updates as it grows back in.

 

[TrunkTickler]

Nice! That’s a beauty of a peepal. Please do post updates as it grows back in.

Yah will do, not many people attempt to grow these up here trying to make the most of our 4 month summer lol

 

[namnhi]

Even this far south (don't have greenhouse) I experience die back on small twigs and branches after winter.
Nice specimen you got there.

 

[Sekibonsai]

I also get some dieback and sever chop back can be a crap shoot. Seems like I will get better basal shooting when I do that than pops along the branches where I'd like. Air layers however produce an abundance of shoots behind them.

Thinking about creating a hollow where the roots will never meet...

 

[Ali Raza]

Nice Tree. It grows like weed in our region.

 

[Anthony]

If you look aroud, there is a smaller leaf type.
Good Day
Anthony

 

[TrunkTickler]

An update on my cutback (I cut back even more), negligible dieback, it pushed hard everywhere