golden gate Ficus, recommendations

[hinmo24t]

heres the tree in question




a ginseng was my first tree, still have it, but id wanted a tigerbark...came across a golden gate that i thought was a tigerbark (maybe theyre similar or both microcarpa of some sort). got the golden gate because it was an decently thick, healthy, but the S shape... i prune some long shoots back 4" and potted the small cuttings (as well as the ginseng, maybe they prop to a similar tree, a microcarpa of some sort). i had planned on letting the golden gate grow out now as it came in a good sized terracota. now im thinking of actually hard cutting it as it is nice and warm in MA, to first or second set of branches

i think this tress has a bit of age because the hardcut at top of the S has healed over quite a bit...

consensus seems to be that they root easily from a larger cutting?
trying to figure out if i should cut it to the first branch or second?
cuttings from the branches above the big cut and the big cut itself?
wondering what some of you suggest, and thanks

 

[luvinthemountains]

Golden Gate is a synonym for kinmen or tigerbark ficus, so there you go. My vote is for growing it out for a couple of years. It should bulk up pretty qyickly for you if you avoid pruning it much at all. I just think that tiger bark tend to look best with a nice fat base.

 

[hinmo24t]

Golden Gate is a synonym for kinmen or tigerbark ficus, so there you go. My vote is for growing it out for a couple of years. It should bulk up pretty qyickly for you if you avoid pruning it much at all. I just think that tiger bark tend to look best with a nice fat base.

thanks. i was thinking of that option as well, just grow it out like it is...itd still be almost S like eventually if i brought it down to the first branch anyway

but everyone seems to dislike the S Shape (even though you see people wire trees like that often, maybe its just cliche for a big box store tree)

i do have small cuttings from it underway now and the ones on the tree arent that impressive for branch cuttings.

hmm...tempted to hardcut it and stick the branches or big top section in the same pot.

thanks for your input

 

[luvinthemountains]

hmm...tempted to hardcut it and stick the branches or big top section in the same pot.

You could even turn that top section around, bind it to the base, and fuse the two. But that would probably mean having to root it separately and then combine them at the next repot, which could be in late summer.

I have had the best luck rooting tigerbark under a humidity dome with bottom heat. Good luck!