luvinthemountains ficus benjamina #1 (twin-trunk)

[luvinthemountains]

Here is a large ficus benjamina that I have been working down from a houseplant for a few years. I bought this at an incredible nursery in Salt Lake that has since closed down, probably around 10 years ago. It was about 7 feet tall and had smallish leaves (could be Natasja?) that made me wonder how it would do as a bonsai. So two years ago, I layered off one of the trunks that has continued on as a houseplant next to my bedroom window, at a much more manageable size. The stump had three roughly equally-sized trunks that I struggled to know what to do with, and they had all self-grafted to each other at various points. In the end, I decided last year to chop off the middle trunk and carve it to where it met the right-hand trunk to give that one some taper. From there, it was chop and grow, chop and grow to build the next trunk sections. Every time it grows afterward into a pretty bush, and my wife gets made when I butcher it all over again. The last photo is from yesterday. Chopped again, sealed the cuts, and carved/resealed the wound where the third trunk was removed. That wound has been very slow to heal despite the massive growth up above, and I think it could have to do with my failure to seal it. The other wounds where I applied liquid-type cut paste are healing over rapidly, so let's see if this does the trick.

 

[BrightsideB]

Here is a large ficus benjamina that I have been working down from a houseplant for a few years. I bought this at an incredible nursery in Salt Lake that has since closed down, probably around 10 years ago. It was about 7 feet tall and had smallish leaves (could be Natasja?) that made me wonder how it would do as a bonsai. So two years ago, I layered off one of the trunks that has continued on as a houseplant next to my bedroom window, at a much more manageable size. The stump had three roughly equally-sized trunks that I struggled to know what to do with, and they had all self-grafted to each other at various points. In the end, I decided last year to chop off the middle trunk and carve it to where it met the right-hand trunk to give that one some taper. From there, it was chop and grow, chop and grow to build the next trunk sections. Every time it grows afterward into a pretty bush, and my wife gets made when I butcher it all over again. The last photo is from yesterday. Chopped again, sealed the cuts, and carved/resealed the wound where the third trunk was removed. That wound has been very slow to heal despite the massive growth up above, and I think it could have to do with my failure to seal it. The other wounds where I applied liquid-type cut paste are healing over rapidly, so let's see if this does the trick.

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Love the contrast between foliage and bark! I like the twin trunk. Looks awesome!

 

[luvinthemountains]

Love the contrast between foliage and bark! I like the twin trunk. Looks awesome!

The bark always was my favorite thing about this tree!

 

[luvinthemountains]

This tree is about to go into the tent. I decided to cut the secondary trunk much lower, and we will need another few years in the big pot to close the wound. Incidentally, I am finding this green cut paste works wonders for closing woulds on ficus. In the meantime, I will be working to grow out the lower branches to develop a wider profile.

 

[Scorpius]

^ I reallllllly like the way that trunk looks.

 

[MHBonsai]

Great work! Nicely done pushing the growth down. It’s definitely some kind of cultivar, looks a little bit like ‘too little’ or Wiandi benjamina.

Which cut paste are you using that has worked well?

The thing that has helped me the most on large wounds is to bore them out and fill with epoxy. As soon as the wood gets a little bit rough and punky, they stop closing in my experience. The callus rolls over smooth epoxy really well though.

 

[luvinthemountains]

Great work! Nicely done pushing the growth down. It’s definitely some kind of cultivar, looks a little bit like ‘too little’ or Wiandi benjamina.

Which cut paste are you using that has worked well?

The thing that has helped me the most on large wounds is to bore them out and fill with epoxy. As soon as the wood gets a little bit rough and punky, they stop closing in my experience. The callus rolls over smooth epoxy really well though.

Thank you. I saw an example of that epoxy method on your exotica thread, and I have heard of it from a few others over the years. I have been looking for a good way to close large wounds and, if this cut paste does not continue to deliver results then I will probably try filling with epoxy. That cut paste comes in a green-and-white tube with a Japanese label (LINK). I believe it is Kiyonal brand? Anyhow, the texture is similar to Elmers white glue, but a bit thicker. It dries very thin and repels water. The results I have seen so far (2"+ wounds half closed in a single growing season) confirm what you are saying about callous requiring a smooth surface.