markyscott
Imperial Masterpiece
certainly
Shohin Willow Leaf Ficus
- Thread starter markyscott
- Start date
certainly
markyscott
Imperial Masterpiece
Partial outer canopy defoliation. I’ll repot in July and defoliate completely before the show this fall. You can be fairly aggressive with willow leaf ficus In my climate.
coh
Imperial Masterpiece
Looking forward to seeing it in the fall! Hopefully!
I can get in one defoliation per year on my willow leafs in my climate. In fact, just defoliated my two yesterday. By the time winter is over the existing leaves are in pretty bad shape and removing them seems to get the new growth going more quickly.
I can get in one defoliation per year on my willow leafs in my climate. In fact, just defoliated my two yesterday. By the time winter is over the existing leaves are in pretty bad shape and removing them seems to get the new growth going more quickly.
LCD35
Mame
How quickly does it recover with new growth in that Houston humidity? I lived in Katy in highschool back in the 90s and will never forget the mugginess.
markyscott
Imperial Masterpiece
Rapidly in summertime heat and humidity. It’s leafing out now (2 weeks) and will likely be fully leafed out in ~2 weeks more. In summer, the rule for me is to defoliate 4-6 weeks before the show.
- Scott
LanceMac10
Imperial Masterpiece
I had to!!!The pot is just so full of character and color, almost too nice for a (sniff) "fig", but the trunk is so expressive in it's own right that the two really sing together.
Loads of well placed, undulating and compact branching lead to one "sharp dressed man"....
Most of my figs end up on the other side of the dumpster cover!
Great looking combo.
LCD35
Mame
I'm branching out (oof, dad joke) into tropicals this summer, so I'm interested to see how much truly the humidity, or lack thereof in Idaho, can be compensated for. I've got the heat and sun covered; buttonwood, f. microcarpa, and bougainville are my victims. Love the progression, as it's helping me account for patterns of tree behavior. Ports love the sun and won't burn, so they are in a slightly different capability category. Aerial roots are out of the question with out Houston humidity I think.
markyscott
Imperial Masterpiece
Wednesday, July 1st. 3 weeks after partial outer canopy defoliation.
markyscott
Imperial Masterpiece
Repotting. Slight angle change- tilted a bit to the left.
markyscott
Imperial Masterpiece
As soon as nighttime lows are above 60, it’s safe to work on tropicals in my region. Thinned and repotted. I have a fine mix that I use for shohin in refinement- 1/8-1/4”.
It’s in a show this fall. I’ll defoliate completely in late July or August so it has a nice set of small new leaves for the exhibit. Before and after.
It’s in a show this fall. I’ll defoliate completely in late July or August so it has a nice set of small new leaves for the exhibit. Before and after.
markyscott
Imperial Masterpiece
Trying to decide if I want to keep the aerial root down the front of the trunk. What do you folks think?
s
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LCD35
Mame
How likely is it to produce additional serial roots before the show? If there were one or two more, I think it would add interest and highlight the growth habits of ficus, setting it apart from other trees. Just one looks a little...contrived? Maybe that's too strong of a word. Odd maybe.
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markyscott
Imperial Masterpiece
It’ll produce more aerial roots, but it’s unlikely they’ll be significant caliper before the show. When they mature, they graft to the trunk and look really good. Like this:
I think you’re right though. One skinny one doesn’t add much interest.
s
HorseloverFat
Squarepants with Conkers
That, sir, is looking fantastic!!
Regarding the aerial root..
Hmm... The idea is great!.. if the trunk where SHAPED differently (Even with scars/bumps in different locations), I believe it would better accommodate this design idea (As is)...
For me.. the light/shadow from the obvious draping onto the trunk is slightly distracting.. ONLY because the fact that AFTER this section.. it “appears” to be tight-to the trunk and straight down. In my opinion: I like the root, The idea is SOLID.. it looks great.. but I would, personally play around with the placement/angle/droop of the root.. try to find something EVEN MORE ocularly pleasing.
Regarding the aerial root..
Hmm... The idea is great!.. if the trunk where SHAPED differently (Even with scars/bumps in different locations), I believe it would better accommodate this design idea (As is)...
For me.. the light/shadow from the obvious draping onto the trunk is slightly distracting.. ONLY because the fact that AFTER this section.. it “appears” to be tight-to the trunk and straight down. In my opinion: I like the root, The idea is SOLID.. it looks great.. but I would, personally play around with the placement/angle/droop of the root.. try to find something EVEN MORE ocularly pleasing.
Brian Van Fleet
Pretty Fly for a Bonsai Guy
I’d remove it.
Sekibonsai
Shohin
Remove it - distracting
Gustavo Martins
Omono
Remove. At the moment, being a single one, it adds nothing to the overall composition.
Redwood Ryan
Masterpiece
I would also remove it, as it will eventually cause swelling at that point and create reverse taper.
luvinthemountains
Chumono
Count me one more vote for removal. Fused aerial roots would be inconsistent with the style of your base. Also, willow leaf is one species of ficus that I find never really looks good with fused aerial roots. The photo of another tree you posted looks graceful. On a willow leaf, it usually comes out looking grotesque.
19Mateo83
Masterpiece
How is this beast doing this year?
