So Fukien ugly

[himmelich]

I have been raising this Fukien stick in a pot for about a year now. It came to me with a very ugly and narrow, angular trunk with a giant scar on it like a chicken knee. I repotted it 1:1:1 in a net pot/pond basket whatever and it has thickened up a bit, survived the northeastern US winter — even in the summer it really seems to prefer the indoors, in a spot between my adjacent grow lights and NW/SW windows. Photos show progress from fall and spring ‘24 and now in 2025.

I am in no hurry to repot it as it seems relatively happy and has flowered at least 3 or more times since I have gotten it (if that is a good thing?). I know most bonsai enthusiasts will say to “pick a front side”and stick with it, but I like to prioritize the penjing/sculptural aesthetic from all angles over adherence to traditional bonsai forms in my failed experiments pieces.

Basically I don’t want the tree to look like sideshow bob bending over to tie his shoe from the side but I also put a lot of love into keeping this tree alive and I want to put that growth to good use. So is my best option to air layer branches off (and when)? Prune/pinch back to encourage backbudding? Is it possible to turn this species into a raft-style planting? How can I think about reorienting the tree when I repot it to make it less of an eyesore? Or is there a way to cut and seal, file or scarify the ugly graft scar to make it look more natural? Thank you for your help also I have no idea what I’m doing.

 

[Gabler]

The usual way to deal with grafted material is to air layer and/or take cuttings. Hopefully, someone experienced with Fukien tea will chime in with more specific advice.

 

[Attmos]

I have one as well, came in the typical S-shape and looks like a stick growing out of the ground... no nebari to speak of.

I'm kind of stuck. I want to encourage nebari, but there's so little information about them and not many here seem to want to talk about them, so I'm not sure how to proceed without killing it, which is not hard to do...

Maybe I'll try an air-layer this season...

 

[KateM]

I can't say I am an expert, I just have one since fall of 2022 - 50% off half dead big box store pitty purchase.
It's ugly as sin and I am not sure what to do with it, but it is growing well.
I air layered it in summer of 24 - easy. Gave the top to my son, who killed it. I also stuck pencil thick cutting in the pot when I separated the airlayer and it rooted - easy. This cutting is potted up now and doing great.
The big plant is overpotted and enjoys summers outside and doing very well under grow lights in winter.
I haven't repotted the big one since spring of 24 and don't remember how the roots were... but the cutting had perfect radial roots when I put it in its current pot.
Mine is not grafted, it just has those ugly knuckles and no taper.
Here are they are before they came in inside in the fall and they are twice as big now. I had to trim the big one not to hit the grow lights. I am letting the little one run, though I am not sure it has any future.

 

[Attmos]

I can't say I am an expert, I just have one since fall of 2022 - 50% off half dead big box store pitty purchase.
It's ugly as sin and I am not sure what to do with it, but it is growing well.
I air layered it in summer of 24 - easy. Gave the top to my son, who killed it. I also stuck pencil thick cutting in the pot when I separated the airlayer and it rooted - easy. This cutting is potted up now and doing great.
The big plant is overpotted and enjoys summers outside and doing very well under grow lights in winter.
I haven't repotted the big one since spring of 24 and don't remember how the roots were... but the cutting had perfect radial roots when I put it in its current pot.
Mine is not grafted, it just has those ugly knuckles and no taper.
Here are they are before they came in inside in the fall and they are twice as big now. I had to trim the big one not to hit the grow lights. I am letting the little one run, though I am not sure it has any future.

View attachment 625504

Cool. I think maybe I'll try an air-layer on some tree outside this season, just to get a little experience before trying it on the Freaking Fukien. lol

 

[Baron von Smoogle]

I have been raising this Fukien stick in a pot for about a year now. ..........

Congratulations on managing to keep it alive. I have never been able to do that. My wife's record is better than mine.
Hers lasted about 9 months. Mealy bugs LOVE them and they are hard to get rid of.
Good Luck!!!