Author Archives: jerry@bonsaihunk.us

Root-over-rock design

One of the most popular designs is the root-over-rock design where a tree or trees is growing draped over a stone.

In this example a Ficus ‘Mystery’ was placed on a rock about 9-10 years ago. It was a piece of a larger plant see http://www.bonsaihunk.us/info/BreakingUpIsEasyToDo.html

This section was frankly quite ugly and I almost discarded it. Rather than throwing it away I decided to place it on the rock. It was strapped to the rock with plastic tape and grown for years with most of the rock and the roots buried in soil. Over time the roots and the stone were exposed.

You can see the result in 2014. The bonsai has improved dramatically and one day may become one of my favorites.

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The ugly plant was strapped to this stone in about 2004

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The bonsai as seen in 2014

Root-over-rock designs can be done in many ways but the best and quickest results will be achieved with plants that have super aggressive root systems. Plants that grow slowly and have fibrous root systems generally will not succeed as root-over-rock designs.

Bar branches, yes or no?

One of the most basic beginner rules is to avoid bar branches. That is to say remove one of two branches that appear on the same level but directly opposite each other. This rule as all rules for bonsai or any art form is often helpful in designing a basic bonsai for a beginner. In more mature trees and with mature bonsai artists the rule is often broken. See what you think with with this example.

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Same tree with mid-level lef branch removed

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Now the mid-level right sided branch is removed.

Which one looks the best is or the best one the original design and keeping the bar branches as you see below?

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Willow leaf fig as it exists now

 

Fig leaves

Ficus or figs are in a large family of plants showing many interesting and varied characteristics.

One of the most interesting aspects of various figs is the leaf. Leaves can be large, smooth or hairy, glossy or dull and have many, many other variations.

The photo below shows some fig leaves and their variation. The size of the leaves varies from 7″ to about 1″ on the right. All can be used for bonsai of various sizes depending on how much the leaves can reduce with proper culture and care.

Fig leaves from the left are benghalensis, ingens, religiosa, microcarpa and salicaria

Fig leaves from the left are benghalensis, ingens, religiosa, microcarpa and salicaria

Fusing figs

One way to get larger bonsai material is to fuse smaller figs together. Basically tieing together several figs that are genetically identical can produce larger trunks. Growing a tree in a larger container or in the ground will produce faster trunk growth but is often not suitable for indoor growers.

Fusion is a useful technique for rare or unusual materials and for adding in branches, roots etc. to a fig that needs these parts.

Bind the trees together with anything that will distribute the compression forces over a wider area to lessen scarring and use a binding material that does not stretch. Allow rampant growth of the materials to speed the fusion.

Marks left from the electrical ties can be reduced by allowing a year or two of un-restrained growth after the ties are removed.

For another article on this topic see http://www.bonsaihunk.us/FusedFig.html

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Ficus natalensis only one year since the start of fusing

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Lower trunk with fusion remaining to be accomplished with more growth

Ficus virens 'Thai' with multiple rooted cuttings pulled together with electrical ties

Ficus virens ‘Thai’ with multiple rooted cuttings pulled together with electrical ties

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Close up view of the ties and some marks left from earlier ties that were removed


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Ficus natalensis (type two) allowed wild growth to speed the fusion process

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Close up of the lower trunk showing nicely fusing trees


The definitive reference work on Ficus
for bonsai. The book is a softcover, 8 by 10 inch volume, with 144 color pages, containing detailed information for the beginner as well as the advanced hobbyist.
 Click here for more information

Ficus ‘Mystery’, piece 4

Ficus ‘Mystery’ is an unknown fig given to me in 2004 by friend David Fukumoto of Fuku-Bonsai.

The first shot shows one of the pieces of the tree that was initially sectioned into 5 pieces.

The second shot shows the piece #4 in 2014.

Ficus 'Mystery' as part of a larger plant, 2004

Ficus ‘Mystery’ as part of a larger plant, 2004

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Piece #4, 2014

This material is vigorous and aggressive and shapes up into beautiful bonsai. I would recommend it highly to anyone growing figs as bonsai.

See http://www.bonsaihunk.us/public_html/?p=125 for more about Ficus ‘Mystery’.

Two of my Ficus ‘Mystery’, #1 and #2

Ficus 'Mystery' #1

Ficus ‘Mystery’ #1

Ficus ‘Mystery” is so called because its exact scientific name is unclear. No matter what this fig is called it is one of the best figs for bonsai that I have cared for.

Ficus 'Mystery' #2

Ficus ‘Mystery’ #2

You can see how these two figs were created from a tree given to me by David Fukumoto of www.fukubonsai.com by clicking here http://www.bonsaihunk.us/info/BreakingUpIsEasyToDo.html

One of David’s figs of this species is in the National Bonsai and Penjing Museum in Washington, DC. It is a beauty.

Let me know how you like mine.


The definitive reference work on Ficus
for bonsai. The book is a softcover, 8 by 10 inch volume, with 144 color pages, containing detailed information for the beginner as well as the advanced hobbyist.
 Click here for more information
 

Exposed root styles

One of my favorite styles for tropical bonsai is the exposed root style. This may represent trees whose roots have been gradually exposed by a river washing the soil away from the roots or with trees growing on a hillside which is being eroded away. It also could be the end stages of a tree starting life as a strangler or epiphyte and then having the host trunk die and rot away leaving the strangler exposed by itself.

See how these various figs in this style work for you.

 

Ficus natalensis

Ficus natalensis

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Ficus natalensis

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Ficus ‘Mystery’

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Ficus ‘Mystery’

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Ficus ‘Mystery’

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Ficus ‘Mystery’


The definitive reference work on Ficus
for bonsai. The book is a softcover, 8 by 10 inch volume, with 144 color pages, containing detailed information for the beginner as well as the advanced hobbyist.
 Click here for more information

Five years development with a fig

This bonsai was grown from seed and kept in a small container for its whole life. Development of a bonsai for size will occur most quickly in the ground or in a large container.  Although growing in a large container or ground growing can develop large bonsai often the tree will need finer branching and detailing. This should happen once the bonsai is containerized and nearing its final size.

Slant style grown from seed, 2009

Slant style grown from seed, 2009

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Showing some good branching, 2014

Now that the size and branching are nearing a reasonable point, leaf reduction and increasing branch density will be next on the list for development.

Splitting a fig into two future bonsai trees

Sometimes splitting a fig into several parts is the way to go with initial styling to maximize the material’s potential.

The pant is a Ficus natalensis grown from a root cutting and perhaps two years old. The only exciting thing about it is the twisting lower trunk which should make a nice tree using that as the focal point for the future bonsai.

An appropriate spot was chosen to split the tree into two sections. This point was selected since it would leave the top section with a good aerial root to keep it alive. This section will live happily on this one root until it is time to give it a styling.

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The start

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Close up of the top section of the plant

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The two sections are now split apart leaving the top part with a good root to carry it

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The top section planted using its one root

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The bottom section potted and several branches remain to form the future of this bonsai

The final design is not done but this is just the initial blocking out of the future bonsai. Consider breaking up a tree when the parts are more exciting  than the original tree left intact.


The definitive reference work on Ficus
for bonsai. The book is a softcover, 8 by 10 inch volume, with 144 color pages, containing detailed information for the beginner as well as the advanced hobbyist.
 Click here for more information
 

Which side do you like the best?

This is a young Ficus natalensis. Ficus natalensis is one of the best figs for bonsai as it is vigorous, develops aerial roots, tolerates growing in containers as well as growing well in relatively poor light.

Which of the two sides do you prefer?

This is side one, showing a prominent bend in the trunk/root

This is side one, showing a profusion of exposed roots

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This is side two showing a major prominent root/trunk movement