I collected and sprouted a seed about 13 years ago that resulted in a plant that had low branches which I decided to keep as secondary trunks. The bonsai is what I would call Clump or Sprout style and is not that common in the bonsai world. It may be close to needing a nice container rather than its plastic development pot. Height is about 10 inches.
Ficus microcarpa, seed grown, in the sprout or clump style
One of the ways that I obtain material that is not commercially available is to find seed of rare species. Growing from seed is not the fastest or easiest way to obtain bonsai but it does allow one to exert complete control over the development of a bonsai.
While there are many ways to sprout seed I am currently sprouting my fig seed by sowing the seed on the surface of rock wool plugs. These plugs are available online or from garden centers.
The plug is kept in a shallow dish with a bit of water in the dish. This keeps the plug from drying out. Ficus seed take somewhere from 1-12 weeks to sprout or even longer. Plants are kept growing on this plug until they have 4-5 leaves on each sprout.
Once the seed has sprouted and two or three leaves have appeared the plugs can be placed into a bonsai soil mix. The surface of the plug should be 1/4-1/2 inch above the surrounding soil mix and allowed to grow for a year. Once the seedlings are quite sturdy with about 8 leaves on each one they can easily be removed from the plug and rooted into a pot of bonsai soil.
It normally takes 3-4 years from seed to get a plant large enough to begin bonsai training, so the process is not for the impatient bonsai grower.
Click below to read more details about seed growing.
Ficus tremula growing on top of a rock wool plug, Three weeks after sowing, several sprouting seeds are outlined in red.
http://www.bonsaihunk.us/ficusforum/FicusTechniques/FigTechnique33.html
http://www.fukubonsai.com/1a9a14.html
Click here for more information
On a visit to South Africa I saw a very interesting fig, Ficus tremula, shaped as a small bonsai in the bonsai collection of my friend Hennie Nel.
I was unable to find Ficus tremula for sale in the US so I am resorting to growing them from seed. It will take many years for these now two month old seedlings to mature into a reasonable bonsai. Growing from seed is for the young and those with lots of patience.
Ficus tremula bonsai grown by Hennie Nel of South Africa
Ficus tremula at two months of age grown from seed
For more information on growing figs from seed see:
http://www.bonsaihunk.us/ficusforum/FicusTechniques/FigTechnique33.html
This is a Ficus rumphii, an unusual and rare bonsai subject in the west. This specimen is about 8 years old and seed grown.
Leaves are large but reduce with defoliation. There is some random branch die back suggesting that this may not make the best bonsai subject.
The bark is a rather stark whitish brown.
Ficus rumphii, about 12″ tall with most leaves removed