boczki.martin
Newly Registered
Posts: 2
Joined: Sun Oct 11, 2015 7:39 am

Beginner need help!

Hello!

I got this plant this week. I hav some question about it.
What type is it? How can I take care about it? Which style should I form it?

Thanks for your help :)
Attachments
12092526_1009453402409183_1741550283_n.jpg

User avatar
rainbowgardener
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 25279
Joined: Sun Feb 15, 2009 6:04 pm
Location: TN/GA 7b

It is a ginseng ficus. It is a good plant for indoor bonsai, being a tropical evergreen.

Read some of the articles on bonsai care here: https://www.helpfulgardener.com/bonsai/

and here: https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/vi ... =36&t=1479

It is not a tree that lends itself to traditional bonsai styling very well. Most of the ginseng ficus bonsai examples I see, just make a feature of those roots and leave the rest fairly shapless, just grown out full and tight to hide the trunk chop.

Image
https://www.bonsai-made-easy.com/images/ginseng.jpg

Image
https://www.bonsaiboy.com/catalog/media/k2620.jpg

The ginseng ficus bonsais that attempt traditional styling with trunk movement and foliage pads, etc., to me look tortured and unnatural:

Image
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/23 ... e45abf.jpg

The only ginseng ficus bonsai I have seen that I really like have been cascade style:

Image
https://static.webshopapp.com/shops/0304 ... uality.jpg

But understand I am the farthest thing from a bonsai expert and when you get to questions about style, I am giving you nothing but my personal opinion. My recommendation at this point since you just got your tree and you are new to bonsai, would be to do nothing, but learn to take care of your tree, keep it alive and healthy and get to know it. Next year is plenty of time to do anything about styling. And cascade is a very technical style, that requires knowing what you are doing and years to develop, since it is so opposed to what the tree "wants" to do.

boczki.martin
Newly Registered
Posts: 2
Joined: Sun Oct 11, 2015 7:39 am

Thank you very much :)

User avatar
rainbowgardener
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 25279
Joined: Sun Feb 15, 2009 6:04 pm
Location: TN/GA 7b

I looked at your picture again... If those rocks are glued on, they need to come off. The glued on rocks are just done for shipping to keep the soil from falling out. They interfere with air and water circulation and make it harder to tell when your tree needs watering.

And be sure you don't leave water standing in the saucer under it.



Return to “BONSAI FORUM”