15 year old F.nitida 'tigerbark' and F. 'emerald gem'

15 years ago

Pretty sure its a less tiger tigerbark than average but not a straight Ficus nitida. All my tropical bonsai spend all year outdoors..over all that time frost,dog,dropping them,tree branches falling on them,have forced me to almost start over on some. The tigerbark is taller than i wanted but it seems to prefer the 3' height.It's very cold hardy-low 20's. Emerald Gem isnt nearly as cold hardy and was very stressed by a simple 30f. Emerald Gem has very succulent like leaves.Not Ficus like at all. It even grows like a Portulacaria.You can pinch with your fingers the stiff stems.

Ignore backgrounds-lol

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Comments (3)

greenman28 NorCal 7b/8a
15 years ago
Nice plants!
I love the nebari on the 'tigerbark'...!
And I love the bark/trunk color of the 'emerald gem.'
Thanks for sharing,

Josh
stanofh 10a Hayward,Ca S.F. bay area
Original Author
15 years ago
Thanks Josh. The nitida was once a Home Depot plant in a 6x9 Bonsai pot.So,i see nothing wrong with HD Bonsai -If it has a nice form,it has a nice form,no matter who you buy them from. The Emerald Gem was a simple potted shrub,horribly pruned by the previous owner-branches with sharp right angles,one atop the other-yeesh. That was taken back to a single windswept large branch.I think Emerald Gem is particulary good for windswept.It appears to follow a natural form.
Not many large Emerald Gem Bonsai around or on the net.I need to take some better pix of it. Some more pruning first.
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ankraras
15 years ago
The first one's rootage evoked the HUUGer emotion. Very-very nice! I like the second one a lot too.

I lost my original tiger bark to hard frost last year but it re-grew close to the soil line. It is now enduring the desert heat. Poor thing has it rough. lol

Will Ficus 'Emerald Gem' trunk change color with age?

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