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exavier11

What species of bonzai is this?

exavier11
15 years ago

what kind of bonzai is this??

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also there are rocks ontop of it should i remove them??

also how often should i water it and is it an outdoor species or indoor? i am in northern ontario we get weather from 35 degrees celcius to -35 degrees celcius

thank you for the help

Comments (11)

  • lucy
    15 years ago

    Hi, I believe it's a Ficus, but the variety name escapes me right now, however it doesn't matter in terms of how to take care of it. It is tropical, so will need to be indoors. Water it only when 1/4 to 1/3 of the soil is dry, but do always keep the pot on top of stones in a wide "humidity" tray (with 1" sides) that's filled with water, but never high enough to reach the pot, so it doesn't rot roots. You'll also need to use extra lighting for 15-16 hours a day, maybe one of the new fluorescent spiral bulbs, 5-6 inches above the tree. I would repot into a slightly more shallow but wider pot in the spring (normally it doesn't matter when for tropicals, but ficus need time to adjust to new locations). Expect it to (likely) lose some or most of its leaves now, but if you keep up really good lighting and the humidity, new ones will grow back in a few weeks or so. Don't move it around too much. BTW, it isn't a "species of bonsai" - with an 'S' - but a species of tree that you'll use bonsai techniques on.

  • lucy
    15 years ago

    Hi, if it wasn't so early here, I would have answered your other questions :-). It doesn't look to me like you have a top layer of glued on pebbles (be grateful!) so that one little rock won't hurt anything, but it really isn't adding much aesthetically either. When you repot, use a lot of aquarium gravel in the mix, so water will drain well and watering won't be such a guessing game (if it flows right through - and don't let the pot sit in the drain water please - you can water more often without fear of root rot).

  • exavier11
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    ok i found out if a nerifolia ficus. thank you so much for the help guys

  • exavier11
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    now i hope it can survive out here if not i'll have to find one thats better for where i live.

  • exavier11
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    another question? will my ficus go into dormancy or not?

  • greenman28 NorCal 7b/8a
    15 years ago

    Get those rocks off pronto, as Lucy said!

    Do so gently, taking a few off at a time with something rounded like a butterknife. Once you get started, the stones will come off easily.

    Josh

  • lucy
    15 years ago

    The only dormancy tropicals have is a few weeks, mostly in fall, where they stop growing and need less water, but the change is subtle and many don't realize it's happened at all. I do see now that there are pebbles on top (they're darker than usual) so pry them off starting at the opening near the trunk and they'll come off in slabs or chunks. Just add in a little more gritty soil where it's been removed afterward.

  • exavier11
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    yeah i removed the rocks.. but i removed a small part of a root at the same time i now have it next to my window with a lamp on it for radiant heat due to the fact my house doesnt reach 60 degrees farenheit and for 16 hours of light, it appears to be doing good now... suprisingly no leaves have fallen off or changed colour becuase most experts have said they will, do i need to feed it fertilizer? and how often should i the articles i read all tell me diferent times to do this

  • exavier11
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    also i was hopping next year in spring to start my own tree from scratch and i was wondering if the canadian red pine was good for me to use bonsai techniques on?

  • lucy
    15 years ago

    Fertilize every week or so with regular house plant stuff, possibly slightly diluted, but not if you feel the plant's gone dormant at any point. Sorry to say but pines are definitely not for beginners and will likely lead to discouragement now. Slow down, read everything out there, and keep asking questions. See if you can find a local club - a really good place to learn techniques.

  • exavier11
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    ok will do thank you for the help lucy

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