I thought others would like to see the progression of a Willow Leaf Ficus that I've owned for maybe 2 years or so.

Here is the tree when first purchased, almost 2 feet tall:

Ugly roots:

Chopped and some root work:

Roots before:

Roots after:

Repotted:

It bud back like crazy:

So I did more root work:

Ended up with this:

But that wasn't good enough so I chopped it back again:

I let it grow:

Picked a new front:

And here is the tree as of today:

Any comments?

Ryan

I think you have one more chop to do. I would look at the roots to determine the best planting angle, then select one of the two bar branches as the top, train it to a more vertical position, and let it grow wild for a year while restraining the other branch somewhat to allow the top to catch up so the reduction in taper isn't so radical.

Alternate: I would wait for the tree to shoot a branch (your first branch) off the trunk opposite where the new top emerges and immediately below your chop, then remove the 2 existing branches.

It looks like you might have chosen the front to hide the chop scar, but I wouldn't worry about that at this point. You have the makings of a nice tree that you'll have for a long time - plenty of time for the scar to heal.

Keep the updates coming! Very helpful series.

Josh

I love these Willow Leaf. I've got probably 7 or 8 of them. They grow so quickly and recover from dramatic work like you wouldn't believe.

Al, interesting suggestion about chopping again. Might I ask why you suggested that? I think what you're suggesting is like that I've done in this picture:

Chop at the red and wire the branch up like the green?

The reason I mentioned that is because I judged the Detroit area bonsai show last year and remember there was a F nerifolia that probably would have rec'd recognition if it wasn't for the fact that the lowest 2 branches were bar branches.

Just a side note: I find it absolutely amazing that I can't put a face to a name worth a darn, but I remember all sorts of seemingly unimportant information about plants. I can also look a tree over briefly in the course of my travels, & then remember whose it is/was several years later when I next run across it, and even see what work (even if it was substantial) was done to it in the interim period. ;-)

Al

.... almost the same as what I mentioned as the alternate suggestion in my first post, except in that case you would utilize the top you created (last photo - your OP) and wait for a branch to show itself on the opposite side below the chop. Normally I wouldn't suggest that route because you can't always depend on a branch where you need it, but with nerifolia being such a predictable and prolific back-budder, you'd be virtually assured the tree will shoot a branch where you need it - probably several.

You'd eventually end up with a little sumo. ;-)

Al

Mr. Jerry Meislik and I have been discussing this same issue via e-mail and he agrees with me that the bar branches aren't too big of a deal and wouldn't cause reverse taper for many, many years.

I'll at least look the tree over for a couple months, then see what I think in the spring.

Thanks for giving my mind a good workout, Al!