Bonsai styling of Tiger Bark Ficus

[@GrannieG-k4o]

Thank you. Finally, instructions along with close visibility to what you are doing.

[@TerryErasmusbonsai]

My pleasure. Glad it was helpful.

[@LinusMuse]

Fantastic for those of us doing microcarpas, thanks~

[@TerryErasmusbonsai]

Thanks so much! I’m glad it’s helpful.

[@alfredoespino9026]

More ficus Terry, please!!!

[@TerryErasmusbonsai]

Thanks so much for the request. I’ll do my best to

[@TheBonsaiZone]

Super video Terry, I love the cement pot too, it really matches the trunk colour. Do you think you will allow any aerial roots to form, they might look good coming down from the lower branches, or maybe even just the thick lower branch? I'm sure you'll have fun developing this tree into the future!!

[@TerryErasmusbonsai]

Thanks Nigel for watching in for your comments. I did not choose the cement pot and I must say that I really do not like carrying it, the tree is HEAVY! I will be repotting it later this year though. It will go into a white glazed, painted ceramic pot. I doubt aerial roots will form as I dont have the correct humidity for that. I know I could encourage them using various techniques but I'm not sure if I want to as once they hit the ground they have the potential to thicken rapidly and I am afraid it will ruin the structure. However let's see how it goes. I have another of these, much larger and an award winning tree (from Taiwan) which I will need to work on in the near future, would love to hear your comments on that one too.

[@OjaiBonsai]

I have some huge ficus myself. Love them. Cheers from Ojai California

[@TerryErasmusbonsai]

Very cool!

[@alexbrendan7181]

As usual, great video! Amazing trunk and nebari! And I agree with Nigel, the pot works well. Ficus are so cool--I wish I could grow them in my climate. I can't help but think the heavy low branch will have to go. I agree it makes the tree unique and could eventually form a cool twin-trunk, but at least on camera at this stage, it looks out of proportion, making the tree look younger/smaller, especially because it seems to have some inverse taper. I do agree removing it would make for a more basic tree, like your average old trident maple. Still though... that taper is incredible!

[@TerryErasmusbonsai]

Thanks for those valuable contributions Alex. Yes I agree with you and I suspect you may well prove to be spot on and we do need to remove that 2nd trunk. For now I am going to wait a little longer as removing it will completely and irreversibly alter the tree. Having studied many examples of ficus styled by the masters in Taiwan I feel there might be scope to develop secondary branches on this trunk and so soften it a bit, plus I do want to see how it could develop into a twin-trunk which is why I mentioned if I dont get any branching on the outward portion of that curve, to graft there. I must admit that I am becoming rather attached to the idea of keeping it for how it makes the tree stand out from so many others I have seen. Choices, choices! Never easy in bonsai, and of course you can certainly never please everyone :)

[@alexbrendan7181]

​@@TerryErasmusbonsai I totally agree--my policy is to never cut a major branch until I have been absolutely certain for several days/weeks/months/seasons that the tree is better off without it. Bonsai is all about patience. Plus are we doing something because we want it or the tree wants it?

[@DaniiMarie333]

Its beautiful in all ways, I bet that big guy really helped to thicken this massive nebari! I may leave low branches more often..

[@joelhiggins6156]

Great tips, this will help tremendously cause I’m about to style my ficus and I was quite overwhelmed looking at the mass of foliage - after thinning out the leaves it makes a huge difference!

[@Pete-z6e]

Superb Terry, thank you for taking the time.

[@TerryErasmusbonsai]

Very welcome

[@wesleyphillips3211]

Another amazing video and specimen Terry! would love to see a garden/ bench tour of your trees, they really are inspiring.

[@TerryErasmusbonsai]

Maybe one day!

[@bradleyc9538]

a powerful tree.. would love to see how this looks in the future with that dominant left branch/trunk. Thanks for sharing Terry - great video as always.

[@TerryErasmusbonsai]

You and me both!

[@michaltrubac]

Hi Terry, great video. Could you please show how tree look like today. Thank you.

[@TerryErasmusbonsai]

Thank you for asking but it was sold a few months ago. The current owner is very happy with it and it is growing very strongly.

[@lil.plants775]

terry , we in the tropical such as southeast asia like this kind of design ( the lowest and heaviest branch ) because we use it as a twin trunk style . we like a super wide canopy

[@TerryErasmusbonsai]

Ah, that’s so nice for you to comment. So many people have told me to cut this branch but I am of the opinion that it was grown there as a purpose by the original grower. Your explanation makes complete sense. I think this branch just needs further development, but cutting it off is no an option for me as the hole/gap left by the branch will be very big. Thanks for your input. 🙇🏼‍♂️

[@usmanali-tb5qr]

Very interesting informative and quality videos... ❤️❤️❤️ From India

[@TerryErasmusbonsai]

Thank you so much Usman! Appreciate the compliment

[@hanspeter6198]

Great video terry as always!

[@TerryErasmusbonsai]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@carlmorrow]

I would love to see the tree in real life. The great feature of the work is the willingness to remove enough branches to get to the essence of the tree that will now develop into beautiful branch structure. Many people are afraid to do this. When you were rotating the worked tree, I noticed a position towards the back left of your current front where there is a compelling view that has a lovely left to right sweep in the roots and the big, lower trunkbranch seems to flow better. The view in the video isn't great but your thoughts on another front would be interesting. Carl

[@TerryErasmusbonsai]

Thanks Carl for your comments! You are welcome to come visit and see it in person. Perhaps this is something we can collaborate on, maybe when it has grown out again and needs to be worked towards end of this year.

[@carlmorrow]

@@TerryErasmusbonsaiWill do, sounds like a whole lot of fun!

[@harrietb2141]

Thank you Terry. Amazing ficus

[@TerryErasmusbonsai]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@DaniiMarie333]

Thank you for this! I would definitely get rid of the fat branch if it were mine! ❤

[@TerryErasmusbonsai]

Thank you! Definitely a consideration.

[@living_sculptures_za]

Being a KZbin bonsai video geek, I'm particularly thrilled when I receive a notification that you have uploaded a new video. Well done, as usual. Until I started watching your videos I was ignorant to the fact that there are South Africans importing trees. Since then I've seen a few individuals claiming a new imported tree in their collection which I assume they acquired through you. This is interesting for me, and it does raise some questions. I wonder how old the fig is in this video Terry?

[@TerryErasmusbonsai]

Hi Liam. Thanks for watching. I’ve been importing trees since 2012. During that time I have imported hundreds of trees. I have no idea of the age of the tree, personally I have little interest in such details and usually only ask the seller when a customer wants to know.

[@KennetDeBondt]

Not wild about the big left branche... but it´s your tree...😊 Grts Kennet

[@TerryErasmusbonsai]

Thanks Kennet. I totally get what you mean. I have sold the tree so it’s going to be interesting to see if the new owner will cut it off.

[@rudewaanwoodman6388]

hi Terry ... hope youre well ... id like to know when i can defoliate my ficus ? i live in cape town on the cape flats ... beautifull specimen you have there...

[@TerryErasmusbonsai]

Yes you can Rudewaan. Thanks for the compliment.

[@rudewaanwoodman6388]

hi Terry ... ive watched this video again ... im sure you misunderstood my question to you ... which time of year can i defoliate my tiger bark ficus ? thanks in advance

[@TerryErasmusbonsai]

@@rudewaanwoodman6388 oh I’m sorry. I misread your question. You can defoliate it now.

[@pachyplant]

You have a friend @16:00 thank you for the in depth video :)

[@TerryErasmusbonsai]

My pleasure. Glad you enjoyed it.

[@sabikmercuriobravo5976]

I love the video Terry, can you share a good technic for aerial roots, and whats your opinion about them. In my case i like it but not all the artist are agree. Thanks for sharing this amazing peace of material!

[@TerryErasmusbonsai]

There are several techniques for encouraging aerial roots Sabik, and I am sure some must be on KZbin. Otherwise perhaps this is something which I can demonstrate in the future. I don't really have an opinion on them, the same as I dont really have an "opinion" on deadwood. When used appropriately aerial roots (or deadwood) can add interest to a tree. This is a natural growing characteristic of figs so I think it would be very useful to help create the illusion of nature of an old fig in nature. Aerial roots can also be useful to in developing a tree. What I mean is that when you allow these to develop from a branch into the ground or allow them to develop along the trunk and down into the ground they immediately begin fattening up and can be used to contribute to the trunk girth or that of a branch. However you need to be careful as too much can cause problems ie certain attractive features of a trunk could be covered by these in time.

[@maxjenkem3993]

New subscriber from Australia. Love your videos. Would definitely remove that lower branch, very distracting. Maybe was an earlier sacrifice left on too long?

[@TerryErasmusbonsai]

Thanks Max! Not sure, will ask the previous owner what the plan was with that branch.

[@soberhippie]

Defoliation sheers _or_ scissors. But can one use both, one in each hand?

[@TerryErasmusbonsai]

Sure, might need a little practise.

[@-ChrisD]

Marvelous! A heavy pot but such a great look!

[@TerryErasmusbonsai]

Thanks so much! 😊

[@trueindian3487]

Amazing.. n awe-inspiring 👀

[@TerryErasmusbonsai]

Thank you 🙌

[@nicolaasoosthuizen8756]

great video , how do you go about importing trees? great video

[@TerryErasmusbonsai]

Hi Nicolaas. You are welcome to contact me with details of what you are looking for. There are a number of imports available on my website too.

[@1Mutton1]

Interesting tree and another great video. Thanks. Can I ask where /how you arranged to import it from Taiwan. I've considered doing such but feel it is quite a high risk thing to do.

[@TerryErasmusbonsai]

Yes, correct it can be risky but it is part of my business which I have been doing it for 11 years now so I have the process pretty well in hand. I'm unsure where you live but if in South Africa then I can import a tree/s for you.

[@1Mutton1]

@@TerryErasmusbonsai I'm in Australia, so no not at the same. I guess the question was about if you have any advise or contacts that might work for people without a business.

[@TerryErasmusbonsai]

@@1Mutton1 I was under the impression you cannot import any tree into Australia?

[@1Mutton1]

@@TerryErasmusbonsai that's quite possible due to quanentine. I didn't get very far with my research. Mainly just wanted to know how you did it.

[@curvingfyre6810]

I ahve a bonsai question that I can't seem to find an answer to anywhere online, so at this point im askingeverywhere. What species/subspecies/cultivars of ficus can be grafted with eachother?

[@TerryErasmusbonsai]

If it’s a ficus it can be grafted onto any other ficus.

[@curvingfyre6810]

@@TerryErasmusbonsai See that's what I thought, but I've heard people say that ficus can only be grafted within the same species. Good to know from someone who knows their stuff that it's all ficus, thanks for your help. Are there any good resources for learning how to graft significantly different plants? I'm talking in the neighborhood of grafting a creeping fig to an upright ficus tree. biologically compatible, but hugely different in size and shape.

[@TerryErasmusbonsai]

Well I am no expect but this is the norm ie, you can graft any acer onto any other acer etc, so I cannot see any reason why you cannot do any ficus onto another. Besides all those ghastly bonsai you get in shopping malls with ficus ginseng roots and ficus macrocapra foliage are all grafted.

[@curvingfyre6810]

@@TerryErasmusbonsai Oh, I never realized those were a graft. Makes sense with how abrupt the difference between the roots and branches are, but I never figured they'd go to the extra trouble!

[@TerryErasmusbonsai]

@curvingfyre6810 they are mass produced by the thousands like this in China. They do it as the plant then grows much stronger so the effort is worth it.

[@waynes3606]

Best time of year Terry, that you perform this work.?

[@TerryErasmusbonsai]

Figs like to be worked when it’s warm as they are tropical trees.

[@waynes3606]

@@TerryErasmusbonsai so anytime from late spring to early autumn?

[@abhinav3101]

Nice one

[@TerryErasmusbonsai]

Thanks 🔥

[@leoanastas]

wow learnt so much thank you

[@TerryErasmusbonsai]

Thanks Leo. That’s great!

[@zzcn]

Why not completely remove that thick strange branch at the bottom left? It does not suit the whole structure at all

[@TerryErasmusbonsai]

I’m not sure if you watched the video, because in it I do discuss this…

[@TerryErasmusbonsai]

I’m not sure if you watched the video, because in it I do discuss this…

[@bluekettle9060]

Normally I respect all bonsai, fruit or any style or tree that needs a trim, but I use shears cause my finders get sore is a laugh other than that cool lil bit of info

[@TerryErasmusbonsai]

Interesting comment. Have you ever defoliated a large bonsai tree?

[@bluekettle9060]

Mate I,LL apologise again I apologized 2 mins after I wrote that n u accepted n no nothing as big as the trees U do I still like n subscribed n admit it was a dick call , cheers

[@abdullatiffadam589]

✌️👍👍✌️

[@TerryErasmusbonsai]

Thank you.

[@bluekettle9060]

Sorry about that remark it was disrespectful,shit go on my side

[@TerryErasmusbonsai]

No worries.