Hello all. I'm new to the forum. I recently was given a bonsai tree and it is my first ever. I was told it is a ficus bonsai. The trunk currently stands at about 2 feet tall.

My question is .. can I cut the tree to make it shorter or is that not advised?

Also, i beleive it has already been trained but is there a way to change how it currently looks ?

Ill leave u with the pictures and thanks for your help..

This is a braided ficus, not a bonsai, the post is off-topic.

I guess I was misinformed. Thank you for your input.

What about this one ..

Sal_ wrote:

I guess I was misinformed. Thank you for your input.

What about this one ..

One of the most discussed topics on this forum - the infamous Ficus Ginseng. It is not considered a bonsai (not talking about the species, but the way it is formed)

I see... well is there a way to reform any of these 2 in order to make it closer to a bonsai?

I am not going to discuss this again. The same question has been answered extensively, even today.

Given that you are very new to bonsai i would advise you look up the word Bonsai and see what it really means. Search what qualifies a tree as a bonsai. Its not what most people think (a small tree in a pot). yes people buy quote "bonsai" from nurseries or are given as a gift but are only miss informed of what they are receiving or buying. Having a better understanding of what a Bonsai is will also help you understand where these people are coming from and the advice they are giving you.

Sal_ wrote:

I see... well is there a way to reform any of these 2 in order to make it closer to a bonsai?

Welcome!
Well, I guess the braided one will never be a bonsai, even if you cut it hard and very low.
The other one could be a bonsai someday, but it will take a lot of expertise and years, many years. And in the end could be a not-so-good bonsai.
Study a little more, and buy some material more suitable for bonsai, there's no other way.

On second thoughts, no, I was wrong.
The second one has so many flaws down that it's impossible, even if you bury the roots.

It takes something to be considered a bonsai, do your own research about that and see if you are happy to call it that. If you tone it down every tree in a pot could be a bonsai.
If you draw a picture not everyone will consider it art just aswell. And some people have their own very narrowed down criteria, I would advise to not be discouraged by these replies and decide for yourself.