Hello. I've been caring for this tree since I was about fourteen years old (22 now). As I child I had absolutely no clue what I was doing, but now I am much more interested in the actual art of bonsai, and am trying to shape my tree more. The trouble is when I was younger I just wired the tree in random directions, so now I'm having trouble figuring out what types of things to do with the tree. Some of the branches seem to be doing a windswept type motion, but one branch (the furthest back in the first photo) seems to be less developed than the other branches. I guess I'm just not sure what to do. It also doesn't help that I bought this tree from a Home Depot, so you can clearly see the scar where they clipped off what looks to be the central trunk in order to make the plant a bonsai.

Also, I'm working on getting an actual bonsai pot and soil. I've just had trouble finding ones I can actually afford... I plan on getting more specific bonsai tools before I do anything major to this tree. Oh! And this tree normally has more leaves. I had partly defoliated it the night before I took this photo since the leaves were getting so big.

This is just an ordinary Ficus. I wonder why you removed leaves it will not do it any good. As for styling there is not much you can do with a plant like this, other than get it growing better than it is right now. Wiring is not of any use and you would be better just pruning for shape, it is an informal upright and is not much good for any other style.

I know it is a fiscus. None of the 4-5 sources I referenced (books and internet based) mentioned that defoliation was species specific. They said that it was how you could work with the tree to help encourage smaller leaf growth. You don't have to be rude....

Wiring has worked on this tree in the past. I don't understand how it is an informal upright, as this tree doesn't fit any of the pictures/descriptions that I've researched for that style of tree. There are so many bare spaces on the branches where leaves don't grow. Also, the branches seem too long for an informal upright to work with this tree...

Can you explain to me why you think it would work best as an informal upright?

spock22a wrote:

As I child I had absolutely no clue what I was doing, but now I am much more interested in the actual art of bonsai

Great that you managed to keep this tree alive since your 14th and for such a long time.

However, I noticed you do not like rude answers, so I apologize for the next part of my comments, as you're not going to like it: If you are really interested in the actual art of bonsai, get another tree.

This is not a real bonsai. A bonsai is a a miniaturized version of a tree with the characteristics of a real, full grown tree.
Your tree lacks all these characteristics. As you already wrote, "you can clearly see the scar where they clipped off what looks to be the central trunk". This is NOT done "in order to make the plant a bonsai", but in order to, in a short period, make something that LOOKS like a bonsai. I agree that your tree is 'just a ficus', with a cut trunk.

In real bonsai, trunk cuts are done too, but techniques are used to create a tapered trunk with no visible cuts. This takes many years of growth and training.

Home Depot does not sell real bonsai, they sell what's called mallsai - mass produced, young plants that are made to look like bonsai in the shortest possible time. There's no art involved there, these trees are all made the same way using simple techniques, they are not unique, they all look the same.

Indeed you should not have defoliated your ficus. It's no use and will do no good. Defoliation is done on established, and very healthy, bonsai only. Your ficus needs its leaves to grow.

Wiring this ficus and putting it in a pot will still not make it a bonsai. The thing hardly has anything to work with.
To try and make something out of it, you will have to let it grow - a lot. Make it thrive, let it develop branches and leaves.
This will take a few years, and then still it will probably not be very good bonsai-material as the base isn't very good.

So, get another tree. Don't buy another mallsai, but buy starting material from a (bonsai-) nursery. Before you do, learn what good material is, how to care for it, how to make it thrive. Then start learning bonsai techniques, look for examples, maybe join a club. That is, if you are really, as you write, interested in the art of bonsai.

Hi there, what auk is saying is very important when concerning the foundations of this art in terms of seeing good bonsai generally. I cannot comment on the style of your current tree etc. But what i can say is that what you want to look out for when creeping about a garden centre or the houseplant section, decide which species suits you with your environment at your home. Look out for good material which includes good ramification and structure, maybe a bit of tapering could be a good checkbox, but as i have recently learnt, tapering depends on the style which you choose. Ofcourse, if you have an outdoor space then get a bench or stand and place your bonsai on that, if you have an outdoor bonsai that is. The same general guidelines for looking out for good material aply for outdoor trees. Look for any scars you may see on a plant that you can train, as scars can be ugly, very ugly. Also look for any good potential in the plant and if it can looks like any of the main styles used for bonsai, in the mean time i think it may be good to read the bonsai empire articles and/or the bonsai4me website which is good.

Right.. And if you are still reading after the previous posts, I will try and see how we can get you on the road to recovery, and help you ahead.

Clearly the plant you show has triggered some responses that you were not expecting. There is a good readson: On this, and basically all other, bonsai website, we are really annoyed at the junk sold by big bucks stores. They do not help in any way to get people on the right track (Although it DOES trigger people in getting an interest in Bonsai). Unfortunately, what they sell.. Nah, no need to repeat previous posts.

So I fully agre with Auks recommendation to look around for a better tree, if you want to proceed in the world of bonsai. Needles to say this can still be a great tree to keep for yourself, and try techniques and just enjoy, knowing you have had this for a long time. That in itself is something that many people struggle with. (I woudl say: Great, well done!)

OK, let's get down and dirty, by looking at your comments

spock22a wrote:

I know it is a fiscus. None of the 4-5 sources I referenced (books and internet based) mentioned that defoliation was species specific. They said that it was how you could work with the tree to help encourage smaller leaf growth. You don't have to be rude....

I agree. Defoliating can work on most if not all species. But is it used in a later stage to reduce foliage. I have recentely also defoliated a ficus in very early stages of training. I did this because I did not like the lack of siodebranches and wanted a lot more buds to develop. (So you could get that on your plant too, but you should have removed ALL leaves, including the end-buds: Then along the old branches new buds may open. DO NOT do this now as your plant is currently too weak to handle it.

I think you have confused being direct & honest with being rude. What he said was actually accurate info, brought quite direct, and you expected a different answer..

spock22a wrote:

Wiring has worked on this tree in the past. I don't understand how it is an informal upright, as this tree doesn't fit any of the pictures/descriptions that I've researched for that style of tree. There are so many bare spaces on the branches where leaves don't grow. Also, the branches seem too long for an informal upright to work with this tree...

Let it regrow leaves and when growing strongly, say in spring, you can reduce a lot of the branches to maybe half of their current length and remove all leaves. That should give you a reflush within weeks, on all the bare branches. (So that is how you proceed toward your informal upright with leafs closer to the trunk!)

Anyway.. Just to give you some idea of what people mean when they refer to bonsai, have a look at some pictures of a great bonsai Elm: www.growingbonsai.net/size-matters/

What I was taken aback with wasn't the criticism. I fully expected constructive criticism. I don't like being told to give up. I also hate criticism that doesn't provide any reasoning or additional information. It's less than helpful, and leaves beginners feeling as though they can't go to people on the website without being attacked. To be frank, I've seen a lot of beginners being driven off of forum style websites like these, which probably lead me to be defensive. I can't correct what Home Depot or 14 year old me did to the tree... I also know this won't be the best bonsai, but I do want to continue working with it while I also work with other trees. I've been studying up on what to look for new trees. I was just curious about what I could do with this particular Fiscus. I also know that slapping it into a pot won't turn it into a bonsai. Like I said, I've seen people driven off websites like this by people who are more experienced, so I was covering my bases for what I was attempting to do with this tree.

Leatherback, thanks for actually giving healthy comments instead of just telling me to give up...Honestly, this is a VERY healthy. When I trimmed it I removed about 40+ leaves and a few new stems. With that in mind would defoliating the rest of the leaves encourage new stems, like you suggested leatherback? This tree is purely indoor right now (it was outside in the summer), as I am in a college dorm, so it won't be damaged by the change in seasons.... It is actually getting more light now with the window I got at the start of the semester when I moved into the dorms. The school is just about to turn on the heating system, which drastically increases the heat and humidity in the dorms. Could that combination trick the tree into thinking that it is spring?

I do know what real bonsai is. I didn't know that there was a term for the 'commercialized' fake bonsai in stores. I've been doing my research for the past few months, including looking at a ton of pictures and diagrams... I just wanted to know what I could do to work with this tree.... And I partly now feel like I shouldn't bother.

We do not mean to make you "not bothered" but it is just, as LB said (i think) is that we are just kind of straight to the point.

But what's the point of criticism if you don't provide any actual information? Then I have no clue what to actually do, or why what I did was wrong. I'm trying to learn about how to do bonsai, which means that I want to know why someone is telling me not to do something. Giving me half the answer is just frustrating and defeats any attempt at learning.