I started this Port Jackson fig as a cutting in 2016. This species is the most likely to produce aerial roots for me of the 8 species of ficus I am currently growing.
The tree today.
The tree as a cutting from another Port Jackson Fig.
The parent tree on the day the cutting was taken from the top. See: https://beginbonsai.net/2021/04/17/new-pot-for-a-port-jackson-fig-ficus-rubiginosa/ for a progression of the original parent.
Well, that wasn’t ideal, but at least the tree is resprouting from the base.
The tree after a year.
Aerial roots forming on a very spindly tree.
The tree at 4 years.
Healthy roots.
Potato-healthy.
Major root-pruning.
More root-pruning.
Secured in a new pot.
Room to grow.
The tree the following spring.
Defoliated the top in summer hoping for smaller leaves.
The tree a year later. It probably requires more than one defoliation per year to reduce leaf size.
The tree in July of this year.
Branch-pruned and defoliated later that day.
The tree this morning from another side.
Bonus tree – This is the parent tree this morning. It shows that with proper defoliation the leaf size will reduce in this species. It’s too late in the season to defoliate the either tree again now, but I will defoliate both trees early next spring to allow for two or three defoliations over the summer.
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