FICUS GREEN ISLAND BONSAI

 By Vandana

Ficus  green island is a variety of Ficus  Micrpcarpa. It is a tropical evergreen shrub. It grows to a height of 2.4 to 3 metres with a canopy of .9 to 1.2 metres wide.

Its origin is India ,Sri Lanks, Southern China, Malasia, Borneo.

It’s a Family of Moraceae

LEAVES : they are glossy dark green leathery small and round. Young leaves are yellow green and turn dark as they mature. The shape would be described botanically as orbicular with only an obscure lip.

TRUNK : New shoots and very young stems are green and turn brown as they mature. The stems are naturally thick and strong and they can grow upto  a diameter of 5 cms. The trunk is the most mature part and is brown to light grey . It can grow upto 7 cms in diameter.

FLOWERS AND FRUITS : The flowers are inside what we think young fruit and the colour is white or cream yellow . Fruit is green with an accent of purple when young and turn purple when ripe.

ROOTS : Young aerial roots are white and turn red to brown .It is said the root system is twice as large and deep as its canopy.

WATERING: Green Island can tolerate under watering to over watering   but no water logging . The top soil is dry to 1 cm then it needs to be watered.

LIGHTING : It can adapt to low medium or high light . Long exposure to direct sunlight can cause yellowing of leaf

FERTILIZING : It can be fertilized every two weeks in summer and four to six weeks in winter.

PRUNING : Pruning encourages the growth of young stems and branches .We can prune stems , twigs, and leaves for new shoots .Leaf pruning can be used to reduce leaf size . Pruning can be done 2 ways , either constant or seasonal.

PESTS : Common pests are scale insects and mealy bugs . They can cause leaf yellowing and leaf drop .They can be removed by hand or cotton swabs with alcohol.

PROPOGATION :  Propogation  is possible with root cutting or by stem cutting . Dip the cutting in root hormone and plant it in a container . Do not cover with plastic. Keep it near the window and watered.  Within a few weeks cuttings will take root .Early summer is the best time.

WIRING : Plant must be shaped and wired early. Check the wired branches frequently . The plant is prone to growth spurts during the growing season so scars and cuts can happen in the bark very quickly.

REPOTTING : It must be potted once every two years . It all depends, if there is a growth spurt it may require early potting. The best time to repot is early summer.

GREEN ISLAND is one of the most loved bonsai for many reasons .It is excellent for beginers .They are tolerant to any soil and light conditions .They make fine indoor bonsai. Most importantly they are remarkably  forgiving for those learning bonsai water techniques.

 

 

Raft Style in Bonsai

By Susan Abraham

 

In Bonsai there are 2 groups of styles  -  the Single Tree Style created with individual plants which take up styles like formal, upright, informal cascade, etc, and the Group Planting Style, which creates a composition resembling a natural forest. Bonsai Artists have to employ their imagination and skill to create an aesthetic composition.  Saikei, Suihan, Penjing, Raft style and Netsuranari, all are part of Group Planting.

 The Raft style imitates the tree which has been uprooted and fallen on the ground with its trunk horizontal with the original root mass sustaining its growth partially. This can happen during natural calamities. The tree still struggles to survive by growing roots under the fallen trunk and sends up new growth on the upper side.

 Two types of raft styles can be created by a Bonsai artist – the ‘straight raft style’ and the ‘sinuous raft style’.

For the straight raft style an erect plant with more branches on one side is usually chosen. Those branches growing towards the opposite side are gradually wired and trained to grow towards the desired side, vertical to the ground. The tree should be potted horizontally and secured by wires at both ends in a long training pot with the original root mass still sustaining the plant.

 

  The bark and cambium under the horizontal trunk should be peeled off at convenient points and root hormones applied to induce root growth. The trunk should be totally covered with soil. The branches will now grow as individual trees from the horizontal trunk looking as if they have been planted in a straight row.

                  
          

For the ‘sinuous raft style’ the original trunk that is chosen would be curved or twisted. Those branches growing towards the unwanted side are wired and trained to grow in the required direction. Here also the cambium is exposed at convenient points and root hormones applied before potting.

New shoots can be trained to achieve the desired design. In the long run roots will be connected and exposed.

Because of the sinuous shape of the trunk, the new branches growing as individual trees will reflect depth, giving the whole design a forest like appearance.

 

 This style is a unique way of making a Forest Bonsai with a single plant. After a few years of training, transplant the group to a suitable ceramic tray.

Raft is always planted in long shallow rectangular or oval pots with the biggest branch in the centre. These shallow pots facilitate in showing off the arrangement.

 

                                            

  As the soil level is above the rim of the tray it is important to hold it with moss. Judicious watering, feeding, pruning and repotting is very important to keep the trees healthy.

Plants suitable for creating raft style are ficus varieties, junipers, etc.

 

 

 

Baobab

 Baobab is world’s largest succulent tree, belongs to silk cotton family. Scientific term is Adansonia digitata.

Baobab is generally found in Central Africa, Madagascar and Australia. Also seen in some parts of India, Sri Lanka, Barbados and Hawai.

Baobab prefers drier, less tropical climate. These trees are sensitive to frost and water logging.
It has massive trunk which holds large amount of water during the dry period.

They drop the leaves periodically and produce new foliage shortly before the rainy season . Without the leaves, the crown looks like a root system. Hence Baobab is also called as upside down tree.

At first they have simple elliptic leaves. Much later, hand shaped leaves with 5-9 leafllets are also developed.

Large white flowers are found hanging from long stalks. It has an unpleasant smell . The flowers opens at night and are pollinated by fruit bats.
Flowering starts only after 15 years. Thus It takes 15 to 20 years to fruit. Fruits are grey coloured,  gourd like and edible. Fruits are a foot long and found hanging from the branches. So it is also known as ‘monkey bread’. White fruit pulp is highly nutritious. Cream of tartar is produced from the acidic seed pulp.

Leaves,flowers and fruits are used for medicinal purposes. Hence Baobab trees are also   called as ‘Tree of life’ or ‘Kalpavriksh’. The bark is used for making paper, cloth and rope.

Baobab is a long living tree, lives up to 1000 years.