Ficus Gingseng Bonsai

I have been neglectful of Luis, my Ficus Gingseng Bonsai, whom I have had since 2005 and he was quite old then. So I gave him a trim this morning but think I could have been more severe.


Here he was in July 2010 ...

 

Red spider mite??

 

Why do you say that? I think he is quite healthy, just straggly from neglect!

 

The leaves look mottled.

 

Dirty from watering from above (not me I hasten to add) ... I wiped the leaves down after.

 

An interesting plant. Mine lives in a perspex shelter during summertime and in the winter I bring it indoors.
However this winter I forgot, and it's been in the shelter next to my old disused garage all through that icy spell we had a few months ago. I'm pleased to say it doesn't seem to have suffered any ill-effects from the cold temperatures.

I hope yours grows into a nice shape for you now.

 

@Michael Hewett, give it another200 years and a bit more warmth and it could get this big.

Botanical Gardens Puerto de la Cruz, Tenerife. The aerial roots are like tree trunks.

 

I don't have aerial roots.

 

No its the plant that gets Aerial roots, not you.

Some Fig trees are known for starting life as an epiphyte up in the branches of trees, they then grow roots down to the ground and "strangle" the tree they started out living on, eventually killing it.
They are sometimes called "strangler" figs.

They dont always grow these roots if they start out by living in the soil, as I understand it.

 

Here is Luis (Figo) yesterday with new leaves ...


Hmm, could have placed him with a better background. He lives on this North-facing windowsill (squat pot to the right) ...