Super Market Trees

Rob Spiller · Posted: Thu Jun 05, 2008 6:45 pm Post subject: Super Market Trees

Our local Morrison's have started stocking Bonsai again.
So far I have rescued 3 trees from them and the horrendous price of £4-99 each Very Happy

The first is a Ficus
http://s276.photobucket.com/albums/kk8/RobSpiller/?action=view&cur rent=Ficus1.jpg"
http://s276.photobucket.com/albums/kk8/RobSpiller/?action=view&cur rent=Ficus2.jpg"
My First thoughts on this tree were that the pot is not big enough. It seems out of proportion to the tree. It also needs a lot of work on it to try and open out the canopy.
The leaves are very dense in the middle of the tree.
Advice would be welcome.
Also can you tell from the photo which species it is. I have a Ficus Retusa, but the roots are very different on this one.
There is also no label giving a name on the tree

The second tree is a Fukien tea (I think)
http://s276.photobucket.com/albums/kk8/RobSpiller/?action=view&cur rent=Fukien_Tea.jpg"

The 3rd tree. I have no idea what this one is. It is in a bit of a sorry state. When I got it a branch was broken. (you can see it propped up) The leaf of it looked healthy, so I used some cut paste to cover the wound and gave it some some support.

http://s276.photobucket.com/albums/kk8/RobSpiller/?action=view&cur rent=tree2.jpg"
http://s276.photobucket.com/albums/kk8/RobSpiller/?action=view&cur rent=tree2os.jpg"
The leaves look like this.
http://s276.photobucket.com/albums/kk8/RobSpiller/?action=view&cur rent=leaf2.jpg"
They all need quite a bit of work on them, but at the price you would expect that.
I am back down there tomorrow to see if they have had any more in Laughing

Finally the rest of my tree
http://s276.photobucket.com/albums/kk8/RobSpiller/?action=view&cur rent=therest.jpg"
This is the temporary storage place until I get a better display bench set up, although the trees do seem to be thriving there.

Any suggestions regarding the new trees would be most appreciated.

Rob

steve · Posted: Fri Jun 06, 2008 5:38 pm Post subject: Re: Super Market Trees

The pot for the fcus not only looks too small but too blocky as well. I would thnk something rounder and more feminine would go better.

Stymie · Posted: Fri Jun 06, 2008 8:31 pm Post subject: Re: Super Market Trees

You probably noticed that I made four of your photograph addresses work yesterday. They are now all visible. Good work someone else.
The Ficus is definately retusa.

Rob Spiller · Posted: Fri Jun 06, 2008 11:10 pm Post subject: Re: Super Market Trees

Hi Stymie
Yes I got confused with the links Laughing

and, but worked it out this morning and changed it. Thanks for pointing the way

It would appear that the mystery tree is a Chinese privet (Ligustrum)

Steve I totally agree with you about the Ficus pot. Having not re potted anything yet I will take a trip to my local Bonsai shop for a lesson this weekend. The tree is very top heavy and the height of the tree is totally out of sync with the pot. I have an Elm that is the same and needs a round or oval pot to make the tree look better Smile

The ficus does need a lot of work and hopefully by thinning out the leaves a bit I can get some outward growth, or at least see where to wire the tree to make it spread a bit .

Thanks for your advice. Smile

Rob