Tag Archives: fusion

Fusion

Many of us do not have easy access to larger materials and must use small plants or cuttings to develop their bonsai. One way to utilize smaller material is to cultivate cuttings from a desirable plant. In this case it is a Ficus concinna with lovely new foliage that is quite red in color. I took multiple cuttings from the mother tree and rooted them. You can see the rooted cuttings in the first photo. Each is about 2-3 feet tall and in separate growing containers.

One after another is brought as close together as possible by removing interfering branches and roots. They are then held with plastic cable ties or any other suitable non-stretching material to secure the trees tightly together and then planted into a large growing container. These trees will be allowed wild growth with as little trimming as possible. Over time the ties will begin to press into the bark and then they can be removed and replaced as needed until the fusion is complete.

Over time branches are selected that grow out of the bundle are used in the final design of the bonsai. The end result is a larger tree than I could have developed in the same number of years in my plant room. If I lived in a tropical area I could have simply planted a tree in the ground and grown it for 5 years to get a thick trunk and then worked on developing the branch structure.

Rooted cuttings in small growing containers will be fused
Cuttings are brought tightly together with plastic cable ties
Plants are placed into a large growing container

In this Ficus microcarpa ‘melon seed’ I needed a left side branch. As you can see in image 1 there is no branch. Fortunately, several small branches sprouted in the right spot and to speed the development of the branch three of the sprouts were tied together with cable ties, image 2. Two of the branches were brought outward and used to develop side branches. All the branches were allowed to grow and to fuse. Side and front views of the branch show a nicely developing left main branch. Sometimes fusion will allow you to create a heavier and more detailed branch more quickly than with the usual techniques.

Ficus microcarpa ‘melon seed’ progression of fused branch on left

How to get a thicker branch

In order to get a thicker branch on a bonsai fig it would mean getting the branch to grow faster and have more leaves than other branches on the tree. Another way is to fuse several branches together to achieve greater thickness.

The red circle shows three small branches that are coming out of nearly the same spot on this tree

The three branches were fused into one and created a branch that is heavy enough for this trunk

Creating something from nothing

Ficus ‘Mystery’ developed from root cutting, having little interest

Wrap the trunk with plastic ribbon

Apply heavy wire over the ribbon

Take two small branches and fuse them with cable ties

More cable ties placed along the branches to help fusion and develop a heavier branch more quickly

Final result is a more interesting plant that one day could become a pretty bonsai

Fusing a fig tree

Using fusion to improve a fig tree is a valuable technique. However, it is necessary to use genetically identical material or the fusion my show differences in bark, leaf, etc. that can detract from the uniformity and believability of the design.

In this case seedlings of Ficus virens while very young were fused to create a sprout style tree. On careful examination of the trunks it is clear that they are not identical in bark character.

Ficus virens in a clump style created by fusion of seedling trees

Note that these three trunks do not look identical because genetically they are not the same

Fusing Ficus

One of my favorite techniques to obtain larger material is to fuse young rooted cutting together. I use cuttings all taken from the same mother plant so that the bark, leaves and general character of the fused plant will be completely the same. In this way I can develop larager plants since my growing space is limited to one indoor growing room and I do not have space for really large pots or the ability to grow plants in the ground. Growing in the ground or in large growing containers would be faster and easier ways to get larger material.

Some images of fusing materials follows. Most are just early on and not totally fused. It takes anywhere from 1-7 years to achieve good fusions depending upon the age of the material, growth and the genetics of the plant.

Ficus virens

Ficus virens

Ficus virens

Ficus natalensis

Ficus virens of a special deep red leaf color

 

Some steps in creating a bonsai from raw material

This is a young plant grown from a root cutting of a Ficus natalensis. The root cutting sprouted three branches.

To develop a new apex and create a better transition to the new apex, two of the sprouts were pulled together with electrical ties. A month or two passed and the ties were removed. The lower part of the fusion appears to be nicely grown together but the upper portion is not fused. So several new electrical ties were placed in areas adjacent to the old ties.

 

Root cutting of Ficus natalensis

Root cutting of Ficus natalensis

2_23a8422

Side view shows three sprouts have grown from the root cutting

3_23a3224

To develop a thicker transition to the trunk two of the sprouts were tied together with electrical ties

4_23a3226

After a month or two the ties appear to have worked

5_23a3232

The ties were removed and the upper part of the fusion was not together. Some mild scars from the ties will be present for about 6 months. With growth they will disappear.

6_23a3237

Two new ties were placed adjacent to the old ones and growth will be allowed to speed the fusion more completely

7_23a3242

Some basic wiring was done to give the young bonsai a bit of shape


The definitive reference work on Ficus
for bonsai. The book is a softcover, 8 by 10 inch volume, with 144 color pages, containing detailed information for the beginner as well as the advanced hobbyist.

Ficus virens/infectoria

Seed grown and kept close together these trees are now fused at the base. I think this might be called a clump style.

Ficus virens is the species but in some areas it is called infectoria.

Leaves removed to show the nice branch structure that is developing.

2009, Several seedlings have fused together by being kept in a small container

2009, Several seedlings have fused together by being kept in a small container

p1060575

2016, defoliated to show the nice branching that is developing

The early steps in bonsai creation

In creating a bonsai from rought stock there are some typical steps in the process.

 

Two young rooted cuttings of Ficus craterostoma

Two young rooted cuttings of Ficus craterostoma

_MG_2448

Cuttings are allowed to grow vigorously without cutting them back or other training

_MG_2454

Using plastic ties the two trunks were brought tightly together to let them fuse and thicken up the trunk

 

_MG_7538

Again vigorous growth to help with fusion of the small trunks

_MG_7540

Trees shortened and all branches cut to a roughly triangular silhouette for the tree. Lower branches are temporary and kept to thicken the trunk

Low branches have been kep to help thicken the lower trunk.

Once again the tree will be allowed to grow wildly until it is time to select branches to keep and branches to remove and some preliminary wiring to shape.