smaller leaves on my Ficus?

zonedout36

i was just curious if anyone could give any general tips on making it look like a litle tree instead of a baby bush... like getting smaller leaves, making it fill out

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TreeBay

It's pretty full already. That's what makes it shrubby. Trees have distinct branches. Areas of foliage and empty space. Shrubs do not.

Trees have trunks. Shrubs do not. - so you're a little ahead of the game already. At least you have a trunk.

Some thinning of the interior with an eye toward creating separate branches and boughs will make your bonsai look more like a tree.

Regards,

Matt

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braden_govoni

Ok this is what I have done to Schefflera Arbicola in the past to get smaller leaves.

Put a clear bag over the tree to get it nice and humid inside.
After a week or two you will see lots of little leaves starting to develop. Once they get past that really delicate stage but before they start to get big prune off all the large leaves. Then put the bag back on for another week to let the first wave of small leaves gain a little more strength then take off the bag. You should have 2-5 times more leaves then before so as they start to get too big just prune them and more small ones will take their place.

Oh and the more sun the plant gets the better.

Also if you leave the bag on longer your tree will probably start to shoot out aerial roots.

Braden

hey, if you could give a drawing or a virtual, that would be cool too

FoolsRun

Would this method work on a Fukien Tea as well?

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M

braden_govoni

Well I am growing a baby fukien in a terrium and it seems to be growing faster than before but as far as small leaves go... dont they have pretty small ones to beging with? It seems like even the largest leaf on my tree is still smaller than a dime.

Braden

zonedout36

hey, braden you seem to know a lot about umbrella trees, any idea on wha ti should do to care for it
indoor? outdoor? direct light? watering? anyone is wlecome toa nswer, thank you

FoolsRun

My Fukien Tea has leaves about an inch long, some longer, and they're jagged on the ends. I'd really like to promote smaller leaves, and it was suggested that I give it more light, but even in almost direct sun the new leaves still grow to be very, very, very large. I don't fertilize this tree very much at all, so that's not the issue either.


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M

braden_govoni

Ok my scheflerra seems to like lots of humidity and light and is potted in plain ordinary potting soil. It stays indoor year round and I regurally prune the largest leaves.

As far as that fukien goes... maybe mine is a different variety or some thing... They are a tropical plant however and most that I have read about them recommends that you keep them in a green house (hot, humid, bright) and that's basically what I am doing by growing mine in a terrium. The leaves have all stayed small... maybe it will work for yours.

Get a glass tank and lid that is almost air tight. Put your plant (pot and all) inside on the bare glass. Mist it really well and put it in a sunny window. Works for me.

Braden