AusBonsai

Apologies for the average quality images here, but I have been battling with this for a few days, perhaps I just need confirmation.

I bought this young bonsai plant from a nursery a few days ago and it was labeled "ficus retusa, ginseng fig, 2006". Now I have searched for young looking ficus retusa varieties, and have seen nothing like my litte plant at all! And I can't fathom that this plant could be almost ten years old either. I have just heard that a fig would be the best plant to be learning with, but perhaps I have gotten myself into another more complex, challenging variety of plant.

Any advice on the type of plant this could be would be largely appreciated, and if you know the variety, how could I be caring for it in these early stages?
Once I know what species this is, I should be alright looking for different ways on taking care of it.

Thank you for any help!

Harry

An Olive perhaps, or even a Rosemary herb.

I was thinking Rosemary as well.

Crush or even rub the leaves - does it smell like Rosemary?

Certainly doesn't look like a fig and no way would this be 10 years old.
Ginseng figs are typically imported figs from China that reside upon big bulbous growth/roots.

Taxus or Podocarpus

Podacarpus woud be my Guess and no way 10 years.
The light green is this years growth and then next setion is last seasons.

Ken

Cephalotaxus family is my guess. (Looks close to Podocarp but isn't one I recognise). They are slow growing.

Worked on one last weekend and it was C harringtonii; but this one looks slightly different.

Grant

I have heard of a fig or another species with ginseng in the name. I have a book on figs and there are so many hybrids but these are native to Australia. I'll look into it tonight in bed. My reaction at first was rather a strange name for a fig? Anyway, the index didn't show anything, but then again. The common names were NOT listed in the index.

Don't give up we'll find it

Yap, there is a Ficus retusa, ginseng fig. It is also known by several other names including banyan. Recommended bonsai in training for a beginner, hard to kill, not impossible but

Here's a nice pic from the web. If I can find it, this is an old one mind you. Well it is nearly eight years old, and time to start thinking of styling. Best of luck, I'm no expert on figs, but there are lots here that are.

Pat

Alright I've been scouring the net for a lot of photos and I'm 90% sure it's the Japanese plum yew, aka the cephalotaxus.

Now time to look up how to care for these bad boys.
Cheers for the help everyone! I hope I may return the favour to you all one day.

Best wishes,

Harry

Treat it like a Podocarpus or Yew(Taxus). These have similar habits and needs as the Cephalotaxus.

Just remember they are really slow to thicken; they back bud on old wood really aggressively around old junctions but do not bud back easily on younger wood.

Grant

The label definitely stated the species and genus. There is lots of info on the web about this and also in some of my Bonsai books. Ficus retusa. Australian and also SE Asian. Known as the Australian banyan or just Banyan. But also ginseng fig on the web. But in the natives book, he didn't mention it at all, explaining he had only seen one banyan in Queensland, growing on the edge of a rainforest. Try Googling F.retusa, ginseng fig.

Anyway, I would treat it like a ficus. They like warmth and humidity, and are long lived. The aerial roots will grow when there is nice warmth and humidity. They take a lot of pruning, but fig experts will enlarge on this, I have problems in a temperate zone keeping a Port Jackson fig alive and well.

PS. They can also be grown inside in temperate areas, provided they get good light, warmth, (not hot!) and humidity.

Best of luck to a newbie.

Bush bunny wrote:The label definitely stated the species and genus.

Despite what the label says, it's definitely NOT a ficus. It's been mislabeled.

hcb wrote:I bought this young bonsai plant from a nursery a few days ago and it was labeled "ficus retusa, ginseng fig, 2006".
Harry

Firstly, It is not a ficus retusa.

Someone has accidentally placed the wrong label on the stock. This does happen obviously in a public nursery.

Where did you buy this from? You can easily just go back to the nursery and ask them again for identification. Either that or just ring them and they will have an email address you can simply email them this picture you have taken, because they obviously will have other stock of the same variety that they sell and will instantly identify it.

Good idea, Bunnings are notorious for mis-labelling stock. If at all? Or you could take it back in and asked them to confirm. If it was sold as a bonsai, that I think it might have been, as it had a year on it, and as a newbi, it is crucial that you know. I bow to the more experienced bonsai-ers opinions on this thread, but it is an untrained tree at this stage and so many species look very similar. Look what happened with me with one tree, thought it was a cotoneaster and it is a tree (not hedge) Photinia. There's 60 genus' in that species, and one is native to Australia.

I do hope all this has helped not confused you? Don't for heaven's sake be put off bonsai. I have a pine, and I have never been sure what type it is? Because all the label said was Pine.