Krohn Conservatory Bonsai #18 - Taiwan Fig
Scientific Name:
- Ficus retusa
Species
- Taiwan Fig
Type of Tree
Bonsai Style:
Bonsai Tree Size:
This Taiwan Fig was donated by Bonsai Society member Dr. Douglas Hawley in 1999.
It is an informal upright style. The pot is rectangular, unglazed, brown in color and is 5 inches deep.
This tree is a species of evergreen woody plant in the fig genus, native to the Malay Archipelago and Malesia floristic region. Ficus retusa is a rapidly growing, rounded, broad-headed, evergreen shrub or tree that can reach 33 feet in height with an equal spread. The smooth, light grey trunk is quite striking, can grow to around 3 feet in diameter, and it firmly supports the massively spreading canopy.
In Southeast Asia, this tree is thought to be home to spirits. In China, large fig trees can be associated with beneficial spirits and vital energy. In Singapore, some trees are associated with places of worship among Buddhists and Taoists
Q. What do “circa” and “in training” mean?
A. The circa date is roughly the year when the tree sprouted from its seed. The in training date is the year that it started being “trained” as a bonsai, which is to direct the growth of the tree usually by bending, pruning, and wiring its branches into a desired direction or shape.
It can be susceptible to scale insects, and thrips. Treat with horticultural oil or malathion.