Another poor northern ficus gets the Adamaskwhy treatment

It doesn’t look good for this tree, as you might be thinking if you’ve read my blog with any regularity.

It needs some drama….

Let’s spin it around a bit, take in the whole tree…

Hmmmnn. Where to go? It’s in an older pot. Korean I think.

Hmmmnn….

The tree belongs to Evan, up in Cincinnati. He inherited it from his first teacher, Richard. It’s been in training for many many years.

I think a change is in order.

But, before I continue, let me show you what this tree looked like in the early 90’s

Interesting that, even in Ohio, the trunk got bigger Here are some more pics of the tree early in development as well as pics with both John Naka and Ben Oki with the original owner, Evan’s teacher, Richard Strauss.

Interesting. That’s the same pot. Goes to show that a ficus WILL get bigger in a bonsai pot. Like I said, even in Ohio.

Richard was great friends with John, with John giving him what John called his “Samurai name” Daichi-San.

Ben Oki would visit the Cincinnati club often and Richard helped him during Ben’s demos

Anyway, below, here’s the new front I chose. Changing a front on a tree is a pretty common thing, especially on a quality tree, as you can see from all the different pics above.

Let’s get to chopping, as you knew I’d be doing sooner or later, right?

Ready for the carnage?

Thwack!

That’ll make a good cutting…

Some clean up…

Now, what’s next?

Awww, I fooled you, just a repot and…

….some wire.

Not everything needs a chop job (something aging Hollywood actors should take to heart).

The tree belongs to Evan, who inherited it from his sensei Richard, when Daichi San passed in 2005.

Evan met Richard in 1991, here is Richard, Evan and Ben back when Evan still had dark hair.

The new soil.

The soil is the coarse blend from Wigert’s Bonsai, a good, all around blend.

Before he passed, Richard bestowed upon Evan….

….the samurai name “Edu-San”.

Evan is an amazing man, he’s held every position in the Greater Cincinnati Bonsai Society and was given the lifetime achievement award by the club in 2018 and I had the honor of being there to witness it.

Just a new pot and some refinement of the branches through some pruning and a bunch of wire.

And age, the best refining element we have.

Thanks to Evan again for inviting me up into the Great White North to teach about tropical trees. See you next time my friend.