Monthly Progress #59

Here is how the ficus tree looks today, small but is now resuming its quite vigorous growth from the base. Next month will mark the fifth year after this tree was planted at this location. Time flies...

Monthly Progress #58

This ficus had another setback when its top was recently broken... It could have been because of a strong gust of wind... or perhaps of other unknown cause. It will need to grow again from a base that appears to be very strong. It has all the time in the world that it needs... eventually becoming a big tree at this location.

Monthly Progress #57

This is the first time in many years that this ficus tree looks this good in January. This species is supposed to be non-deciduous, meaning it should not shed its leaves during the winter months... but this is the first time that seems so. Hopefully it has emerged to be non-deciduous after all, and continue to grow faster from now on.

Monthly Progress #56

Today is the 5th anniversary. The clock keeps ticking, adding more days to the calendar that grows older, heavier and greyer with age. Finally, finally, this Ficus religiosa decides to resume life by seemingly growing normally now and this is a photo taken today. According to its genes, it should grow into a sizable evergreen tree here, but only time can tell...

Monthly Progress #55

Here is a photo of the ficus tree taken today. It does look nice and seems to keep a well sustained growth. A couple weeks ago, a good growing lateral branch was broken, supposedly by a night prowler trying to climb the tree. The broken branch was trimmed away without any adverse effect. Let's hope that it stay in this growing mode from now on.

Monthly Progress #54

This tree finally seems to take "roots" and the new growths have actually kept on growing. Let's hope it has turned "a new leaf" and continues this trend from now on.

Monthly Progress #53

Look, new growths! Usually, at this time, this ficus goes into its dormant stage.. but right now, it has several new strong growths. Granted, there were lots of rain recently, more than the previous years and may be that is what it wanted. Let's hope that is the trigger required for a steady growth from now on.

Monthly Progress #52

Spring came and gone, Summer turning into Fall... and the Ficus is still refusing to grow. Here it is, 52 months after planting. We have decided to leave it here a while longer to see what will happen. Who knows if it will decide to take off in a year or two...

Monthly Progress #51

Here is a photo of the Ficus religiosa taken today, July 17th, 2015. It looks fine with many new leaves, but there are concerns about the slow growth of this tree. It is feared that the roots may be too close to the salt water intrusion due to its location's proximity to the estuaries. If that is the case, we may want to consider moving it further to the West. During this new planting season (to last throughout August,) many trees found their new homes around this area. Among those are two Alstonia scholaris that I planted from seeds. They are about 3 years old. One of the Alstonia can be seen at the far distance, to the left of the ficus. The other one is to the right, but not seen in this photo. These two Alstonia are planted to be companion of the ficus.

Monthly Progress #50

Here is the Ficus religiosa as of today, June 17th, 2015. Weeds grow wild now that the heat is intense and they are being dealt with today in this area. Tick tock...

Monthly Progress #49

After a few rainy days... although still very few and far in between, the ficus is putting out many new growths and looks very handsome today. This is the new planting time, and several new trees will occupy new sites that have been drilled and marked at a stone throw from this location. Among new trees being planned, two Alstonia scholaris will be the new comers. They came from seeds that I sowed two years ago and I can't wait to watch them grow as well. Come back next month to see how we are doing.

Fourth Anniversary After Planting

Here it is, the Ficus religiosa exactly 4 years after being planted here. Year after year, it loses all of its leaves during the "cold" months, then generates new growths as seen today. One thing for sure, it is taking its sweet time to grow bigger and/or taller. Experts here are somtimes concerned and one theory is it is quite close to the estuaries and the tree must deal with the salt intrusion. As long as it does this every year, I think it's doing fine. Let's wait a few more years.

Monthly Progress # 47

It will be one more month until the fourth anniversary of the planting of this ficus here. This tree is very slow growing and definitely deciduous because it is bare right now... but the wait was worthwhile as new growths are budding as it can be seen in this shot taken this morning. I would like to learn how this tree will grow to be very large as it should. I think I have the time to wait...

Monthly Progress #46

This year has very few cold days, and a weak cold front came and left us a few days ago. It is sunny today. The ficus tree still looks bare... patiently awaiting Spring to put out new growths. Let's wait...

Monthly Progress #45

This is now 2015. Another year has dawned upon us. The ficus is bare on top but there is a small branch with green leaves at the lower trunk due to the warmer than usual "winter" in this sub-tropical Florida. It is sunny and nice today in the upper 60's. Nice weather.

4th Anniversary

It's incredible to contemplate the passing of time. It goes on, tic by toc without any regards to human feelings. It has been exactly four years that I lost Maryse. Her memory still here, coming to visit now and then. Now I think I have a better understanding of the word "unforgettable." But... here is her Ficus religiosa, standing here 4 months shy of a full four year after being planted. It looks bare now as it does every year at this time, but it is full of life within, waiting to push out new growths in the spring. Today, the weather is very nice, but this ficus is sleeping so I just water it silently in solitude.

Monthly Progress #43

It is now November, a month shy of the 4 year mark. Time flies... The ficus does not grow by much this year but it now has numerous new buddings on many of its branches. It is not sure if new growths will push out now, or it will soon go into hibernation to wait until April of next year. I've got plenty of time to wait...

Monthly Progress # 42

We had some heavy rain a few days ago but not quite enough and this area dried up rather quickly. The ficus only put out some small new leaves to show it is still trying to grow, but very slowly. Fall has begun and time ticks on...

Monthly Progress # 41

This is how the ficus tree looks today. This year is marked with extremely slow growth. Although new leaves have returned in the early spring, no new branches have developed. Lacking the rain, this area is quite dry and weekly watering is really needed. We just have to wait and see.

Monthly Progress #40

July came and is now gone. We are in August already and here is how our ficus tree looks today. It is healthy, but the growth has been slow. Maintenance at this location is performed regularly and weeds are kept at bay. There is not much rain this year but the ficus is happy with dependable weekly watering. September is traditionally the peak of the hurricanes season so more rain may come then to promote more vigorous growth. But we are patient.

Monthly Progress #39

It is mid July... and the rain is copious this year. This photo was taken at about 11 AM under a threatening sky with possible thunderstorm and rain. But it is hot and humid, and hot and humid and hot and humid... with mosquitoes. It is no fun to keep the ground tidy and it can be seen here that this area needs a good trim. The Ficus religiosa is happy among its cycad friends.

Monthly Progress #38

It is now growing season again and the F. religiosa has pushed out new growths, slowly but steadily. This has been a wet week with thunder storms that arrive almost every afternoon. The extra water is very welcome and the surrounding vegetation is happy.. and so are the juvenile crabs.

Monthly Progress #37

As expected, the ficus tree has resumed growing activities. Many branches have emerged from hibernation. The tree now looks more furnished and very healthy. More cicad plants are being added to this area... and once a week watering will help this tree sustaining continuous growth throughout the summer months.

Progress Report 3 year anniversary

This is the ficus tree as it appears today, exactly 3 years after it was planted on April 17th, 2011. Behaving as a true deciduous tree at this location, it shed all of the leaves of last year. Now, the new growths are sprouting from many old leaf nodes, some are still only tiny green bumps trying to break out from the hardened bark. Rain is still very scarce this year. Hopefully we will not have a drought. As one says, April showers bring May flowers. That is yet to happen. Come back next month to see where the new branches will have materialized.

Monthly Progress #35

Some rain is coming to Miami, but not enough to awaken this ficus tree. It looks bare now, but it will resume growing again soon.

Monthly Progress #34

It is now February. March and April will bring showers and by that time the ficus will awake to grow again. This is a slow and long process, watching a tree grow.

Monthly Progress #33

The New Year 2014 began and the cold weather does stop the growth of this ficus although we are having a pretty mild "winter" so far. The ficus tree looks bare at this time and we have to wait until the spring to see new growth... Let's be patient and wait...

Third Anniversary-December 17th, 2013

It has been a long three years since December 17th, 2010. That's 1,095 days. The Ficus religiosa that is slowly and quietly growing here serves as a reminder that memory is something one cannot forget. Like clockwork, every December of every year, leaves are shed as if to say "Leave me alone to sleep through the cold nights of winter." Sure as the sun does rise from the East every morning, new growth will appear magically when spring will return because life goes on...

Monthly Progress # 31

Another month has gone by and we are now in November... The ficus is now entering its slow growth dormant stage. New growth is not expected until the early spring days of next year. Now you know how slowly a ficus grows. Here it is, 31 months after planting.

Monthly Progress #30

It's now October... The cooler mornings have arrived in Miami and the juvenile blue land crabs begun to show their presence around this area. When young, they are multi-colored and beautiful. The ficus definitely has shown sign to slow down in its growth. Here it is, 30 months since the day it was planted.

Monthly Progress #29

Mid September already... It has been raining everyday for a while and the ground in this area is soaked and saturated. The ficus is taking its time to build up new growths and it seems to live well with its neighbors, the cicads male and female. It is a constant struggle for the workers to keep the grass under control here. Today, mosquitoes, mosquitoes and mosquitoes are everywhere and I was under attack all the while being here.

Monthly Progress #28

Here is the young F. religiosa in mid August, about 5 feet tall now. This tree has a pattern of growth typical of the ficus trees, that is it likes to develop the trunk from which branches develop. A new name tag replaces the one that broke off previously. Thanks to the presence of the group of cicads surrounding, the ground is maintained and weeded regularly.

Monthly Progress # 27

Here is the handsome young F. religiosa in mid July, about 5 feet tall now. It's hot under the sub-tropical sun these days in Miami. The group of cicads from Mexico is seen in this photo, and they are doing well. The ficus' name tag has disappeared possibly due to the recent ground maintenance here and a new name tag will need to be made.

Monthly Progress # 26

Here is the handsome young F. religiosa in mid June when the heat is getting intense under the sub tropical sun of Miami. Surrounded now by the newly planted cicads, the ficus' new growths appeared to form new branches and the tree has more than doubled in size since first planted at this location. Today, a family of tiny tree frogs made its temporary refuge from the hot sun on the sacred leaves of the ficus. I spotted at least a dozen, some as small as a peanut and the largest the size of an almond, presumably the mother.

Monthly Progress #25

Half way into the first month of the third year after planting, the F. religiosa is beginning to grow vigorously. The pattern of growth is typical of this species' young plants: new branches emerge in the Spring at the nodes where the leaves fell off during the deciduous period that just finished. A family of Zamia furfuracea, a cycad native to southeastern Veracruz state in eastern Mexico with several male and female plants, is recently planted surrounding this ficus. This is a welcome addition to this area and it will bring more copious and regular watering during the hot months of Summer.

Two Years

Exactly two years after planting, the Ficus religiosa is taking its time to get established. Although semi-deciduous, it has dropped more leaves than usual because of a couple of intense cold fronts and the lack of copious rain. During the past week , several short lived rain storms have triggered many new growth that will refurnish the now bare branches. The tree is doing well despite its current appearance.

Monthly Progress # 23

Here is the Ficus 23 months after planting. When ground service in this area is late like it is the case now, the field is covered with wild flowers like this. Rain is still very scarce this year and new growth is expected to start soon.

Monthly Progress #22

At 22 month after planting, the Ficus religiosa is now in its dormant stage. A drought is being experienced here because rain has been very scarce to be almost nonexistent and weekly watering is welcome. The red ants are gone after a quick aggressive treatment.

Monthly Progress # 21

Here is a look at the Ficus religiosa 21-month after planting at this location. Again, the red ants have returned. These pests love to make their home right here and will need to be dealt with again. This ficus, being semi-deciduous, does slow its growth during this time when old leaves fall off and new foliage growth is starting. This phenomenon occurs in tropical and sub-tropical woody species during cold autumn/winter or dry season.

Second Anniversary-December 17th, 2012

Two full years have passed... Time is said to heal all wounds. That may be true for some wounds, but those that are deep and vast beyond limits are hidden in the deepest recesses but never erased from memory. These wounds awaken to reignite the pain that has long faded but forever remains to last an eternity... “No truth can cure the sorrow we feel from losing a loved one. No truth, no sincerity, no strength, no kindness can cure that sorrow. All we can do is see it through to the end and learn something from it, but what we learn will be no help in facing the next sorrow that comes to us without warning.” Haruki Murakami, Norwegian Wood

Monthly Progress # 19

It's going to be a full two year... and this is how the Ficus religiosa looks today. The red ants are gone after an aggressive treatment. Weekly monitoring is planned to deal with future returns of these pests.

Monthly Progress # 18

A year and a half after planting, the Ficus religiosa is looking fine. Red ants seem to like building nests around this young tree and a new colony was established again at the base near the tree trunk. An aggressive treatment was promptly administered and the problem was eliminated.

Monthly Progress # 17

The Ficus religiosa is now a handsome young tree full of life. It has new growths that effectively doubled the original height. Here it is at the beginning of the 17th month after planting at this location.

Monthly Progress # 16

It can be safely stated that this Ficus religiosa has "taken root." This young tree is putting out new growths that classically pattern the familiar growth of a sacred ficus tree: Branches bifurcate early from a low level of a robust trunk so that the mature tree is very broad while it can also get to be very tall. There are many new stems with sustained rapid growth that is expected to continue from now onward. Here is a new panoramic view showing the Bo tree in its now familiar surrounding. Click on the photo to enlarge.

High School Reunion Special Visit

The Bồ Đề tree is beginning to put out new growth vigorously. A new mulch was added a few days ago to keep the weeds at bay. On July 18th, which is today, a special visit to the tree was organized by a group of old classmates from Lân's high school days. They came to pay tribute to the spouse of a long time classmate. A heartfelt thanks to Dr. Patrick Griffith, Ph. D., Executive Director of the Montgomery Botanical Center who provided a private guided tour and golf cart transportation. Special thanks go to all who came to visit Maryse's tree, and to all those who could not be present, but were here in spirit.

In Memory of

The Ficus religiosa lives in the Montgomery Botanical Center (MBC) among peacocks, ibis, and other wild life species of fauna and flora. In MBC's Spring/Summer 2012 newsletter, Volume 20, Number 1, it acknowledged a generous contribution in memory of Maryse by the Foster Family Foundation. Thank you! Your kind gesture is deeply appreciated.

Monthly Progress # 14

At fourteenth month after planting, the F. religiosa is doing well. New growth continues to sprout from the lower trunk, slowly but steady. It still gets watered once weekly but the occasional downpours keep the surrounding moist most of the time. A new mulching is planned during the first week of July.

Monthly Progress #13

Here is today's look of the F. religiosa, thirteenth month at its home. Most of the new growth is concentrated around the lower trunk. With the frequent afternoon rain storms, growth surrounding the tree has progressed rapidly but the ficus is now expected to require much less care and it is expected to do well on its own. New photo will be posted again on June 17th next month.

Monthly Progress #12 - Year One

Exactly one year ago, on April 17th, 2011, the Ficus religiosa was planted here. After a year at its home, this sacred ficus tree is quietly growing. Most of the growth has been in the main tree trunk that has increased six fold in size. New branching is predominantly concentrated near the base and this tree is doing well as expected.