Hemiepiphytic aerial roots are not candy canes! They adhere
tightly to the trunk, but grow mostly downwards. The roots
swell at the base of the fig's trunk, to wedge it in position.
This is called a swollen lignotuber [1]. Secondary roots
branch near ground level, and girdle the host. The host gets
conspicuous girdle marks. Only a live host can replicate this!
If you get a large number of small aerial roots, they often
just clutter up the tree. It is better to have a moderate
number of large, branched ones. Keep spaces between them,
like trees in a bonsai forest planting. For bonsai, a single
wide pot may suffice, but multiple pots are needed for large
indoor trees. Buy 10 small copies of the main big pot when
you get it, since matching pots may be hard to find later.
