Care guide

Ficus
Bonsai Care

The Ficus genus belongs to the family of mulberry plants or Moraceae, and it’s the most popular
indoor tree species for Bonsai beginners. They can be found on every continent in the tropic
regions and are very suitable for indoor Bonsai.

Depending on where you look, there is different information as to the exact number of existing
Ficus tree species. We know that there may be between 800 and 2000 different species. The most
popular one for Bonsai is the Ficus Retusa. It’s often shaped with an s-curved trunk and has dark
green oval leaves. Similar Ficus varieties include; The Microcarpa, Tigerbark, Willow leaf, Golden
Gate, Religiosa, Benjamina, and Taiwan. The Ficus Ginseng is another popular tree with a thick,
pot-bellied trunk, similar to the Ginseng root. Sometimes it is grafted with Ficus microcarpa leaves
(combining it to a Ficus microcarpa ginseng).

Care guide for the Ficus

Placement
The ficus is an indoor tree that does not endure frosty conditions. It can be kept outside in the summer as long as
temperatures are above 60°F (15°C). It requires a lot of light, preferably full sunlight, so be sure not to place it in a
shady location. The temperature should be kept relatively constant. Figs can endure low humidity due to their thick,
waxy leaves, but they prefer higher humidity and need extremely high humidity to develop aerial roots.

Watering
The Ficus should be watered normally, which means it should be given water generously
whenever the soil gets slightly dry. The Ficus prefers room temperature soft water and it
can tolerate occasional over, or underwatering. We advise daily misting to maintain
humidity, but too much misting can create fungal problems. The warmer the placement
of the fig during winter the more water it needs. If it’s kept in a cooler place it only
needs to be kept slightly moist.
 Fertilizing
Fertilize every two weeks during summer, and every four weeks during
winter if the growth doesn't stop. Liquid fertilizer can be used as well as
organic fertilizer pellets.

Pruning
Regular pruning is necessary to retain the tree’s shape. Prune back to 2 leaves
after 6-8 leaves have grown. Leaf pruning (defoliation) can be used to reduce
leaf size, as some Ficus species normally grow large leaves. If a considerable
thickening of the trunk is desired, the Ficus can be left to grow freely for one
or two years. The strong cuts that are necessary afterward don't affect the
Ficus' health and new shoots will grow from old wood. Larger wounds should
be covered with cut paste.

Wiring
Wiring and bending thin to medium Ficus branches is easy due to their flexibility, but you should check the wires
regularly as they can cut into the bark very quickly. Strong branches should be shaped with guy-wires because they
can be left on the tree for a much longer period.

Special training techniques

Ficus trees can fuse by placing
STEP branches, roots, or trunks together and applying some pressure. This technique is
THREE
known as approach-grafting and it can be used to form appealing structures. You can tie many young plants together
to fuse them and build a single strong trunk. Fig tree branches and roots can also be grafted quite easily. If the
growing conditions are ideal, you can even take aerial roots from one part of the tree and graft them into a different
position. For faster healing, or closing of large wounds, young plants, shoots, or aerial roots can be grafted across
wounds. An experienced grower can work on fig trees with a nearly unlimited range of creative freedom, which
considerably increases the appeal of growing Ficus retusa as a Bonsai plant.

Repotting
Repot your Ficus tree during the spring, every
other year, using a basic Bonsai soil mixture.
Ficus tolerates root-pruning very well.
Propagation
Cuttings can be planted at any time of the year,
but they have the highest success rate during
mid-summer growth. Air-layering will work best
during spring, in April through May. In most
cases, springtime is the best time for planting
Ficus seeds.
 Acquisition
Ficus plants are available as cheap Bonsai or pot plants in nearly every home-improvement store or
nursery. Mass-produced cheap Bonsai usually come with a lot of problems, like ugly scars from rusty wire
that dug into the bark, unattractive shapes, often poorly grafted branches in odd positions, bad soil, and
sometimes inappropriate pots without drainage holes. When you buy from specialized Bonsai traders
you’ll most often find high-quality Bonsai that have been well cared for. They offer everything from young
plants, pre-Bonsai, and pre-styled Ficus trees up to high-value Bonsai trees.

Pests / diseases
Fig species are quite resistant against pests, but they are still susceptible to several issues depending on their
location, and time of year, especially in the winter. Dry air and a lack of light weakens the Ficus and often result in
leaf drop. In poor conditions like these, they are sometimes infested with scale or spider mites. Placing customary
insecticide sticks into the soil or spraying insecticide/miticide will get rid of the pests, but a weakened Ficus tree’s
living conditions must be improved. Using plant lamps 12 to 14 hours a day, and frequently misting the leaves will
help in the recovery process.

General information
Some figs trees can grow very large with a crown circumference of more than 1000 ft (300 m). All fig Bonsai
species share a milky latex sap which leaks from wounds or cuts. The tropical figs are evergreen trees, small
shrubs, or even climbing plants. Some of them can produce nice flowers, while most Ficus species have hidden
flowers in small receptacles from which their fruits grow. Only specialized pollinating fig wasps can pollinate
those hidden flowers. The fruit can be yellow, green, red, or purple-blue and are between a few millimeters to
several centimeters, as the edible fruit of Ficus carica.

Most Ficus trees can produce aerial roots in their natural habitat, which are often presented in appealing Bonsai
creations with many aerial root pillars or root over rock styles. To enable aerial root growth in our homes a
humidity of nearly 100% must be achieved artificially. You can use a glass cover, a fish tank, or a construction
with transparent sheets for this purpose. Aerial roots grow down vertically from the branches and develop into
strong pillar-like trunks when they reach the soil. In tropical climates, a single tree can become a forest-like
structure and cover an enormous expanse.

The leaves of most Ficus species have special pointed tips from which the rainwater drips off. The leaves can
vary in sizes of between 1–20" (2-50cm). In most cases, fig-trees have smooth gray bark on their trunk, but
there are a few species or varieties with special bark patterns, like the Ficus microcarpa Tigerbark. Something to
be aware of is that Ficus Ginseng Bonsai plants are poisonous for animals, especially if they eat the leaves. If
you have pets, make sure to place your Ficus out of their reach.