Ficus bonsai

Ficus Bonsai Care

Ficus microcarpa

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Zones 12 to 13, indoor. The indoor tree bonsai beginners choose most often, and for good reason: it takes hard pruning, makes new shoots from old wood.

Moraceae (the fig and mulberry family) · Broadleaf evergreen, tropical; an indoor bonsai wherever it frosts

Cultivars with their own guide: Tiger Bark Ficus.

At a glance

Type
Tropical
Leaves
Evergreen
USDA zones
12 to 13
Indoor or outdoor
Indoor-capable
Difficulty
Beginner
Buds on old wood
Yes
Bonsai popularity
Tier 1

Close-up photo reference

Compare your tree against these to confirm the species and spot problems early.

Close view of Ficus bark
Bark & trunk, Tangopaso · Public domain
Ficus fruit
Fruit / seed, Gmihail at Serbian Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0 rs

Ficus quick reference

USDA zones12 to 13 in a pot: zone 12's winter lows of 50 to 60°F (10 to 16°C) stay at or above the 50°F (10°C) below which it does poorly [10], and zone 13's lows of 60 to 70°F (16 to 21°C) clear it [21] [22]; anywhere colder, bring it in for winter. In the ground: 9 to 11 outdoors all year [1]; indoors anywhere colder
Indoor / outdoorIndoor tree wherever it frosts [16]; it can summer outdoors while temperatures stay above 60°F (15°C) [16]
LightAs much as possible, preferably full sun [16]; low light brings larger leaves and leaf drop [16]
WaterWater thoroughly once the surface is slightly dry [16]; overwatering causes root rot [1]
SoilA basic bonsai soil mix [16] that never stays soggy, since overwatering causes root rot [1]
RepotEvery 2 to 3 years [17] [18]; Bonsai Empire repots every other year, in spring [16]
FrostNone: it does not endure frost [16], and does poorly below 50°F (10°C) [10]
Mature heightUp to 50 to 65 ft (15 to 20 m) in the ground [1] [5]; about 13 ft (4 m) in a container [6]
Growth rateNot rated by the sources we checked
Season of interestEvergreen all year; aerial roots and small paired figs [1] [5]
Leaf reductionDefoliation reduces leaf size [16]; not rated by the sources we checked
Main risksMain risks, not ranked by any source: root rot from overwatering [1]; indoors, too little light [16]

Overview & Character

Ficus is the indoor tree bonsai beginners choose most often [16], and for good reason: it takes hard pruning, makes new shoots from old wood [16], and lives well on a bright windowsill. The tree the bonsai trade sells as "Ficus retusa" [16] is, in most cases, a small-leaved form of Ficus microcarpa, the Chinese banyan or Indian laurel fig [19]. The true Ficus retusa is a separate species from southern Borneo and Java [4]; Ficus microcarpa is native to tropical and subtropical Asia and the western Pacific [3]. This guide covers the microcarpa trees sold under both names. Ficus is toxic to pets [15] and its sap is a skin allergen [6] (see Toxicity).

Ginseng ficus is grown for a thick, pot-bellied trunk that looks like a ginseng root [16]; it is a Ficus microcarpa nursery form, not a wild species [19], and it has its own guide on this site.

Identification

Foliage. Alternate, simple, leathery, deep glossy green leaves [2], 1 1/2 to 3 in (4 to 7.5 cm) long on a tree in the ground [5], with a short pointed tip [1].

Bark & trunk. Smooth and gray [1] [5]. Every cut bleeds a milky white latex [5].

Growth habit / form. In warm, humid air it hangs long, thin aerial roots from the trunk and branches [1] [5]. Where they reach the soil they thicken into pillar-like trunks [16].

Flowers / fruit. The flowers are hidden inside the fig [5], and a fig wasp pollinates them [1] [20]. The figs are small, about 5/16 in (8 mm) across, paired at the leaf bases, green turning yellow or reddish [5].

Look-alikes & how to tell them apart: Weeping fig (Ficus benjamina) has elliptic leaves with a long, drawn-out tip and drooping branches [12]. Fukien tea (Carmona retusa) is a different genus despite the shared word, with leaves in clusters of 3 to 5, 5/8 to 1 1/2 in (1.5 to 4 cm) long, and small white flowers [14]. Dwarf schefflera (Schefflera arboricola) has compound leaves, the leaflets set in a circle at the end of the leafstalk [13].

Climate & USDA Zone

In the ground. Ficus microcarpa is hardy outdoors in USDA zones 9 to 11 [1]. It does not endure frost [16] and does poorly below 50°F (10°C) [10]. Everywhere else, grow it indoors and put it outside for the summer once temperatures stay above 60°F (15°C) [16], with nights above 50°F (10°C) [16]. A tree brought back indoors takes four to six weeks to adjust [10], and some leaf drop in that time is normal.

In a pot. The zones row gives zones 12 to 13 for a potted tree. USDA zones are bands of the average annual extreme minimum winter temperature, 10°F wide [21]; zone 12's band is 50 to 60°F and zone 13's is 60 to 70°F [22], the first whose lows stay at or above the 50°F (10°C) floor. The other zone figures here are for a tree in the ground.

Where it grows outdoors it can escape: Florida lists it as a Category I invasive [2], and its pollinator wasp arrived there in the 1970s [20].

Light

Give it as much light as you can, preferably full sun [16]; NC State lists full sun, six or more hours of direct light a day, to part shade [1]. Light is the usual weak point indoors: in low light the tree weakens, grows larger leaves and may drop foliage [16]. In the weeping fig, a close relative, an abrupt move from bright to dim light often triggers heavy leaf drop [11].

Watering

Water when the surface is slightly dry; never keep it soggy. Bonsai Empire gives a generous watering as soon as the soil is slightly dry [16]. Oklahoma State lets a potted ficus dry about halfway down before watering, and waters sparingly in winter [10]. Overwatering causes root rot [1], and in the weeping fig both overwatering and underwatering bring on leaf drop [11]. Humidity helps: 70 to 100 percent favors aerial roots [1], and one club keeps its trees on trays of pumice to raise it [17].

Soil & Root Care

Use a basic bonsai soil mixture [16] that does not stay soggy, since overwatering causes root rot [1]. Repot every 2 to 3 years [17] [18]. Bonsai Empire repots every other year in spring [16], and the club repots in early summer [17]. Ficus tolerates root pruning very well [16]; the club removes less than a third of the roots at a time [17].

Feeding

Bonsai Empire fertilizes every two weeks in summer, and every four weeks in winter if the tree keeps growing [16]. One club gives liquid fertilizer at each watering with slow-release fertilizer in the pot, and stops feeding for 2 to 3 months of the year [17].

Pruning & Styling

Let a shoot grow 6 to 8 leaves, then cut it back to 2 [16]. Ficus makes new shoots from old wood, so hard cuts are possible [16]. Cuts bleed white latex [5]; one club avoids pinching for that reason and prunes instead [17].

Defoliation, removing the leaves, reduces leaf size [16]. The club also uses it to restructure a tree and improve bud positions; on a very healthy tree, new growth should appear within 2 weeks [17]. Wire bites into ficus bark very quickly, so check it often [16]. Strong branches are better shaped with guy wires [16], and some growers do not wire ficus at all [17].

Seasonal Calendar

Care calendar by month

Northern Hemisphere. In the Southern Hemisphere, shift every month by six.

Propagation & Cuttings

Ease: Easy from cuttings [1]. Best methods: cuttings [1] [16] and air layering [16].

Cuttings root easily in water, sand or potting soil [1], with the best success in midsummer [16]. Air layering works best in spring, April to May [16]; figs make aerial roots readily into sphagnum moss wrapped in a plastic bag [17].

Pests

NC State lists aphids, spider mites, mealybugs and scale insects [1]; under glass the RHS adds red spider mite and thrips [6]. Soft scale usually shows first as sticky leaves [9], mealybugs carry a white, powdery coating [9], and heavy spider mite infestations spin fine webbing over the leaves and shoot tips [9].

Cuban laurel thrips mostly gall Ficus microcarpa [7], leaving sunken purplish-red spots [8]. The damage is mainly cosmetic, though prolonged feeding by large numbers can slow growth [7], and systemic insecticides control thrips inside the galls best [8].

Disease, Fungus & Infection

Root rot from overwatering, leaf spot and gray mold can occur [1]. Most other trouble shows up as leaf drop. Dry air and too little light weaken a bonsai ficus and often cause it [16]. In the weeping fig (Ficus benjamina), a close relative, an abrupt move from bright to dim light, cold drafts, underwatering and overwatering all trigger it [11]. A little shedding all year is normal: ficus are evergreen, losing leaves through the year but keeping most of them [17].

Most Common Causes of Death

No source we checked ranks these. They are the main risks the sources describe, in no particular order:

Toxicity, Safety & Handling

The ASPCA lists Ficus species as toxic to dogs, cats and horses; the toxic principles are the enzyme ficin and the psoralen ficusin [15]. The RHS lists Ficus microcarpa as a skin allergen and advises gloves when handling it [6].

Cultivars with their own guide

CultivarBotanical nameUSDA zones
Tiger Bark FicusFicus microcarpa 'Tiger Bark'12 to 13

Sources

  1. NC State Extension Plant Toolbox: Ficus microcarpa
  2. UF/IFAS Plant Directory: Ficus microcarpa
  3. Kew Plants of the World Online: Ficus microcarpa
  4. Kew Plants of the World Online: Ficus retusa
  5. University of Hawaii CTAHR, Common Forest Trees of Hawaii: Ficus microcarpa
  6. Royal Horticultural Society: Ficus microcarpa
  7. UC IPM: Cuban laurel thrips
  8. UF/IFAS EDIS IN599: Cuban laurel thrips
  9. Mississippi State University Extension: Insect Pests of Houseplants
  10. Oklahoma State University Extension: garden column, November 26, 2023
  11. Missouri Botanical Garden: Why is my weeping fig dropping leaves?
  12. NC State Extension Plant Toolbox: Ficus benjamina
  13. NC State Extension Plant Toolbox: Schefflera arboricola
  14. NParks Singapore Flora and Fauna Web: Ehretia microphylla (Fukien tea)
  15. ASPCA Animal Poison Control: Weeping Fig
  16. Bonsai Empire: Ficus Bonsai care
  17. Swindon Bonsai Club: Ficus as bonsai
  18. Jerry Meislik, Ficus Forum: Technique 48, repotting a Ficus microcarpa
  19. The Figs of Borneo: Ficus retusa / Ficus microcarpa confusion
  20. Florida Natural Areas Inventory: Ficus microcarpa (invasive species)
  21. USDA ARS: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map
  22. The Old Farmer's Almanac: What Are Plant Hardiness Zones?

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