Willow Leaf Ficus Bonsai Care

Ficus salicaria

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Zones 12 to 13, indoor. A narrow-leaved tropical fig most often seen as an indoor bonsai.

Moraceae (the fig and mulberry family) · Tropical broadleaf evergreen fig, kept as an indoor bonsai

At a glance

Type: Tropical
Leaves: Evergreen
USDA zones: 12 to 13
Indoor or outdoor: Indoor-capable
Difficulty: Beginner
Growth rate: Fast
Leaf reduction: Good
Styles suited: Root over rock
Bonsai popularity: Tier 1

Willow Leaf Ficus quick reference

USDA zones	12 to 13 in a pot: zone 13's winter lows of 60 to 70°F (16 to 21°C) stay above the bonsai floors of 50 to 60°F (10 to 16°C) ^[13] ^[15], zone 12's lows of 50 to 60°F come close to them, so bring it in on colder nights there ^[16] ^[17]. In the ground NC State gives 10 to 11 for the plant it calls F. neriifolia ^[4] and Chicago Botanic 10 to 12 for F. salicifolia ^[5]
Indoor / outdoor	Indoor: a houseplant and indoor bonsai ^[4] ^[9]; outside in summer above about 60°F (16°C), or nights above 50°F (10°C) in Bonsai Empire's FAQ ^[13]; outdoors all year in the tropics ^[10]
Light	Full or nearly full sun gives the smallest leaves, though BCI says it grows from deep shade to full sun ^[11]; Wigert's says full or partial sun ^[14]; Chicago Botanic lists partial shade for F. salicifolia ^[5]
Water	Water generously when the surface is slightly dry ^[13] ^[10]; never let it dry out completely ^[11] or stand in water ^[13]
Soil	Almost any soil; a porous, well-drained, slightly acid mix is best ^[11]
Repot	Sources differ: every other year, or every 2 to 3 years in Bonsai Empire's FAQ ^[13]; every 2 to 3 years young, 3 to 5 years older ^[15]; possibly twice a year ^[11]
Frost	None: it cannot survive freezing ^[10]; keep it above 50°F (10°C) ^[15]
Mature height	About 12 to 15 ft (3.7 to 4.6 m) in the ground ^[9]; NC State, listing it as F. neriifolia, says bonsai are often kept to about 3 ft (0.9 m) ^[4]
Growth rate	Fast: Kempinski says it grows quickly ^[10]; NC State rates its F. neriifolia rapid ^[4]
Season of interest	Tiny narrow leaves ^[14]; new leaves bronze to pinkish ^[11]; aerial roots in humid air ^[11]
Leaf reduction	Good: its small narrow leaves respond well to leaf reduction ^[10]
Main risks	Main risks, not ranked by any source: cold ^[10], root rot from overwatering ^[4] ^[15], borers ^[10], and dry air and poor light, which weaken it and cause leaf drop ^[13]

Overview & Character

The willow leaf ficus is a narrow-leaved tropical fig most often seen as an indoor bonsai ^[4]. Its origin is unclear: Meislik says it was found in a southern Florida nursery in the late 1960s ^[9]; Kempinski says a South Florida orchid nursery in the 1950s or 1960s ^[10].

The name. Kew's Plants of the World Online accepts Ficus salicaria, published by C.C. Berg in 2004, in the family Moraceae, and gives its native range as Guyana ^[1]. Meislik and Kempinski say Berg's paper, describing a new species "of uncertain provenance", is where the willow leaf fig got this name ^[9] ^[10], and Plants of Hawaii lists F. salicaria as the narrow leaf fig or willow leaf fig, "Only found in cultivation" ^[6]. So Kew gives Guyana ^[1], but Berg's paper calls the provenance uncertain ^[9] ^[10]. Kempinski thinks it may be a sport of another fig and may not exist in the wild ^[10]. The trade also sells it under names Kew gives to other species:

Ficus neriifolia: used by NC State ^[4]. Kew's F. neriifolia is native from the Himalaya to China and northern Indochina ^[2]; Wikipedia calls it good for indoor bonsai ^[8].
Ficus salicifolia: used by Bonsai Clubs International ^[11] and Chicago Botanic Garden, which says its willow leafed fig is native to Africa ^[5]. Kew's F. salicifolia is native to Africa, Arabia and southeast Iran ^[3]; Meislik says it is a totally different plant ^[9].

The Phoenix Bonsai Society uses F. salicaria, aka F. neriifolia and F. salicifolia ^[12]. Care advice under all three names is used below, naming each source.

Meislik calls it "one of the most useful trees for indoor and tropical bonsai" ^[9], and Kempinski calls it easy to care for and well suited to shohin (small) bonsai ^[10]. Bonsai Empire lists willow leaf among its ficus and calls ficus the most popular indoor tree for bonsai beginners ^[13]. Like all figs it bleeds milky latex sap when cut ^[13].

Identification

Foliage. Lance-shaped dark green leaves 1 to 3 in (2.5 to 7.6 cm) long; new leaves open bronze to pinkish and curl before straightening ^[11], or orange per Kempinski ^[10]. NC State gives 3.25 to 7 in (8.3 to 17.8 cm) for its F. neriifolia ^[4].

Bark & trunk. Light to dark gray, thickening well ^[11].

Growth habit / form. Kew describes a shrub ^[1]. Aerial roots form on trunk and branches in humid shade ^[11].

Flowers / fruit. The flower is inverted, as in other Ficus ^[4]; flowering and fruiting are insignificant ^[11]. It sets no fertile seed ^[9].

Look-alikes & how to tell them apart: Meislik compares narrow-leaved fig clones: '1989' has coarser growth and larger leaves, a fig sold as Ficus 'Mexicana' larger still, and the true willow leaf the smallest ^[9]. A DNA comparison with the similar Ficus pertusa found no match ^[10]. Like every fig, all of them bleed milky sap when cut ^[13].

Climate & USDA Zone

In the ground. NC State lists zones 10a to 11b for its F. neriifolia ^[4]; Chicago Botanic gives 10 to 12 for F. salicifolia ^[5]. These are landscape figures, not pot limits. The zones row gives 12 to 13 for a potted tree: USDA zones are bands of the average annual extreme minimum winter temperature, 10°F wide ^[16]; zone 12's band is 50 to 60°F and zone 13's is 60 to 70°F ^[17], the ones that come near or stay above the bonsai floors below.

In a pot. It cannot survive any freezing ^[10] ^[14], and the bonsai sources want it much warmer:

Bonsai Empire keeps a ficus outside only while it stays above 60°F (about 16°C), at a fairly constant temperature, though its FAQ says nights above 50°F (10°C) ^[13].
Bonsai Mirai finds nights above 60°F (about 16°C) ideal, says below 40°F (4°C) causes significant damage, and advises against anything below 50°F (10°C) ^[15].
NC State, for its F. neriifolia, says it stops growing below 60°F (about 16°C) ^[4].

Sudden changes in light or temperature can make it shed leaves, though new ones soon follow ^[11].

Light

BCI says it grows from deep shade to full sun, but full or nearly full sun keeps leaves and internodes smallest ^[11]; the Phoenix Bonsai Society says it needs a little more light than other figs ^[12]. NC State recommends full sun for its F. neriifolia ^[4], and Bonsai Empire keeps a ficus within about 3 ft (1 m) of the window ^[13]. In winter NC State suggests a grow light ^[4]; Bonsai Mirai uses one whenever light is limited ^[15].

Watering

Water generously, then let the surface dry a little. Bonsai Empire waters a ficus as soon as the soil is slightly dry and warns that roots standing in water rot ^[13]. Kempinski says it tolerates wet and dry roots but thrives when the surface dries between waterings ^[10]. BCI says never let it dry out completely ^[11]; Bonsai Mirai wants it neither bone-dry nor soggy ^[15]. Aerial roots need humidity near 100% ^[13].

Soil & Root Care

Kempinski says it grows in virtually any soil ^[10]; BCI prefers a porous, well-drained, slightly acid mix ^[11].

Repotting advice varies:

Bonsai Empire: spring, every other year, though its FAQ says every 2 to 3 years; ficus tolerates root pruning very well ^[13].
Bonsai Mirai: when nights stay above 60°F (about 16°C), every 2 to 3 years when young and 3 to 5 when older ^[15].
BCI: in warm weather, possibly twice a year because the roots grow so fast ^[11].

The Phoenix Bonsai Society says it does not mind being root-bound and that big trunks can go into very shallow pots ^[12].

Feeding

Sources differ on winter. BCI feeds often but lightly all year ^[11]; Bonsai Empire every two weeks in summer and every four weeks in winter if it keeps growing ^[13]; Bonsai Mirai from spring through early fall only ^[15]. Kempinski says almost any fertilizer works ^[10].

Pruning & Styling

It grows fast enough to build ramification in one or two seasons ^[10].

Pruning. Bonsai Empire lets a ficus shoot reach 6 to 8 leaves, then cuts back to 2 ^[13]. BCI prunes and wires at any time and pinches all year, keeping the dominant side branches in check so the leader does not weaken ^[11].
Defoliation. Kempinski defoliates regularly for ramification, cutting just above the petiole ^[10]; Bonsai Mirai keeps full defoliation for mature trees ^[15].
Wiring. It wires well, but wire can cut in quickly on a vigorous tree ^[10] ^[13].
Aerial roots and fusing. Shallow pots and misting encourage aerial roots ^[15]; fig branches or trunks pressed together fuse ^[13].
Styles. BCI calls it excellent material for nearly any style ^[11]; Wigert's sells it as root over rock ^[14].

Seasonal Calendar

Spring: Repot if due once nights stay above 60°F (about 16°C) ^[15]; air layer in April or May ^[13]; start feeding ^[15].
Summer: Outside while it stays above 60°F (about 16°C), or nights above 50°F (10°C) in Bonsai Empire's FAQ ^[13]; take cuttings ^[11], best in midsummer ^[13].
Fall: Bring it in before it drops below about 60°F (16°C), or before nights fall below 50°F (10°C) per Bonsai Empire's FAQ ^[13]; Bonsai Mirai stops feeding after early fall ^[15].
Winter: Bright window plus a grow light ^[4]; Bonsai Mirai adds one whenever light is limited ^[15]; feed lightly ^[11], every four weeks if growing ^[13], or not at all ^[15].

Care calendar by month

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

Repot and root-prune: April to June
Prune, wire and shape: April to August
Feed: April to September
Air-layer or take cuttings: May to July

Propagation & Cuttings

Ease: Kempinski calls it extremely easy ^[10]. Best methods: cuttings ^[11] and air layering ^[10] ^[15].

It sets no fertile seed, so all propagation is vegetative ^[9]. BCI roots cuttings of almost any size in summer ^[11]; Kempinski uses a little rooting hormone, and root cuttings also sprout ^[10].

Pests

Scale is the most common insect ^[10]; BCI adds spider mites and mealybugs ^[11], Bonsai Mirai whiteflies and aphids ^[15], and NC State banded greenhouse thrips ^[4]. Kempinski warns that borers can girdle and kill a tree ^[10].

Disease, Fungus & Infection

Root rot from overwatering ^[4] ^[15].

Leaf fungus. Kempinski says the leaves are susceptible ^[10]; Bonsai Empire links it to too much misting ^[13].

Stress leaf drop. Dry air and poor light cause leaf drop; Bonsai Empire uses plant lamps 12 to 14 hours a day to help recovery ^[13].

Most Common Causes of Death

No source we checked ranks these:

Cold. It cannot survive freezing ^[10]; below 40°F (4°C) it is badly damaged ^[15].
Overwatering and root rot ^[4] ^[15].
Borers ^[10].
Dry air and poor light, which weaken it and cause leaf drop ^[13].
Drying out completely, which BCI says never to allow ^[11].

Toxicity, Safety & Handling

ASPCA lists Ficus species, under its weeping fig entry, as toxic to dogs, cats and horses ^[7]; it has no separate willow leaf entry. NC State notes the sap can irritate skin ^[4]. Bonsai Empire, writing about Ginseng ficus, says the plants are "poisonous for animals, especially if they eat the leaves" ^[13].

Sources

Buy a Willow Leaf Ficus bonsai

Small Willow Leaf Ficus Bonsai, 6 Years Old (Ficus nerifolia/salisafolia), $34.95 + $14.95 shipping
Willow Leaf Ficus Bonsai, 13 Years Old (Ficus neriifolia/salicifolia), $195.00 + $39.95 shipping
Willow Leaf Ficus Bonsai, Trained (Ficus nerifolia/salisafolia), $650.00 + $99.00 shipping

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