How do you care for a ficus bonsai so it grows lush branches and leaves and stays evergreen all year round?

Ficus bonsai are very popular for their year-round evergreen foliage and unique shape; they are currently one of the more popular indoor decorative plants, and they are relatively easy to care for. Today I will explain how to care for a ficus bonsai. I hope everyone can create a ficus bonsai with a beautiful shape and lush branches and leaves.

I. Introduction to the ficus

Chinese name: ficus

Aliases: small-leaved ficus, mature tree, ficus aerial roots

Family: Moraceae

Genus: Ficus

Distribution: native to tropical Asia, Guangxi, Guangdong, Hainan, Fujian, Yunnan, Guizhou, as well as India, Myanmar and Malaysia

Morphological features: the ficus is a large evergreen tree up to 20-30 m tall, with a diameter at breast height of up to 2 m and many aerial roots; leaves alternate, obovate or elliptical, dark green on the surface; syconium, sessile, solitary or opposite in the leaf axils, yellow-brown, reddish-brown or dark purple when mature. There are currently more than 1,000 species of ficus worldwide, mostly concentrated in tropical rainforest regions. It is one of the largest woody tree species among tropical plants, often up to 20 m tall. Because of its good pollution tolerance and ease of planting, it is also a common street tree.

Ficus bonsai are plant bonsai made using ficus as the material and formed through pruning, branch shaping and grafting. The main purpose is to appreciate the strange forms of the ficus trunk and roots, stems and leaves. The beauty of ficus bonsai lies in the roots, trunk, branches and leaves. Its basic characteristics are that it is hardy, easy to grow, deep green and evergreen. Some bonsai enthusiasts often use the characteristics of ficus branches being soft, roots being thick and long, and its strong adaptability to make bonsai in styles such as curved-trunk style, slanting-trunk style, cliff style, tree-and-stone style, and exposed-root style.

II. How do you care for a ficus bonsai?

According to Mr. Li from the flower market, the ficus is a subtropical plant and likes sufficient sunlight, ventilation, and a warm, humid environmental space. The specific cultivation methods are as follows:

1. Soil requirements

Ficus bonsai are naturally robust and do not have high soil requirements. If conditions permit, you can choose loose, breathable, slightly acidic black stone powder mud, or river sand, construction stone powder, coal cinder, etc. Soil containing these substances will promote the growth of ficus bonsai, but ordinary soil can also be used if conditions do not permit.

2. Temperature requirements

The ficus is a tropical plant, so if you want the ficus bonsai to grow healthily, you must ensure that the temperature difference for ficus growth is not too large. When the temperature difference is 10 °C, it is easy for the ficus to drop leaves or even die. When the temperature is around 5 °C, move it indoors to a sunny spot to prevent frost damage. In winter, the potting soil should be on the dry side. In late autumn and early winter, when the minimum nighttime temperature drops to 6-7 °C, it should be moved indoors to a sunny spot to overwinter, and the winter room temperature should preferably not be lower than 5 °C.

3. Light requirements

The ficus is a sun-loving plant, so ficus bonsai need to be placed in a warm, humid, airy and sunny location. In summer, shading is needed and exposure to strong sun should be avoided. In winter, when the temperature is below 5 °C, move it indoors in time to overwinter. It can be displayed indoors for a long time under scattered light conditions.

4. Watering requirements

Ficus bonsai are planted in shallow pots, so avoid excessive watering that causes waterlogging and leads to root rot in the ficus. You can water appropriately according to the weather and whether the potting soil is dry or wet. Each time you water, water thoroughly, that is, until water seeps out of the drainage holes at the bottom of the pot. In summer, when temperatures are high, frequently spray water on the leaf surface or the surrounding environment to lower the temperature and increase air humidity. In autumn and winter, reduce the frequency of watering.

5. Fertilization requirements

The ficus has different fertilizer needs at different stages of growth. Summer and autumn are the growing seasons for the ficus, when it needs more nutrients. It is recommended to fertilize once a month. You can use decomposed cake fertilizer water or compound fertilizer, bury the fertilizer into the soil along the edge of the flower pot, and water immediately after fertilizing.

6. Pruning methods

Only after pruning and shaping can ficus bonsai grow more beautifully. At the same time, the ficus is also a plant that tolerates pruning relatively well. Generally, choose early spring or late autumn for pruning, cutting off unnecessary crossing branches, overlapping branches, opposite branches, as well as dead branches and diseased branches. You can do some shaping according to your own ideas. At ordinary times, you can cut off leggy branches at any time to maintain a beautiful tree shape.

7. Pest and disease control

Pests and diseases on ficus bonsai are actually rare. The main ones are red spider mites and scale insects. Red spider mites are generally very small, but numerous. You can rinse the whole plant with plenty of water, then spray with a pesticide specifically for killing mites. Scale insects are especially harmful. You can remove them manually with a brush, then spray a 0.2% solution of laundry detergent and wind-oil essence for control.

8. Soil replacement and repotting

As the cultivation time continues to lengthen, the nutrients in the ficus bonsai pot will gradually decrease. We need to replace the soil or fertilize in time to meet the plant's growth needs. Second, repot once every 3-4 years, preferably in late spring from April to May (repotting is generally not suitable in autumn and winter). At the same time, remove part of the old soil and cut off old roots and rotten roots.

Conclusion: The above are the cultivation methods for ficus bonsai. If you care for them well according to the above requirements at ordinary times, growing a ficus bonsai with lush branches and leaves should not be difficult. If you find leaves dropping, you should promptly find the root cause and see whether it is caused by watering, fertilizing, light or pests. Finally, I hope everyone can grow a beautiful bonsai.