The Care of Ficus Bonsai

When pruning, be careful not to accidentally snap off too much branch.

Ficus is a tropical tree that is commonly grown as a bonsai. Bonsai is the art of growing miniature trees in small pots. One of the easier bonsai trees to grow and care for, ficus can live many years in a miniature state.

Water

Water ficus bonsai every two to three days, depending on your climate. The tree should dry out between waterings, but shouldn't be allowed to remain dry for more than a day or so.

Light

Although ficus bonsai are very tolerant of poor light, they are more healthy and exhibit more vigorous growth when planted in places that get good light. Try to give your ficus bonsai as much light as possible to encourage growth.

Pruning

Ficus bonsai are easy to prune using standard bonsai tools or, in a pinch, scissors. Be careful when working with ficus as bonsai. The branches can be brittle and can easily snap off.

Root Pruning

Every 18 to 24 months, remove your ficus from its pot and prune 1/2 to 2/3 of the roots back. As with branch pruning, be careful of snapping off large chunks of roots. By pruning back the roots, you encourage the tree to remain small.

References

• Bonsai Gardener: Ficus Bonsai Care
• Bonsai 4 Me: Ficus