Willow Leaf Ficus

Willow Leaf Ficus

Ficus salicifolia, Ficus neriifolia, Ficus subulata
and even Ficus mexicana ........................ now: Ficus salicaria

Willow Leaf Fig thrives on heat, humidity, and sunlight. And is ideal for the banyan style, depicting a beautiful forest. The banyan style is one in which the tree has aerial roots that become trunks in addition to the "main trunk". During the winter, even with added humidity, don't panic if the leaves slowly fall off. It is resting. Treat it like a dormant deciduous tree, reduce water and give no food. In the spring it will grow new leaves. The tree responds well to wiring but if the tree is growing vigorously can scar rather quickly. The tree can also be grown using the clip and grow technique. It thrives in shallow pots and hardly needs any roots for growth. The Willow Leaf Ficus sometimes makes a small fig. Regular defoliation can help develop ramification, cut the leaves just above the petiole.

I started training this tree as a bonsai in 1993

Make and Take a Bonsai Class at Bonsai Beginnings

 SATURDAY, February 24, 2024 AT 10 AM – 4 PM

Make and Take a Bonsai Class at Bonsai Beginnings

Make and take home your own little tree as you learn the history and techniques of growing beautiful Bonsai with expert Luigi Trapani. @ Noon We Will Break, Bring a picnic lunch if you like. Cost: $75 per person- includes soil, wire, and use of bonsai tools. Then purchase the bonsai tree and bonsai pot of your choice at the class; various aged trees and appropriately sized pots are available.

To Register 

Make and Take a Bonsai Class at Bonsai Beginnings (Tropical Trees) 23 July 2022

 23 July 2022

Make and take home your own little tree as you learn the history and techniques of growing beautiful Tropical Bonsai with expert Luigi Trapani.

10 AM- 4 PM

Cost: $53.50 per person- includes soil, wire, and use of bonsai tools.

Then purchase the bonsai tree and bonsai pot of your choice at the class

Various aged trees and appropriately sized pots are available. Bring a picnic lunch, @ Noon Break for Lunch

For Tickets

Bonsai Class at Bonsai Beginnings 

A round leaf variety of Ficus microcarpa -Green Island fig

October 2016

Ficus microcarpa -Green Island fig

Robust tree that does well both indoors and out. Can tolerate low light, but grows more strongly with high light & warmth. Grows extensive banyan roots & has fruits. Ficus are tropical-prefer 55F°+. Never allow Ficus to freeze. Slightly moist soil, But do not let the soil dry out. Fertilize at one-third strength. Prune to maintain the size & shape. When the latex dries, it forms its own natural seal. Be aware that this latex can produce skin rashes on those who are sensitive. 

August 2012

Ficus microcarpa -Green Island fig

Fruits: Green, turning purplish black when mature,

fruits through much of the year.

Ficus microcarpa-Green Island fig

Figs are about 1/3 inch in diameter

Ficus microcarpa-Green Island fig

Burtt Davy's Fig

Dwarf South African Fig 
(Ficus Burtt-davyi "nana")

African species used for bonsai.

South African Fig, Scrambler Fig, and Veldt Fig

Ficus burtt-davyi "nana"

small green "figs"

South African Fig, Scrambler Fig, Veldt Fig
Burtt Davy's Fig

This is a small leafed variety of ficus that makes great bonsai. The leaves can reduce to 5mm or less with strong light. They have an abundance of branches for styling and may be used for very small bonsai.. Defoliate for ramification.

This ficus produces small green "figs" that turn dark red. Seeds will not be produced outside of its natural range because it needs a pollinator wasp for fertilization. Treat them like any other ficus. Keep the tree uniformly moist during the growing season. Burtt Davy's Fig is a rambler growing on rocky cliffs and is tolerant of drought conditions, so do not let the soil stay constantly wet especially in cool weather.  

Dwarf South African Fig
(Ficus Burtt-davyi "nana")

Ficus burtt-davyi make excellent shohin or mame bonsai and adapts easily to a cascade style. Aerial roots form quite easily on the ficus burtt-davyi so they make great root-over-rock or banyan style bonsai. Repotting is done when the tree is actively growing, Here we start doing major work with these trees the end of May.

Big trunks can be created by fusing several smaller trees together.

African species used for bonsai

Burtt Davy's Fig

            

  

Summer has arrived in Savannah.......

and now is the time to re-pot tropical plants.

The beginning of summer in the Northern Hemisphere on June 21

Illumination of Earth by Sun on the day of summer solstice on northern hemisphere.
Image by Przemyslaw "Blueshade" Idzkiewicz
 A view to eastern-hemisphere showing noon in Central European time zone (ignoring DST)
on the day of summer solstice on northern hemisphere -
 (this is winter solstice on southern hemisphere).

Hawaiian Schefflera/ Umbrella Tree

Schefflera arboricola

Highs are above 90 and lows below 50 degrees F
Just what they love!

• Ficus
• Schefflera
• Buttonwood
• Bougainvillea
• Australian-Pine
• Norfolk Island Pine
• Texas Ebony
• Brazilian Raintree
• Malpighia
• Fukien Tea
• Eugenia
• Jacaranda
• Black Olive
• Nashia
• Nicodemia
• Aralia
• Desert Rose
• Jaboticaba
• Lantana
• Neea
• powderpuff
• Jades

Chinese Banyan 

ficus microcarpa

Dwarf South African Fig

Ficus burtt-davyi

Portulacaria afra

 the Elephant's Food, Spekboom,

 Dwarf Jade, Elephant Bush 

  

Portulacaria afra

Spekboom, Dwarf Jade,

Ficus Burtt-davyi "nana".

Dwarf South African Fig (Ficus Burtt-davyi "nana")

South African Fig, Scrambler Fig, and Veldt Fig

Ficus burtt-davyi

small green "figs"

Ficus burtt-davyi

This is a small leafed variety of ficus that makes great bonsai. The leaves can reduce to 5mm or less with strong light. They have an abundance of branches for styling. Defoliate for ramification. 

This ficus produces small green "figs" that turn dark red. Seeds will not be produced outside of its natural range because it needs a pollinator wasp for fertilization. Treat them like any other ficus. Keep the tree uniformly moist during the growing season. Do not let the soil stay constantly wet especially in cool weather. 

Dwarf South African Fig
(Ficus Burtt-davyi "nana")

South African Fig, Scrambler Fig, Veldt Fig

Ficus burtt-davyi make excellent shohin or mame bonsai. 

Aerial roots form quite easily on the ficus burtt-davyi so 

they make great root-over-rock or banyan style bonsai.

Big trunks can be created by fusing several smaller trees together.

  

Dwarf South African Fig

Dwarf South African Fig (Ficus Burtt davyi "nana")
South African Fig, Scrambler Fig, and Veldt Fig

This is a tiny leafed variety of ficus that makes great bonsai. They have an abundance of branches for styling and produce small green figs that turn dark red. Aerial roots form quite easily on this species. It grows slowly. Treat them like any other Ficus. Do not let the soil stay constantly wet.

Willow Leaf Ficus

Ficus salicifolia, Ficus neriifolia, Ficus subulata and even Ficus mexicana ........................
now- Ficus salicaria

Willow Leaf Ficus 


Even though it is a tree of "uncertain provenance", it is the best ficus for bonsai training.

Willow Leaf Ficus

The name of this one, however, has long been a mystery. It has been sold as Ficus salicifolia, Ficus neriifolia, Ficus subulata and even Ficus mexicana among other names. Some of these are suitable epithets to describe the plant's narrow leaves, but, unfortunately the names belong to other species with much larger leaves and other characteristics that do not fit the bonsai species

Willow Leaf Ficus Bonsai

by Jim Smith