Thick, evergreen leaves up to six inches long on a stout little trunk that stays upright instead of weeping: Ficus retusa is one of the trees most often used for bonsai, indoors or out. Keep it in good light away from drafts, let the surface dry between waterings, and it forgives even heavy pruning.
| Name | Ficus retusa |
|---|---|
| Family | Moraceae (mulberry family) |
| Type | indoor plant, bonsai |
| Height | 16 to 32 inches (40 to 80 cm) |
| Soil | indoor plant soil mix, well drained |
| Care | easy |
| Exposure | indirect light |
| Foliage | evergreen |
| Watering | moderate |
It can be distinguished from Ficus benjamina thanks to its thicker leaves. Often mistaken for Ficus ginseng, even in horticulture stores.
Happiest indoors between 60 and 75°F
Ficus retusa, although easy to care for, demands a bit of attention in order for it to grow in the best growing environment.
Ficus retusa doesn’t require abundant watering, and it mustn’t be watered too often, either…
It is even important to let the soil dry up in the surface before watering again.
Ficus retusa loves it when air moisture is high.
Finally, note that your ficus retusa will appreciate having its leaves cleaned often with a rag or a moist paper towel.
Here are the tips on how to prune your Ficus retusa into a bonsai.
Snip new shoots off as they appear, for the original shape to be preserved or to make it evolve to the shape you would like it to take.
Seal larger cuts with bonsai wound paste to limit dieback on the trunk.
Ficus retusa is quite resistant to most diseases, fungus and parasites. Nonetheless, occasional issues may arise.
It might be that your Ficus retusa is drowning in excess water, that it lacks environmental moisture or light.
Note that being placed in a drafty area can lead to partial or complete leaf loss.
This is usually due to mealybugs or scale insects to which the Ficus retusa is very vulnerable, especially indoors.
Several ficus are sold under the same name, and even horticulture stores mix them up. Leaf size, leaf thickness and bearing are the three clues that separate them.
| Ficus | Leaves | How to tell it apart | Where you meet it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ficus retusa | Up to 4 to 6 inches (10 to 15 cm) long, thick | Larger, longer leaves; upright bearing that never weeps | One of the most common bonsai trees, indoors or outdoors |
| Ficus microcarpa | Never exceed 4 inches (10 cm) | Shorter leaves than the true Ficus retusa | Used as the stock onto which Ficus retusa branches are grafted |
| Ficus benjamina | Thinner leaves, closest in shape to those of Ficus retusa | Drooping, weeping bearing | The common weeping fig grown as a house plant |
| Ficus ginseng | Bonsai-sized foliage | A grafted plant, not a species in its own right | Sold in stores, where it is often mistaken for Ficus retusa |
Bear in mind that growing any of these as bonsai keeps the leaves smaller than they would naturally be, so size alone is never proof.
Ficus retusa is one of the rare tree species that is able to grow indoors as well as outdoors. This is also the reason why it is one of the most common bonsai trees.
Its small size and thick trunk make it a very decorative plant, ideal for modern designer homes.
Although the true Ficus retusa tree mostly grows in the wild in South-East Asia, sometimes Ficus retusa branches are grafted to Ficus microcarpa to produce a type of Ficus ginseng. That’s why the name seems so familiar to many plant lovers across the world.
Usually, original Ficus retusa leaves tend to be larger and longer that those of Ficus microcarpa varieties. Ficus retusa leaves are up to 4 to 6 inches (10 to 15 cm) long in a healthy setting, whereas Ficus microcarpa leaves never exceed 4 inches (10cm). However, identification is sometimes tricky because growing plants as bonsai often makes leaves grow smaller than they normally would.
The ficus tree that has leaves that most resemble those of Ficus retusa is the common weeping fig, Ficus benjamina. One way to tell them apart is that the weeping fig has thinner leaves. Also, the bearing is different: ficus retusa won’t droop and “weep” as its cousin does!
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Ficus retusa will appreciate spending the winter in a cooler spot, ideally around 60°F (15°C).
