If you’re wondering which type of tree or plant you should choose for your next, or even your first Bonsai project, why not try a Ficus?
Ficus are one of the most popular types of tree for growing bonsai indoors, and the genus includes over 800 species of trees and shrubs. They are usually found in tropical and sub-tropical forest areas where they thrive on the moist conditions.
Being from tropical and sub-tropical areas Ficus are not suitable as outdoor bonsa, except perhaps in the very warmest months of the year, but they can tolerate very well the low light conditions and dry atmosphere indoors because in their natural environment they do not get much light as they are shaded by the thick canopy of trees above them. That said, they will grow better if you place them in a well lit position.
Here are some of the popular Ficus varieties for bonsai cultivation:
Ficus Battieri
Ficus Benjamina
Ficus Deltoidea
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20yr CHINESE FIG(FICUS) BONSAI TREE oriental plants, 40 £39.99 Auction Ends: Sunday Sep-05-2010 16:11:41 BST | Watch this Item |
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Imported Banyan Ficus Indoors Bonsai Tree £20.00 Auction Ends: Sunday Sep-05-2010 17:37:23 BST | Watch this Item |
Ficus Microcarpa
Ficus Rubiginosa
Other Ficus species worth trying are:
- Ficus aurea
- Ficus benghalensis
- Ficus buxifolia
- Ficus carica
- Ficus natalensis
- Ficus palmeri
- Ficus petiolaris
- Ficus pumila
- Ficus regiosa
- Ficus traiangularis
Here are some links on eBay:
Ficus Bonsai
Ficus Battieri
Ficus Benjamina
Ficus Deltoidea
Ficus Microcarpa
Ficus Rubiginosa
Acknowledgments
Pictures of Bonsa used in this post are copyright their owners and reproduced under the following terms:
Ficus Battieri, Ficus Deltoidea, Ficus Microcarpa copyright Ragesoss reproduced under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license and/or the GNU Free Documentation License.
Ficus Benjamina, copyright Piotrus reproduced under the GNU Free Documentation License.