Is Ficus Benjamina A Good Tree For Bonsai?

The Ficus Benjamina, also known as the weeping fig is part of the ficus family.

There are over 850 species of ficus, so this is a little broad to talk about their overall use for bonsai, which is why I am only focusing on the Benjamina.

Ficus Benjamina is native to Asia, but is a common house plant across the world due it to its ability to handle less than ideal conditions. It is a pretty common bonsai, but a lot of people will say they don’t like tropical trees. I always find this strange as tropical trees have a lot to offer for bonsai. I imagine it is the usual issue that because they are not seen in Japan, then they are obviously useless, which is not always the case.  

I have been growing one and you can follow its development in my Ficus Benjamina Progression.

Is Ficus Benjamina A Good Species for Bonsai?

There are a lot of ficus that are good for bonsai and Benjamina is certainly on that list.

It is fast growing, reacts well to work and you can get quite small foliage and branches to develop on the tree which is all ideal for bonsai. It is also one of the few trees that you can keep inside, especially during winter where it will need protection from the cold.

It is maybe a little sensitive compared to a lot of other ficus, as it can be easily affected by environmental changes and it will drop its leaves, but in general the Ficus Benjamina is a great tree for bonsai.

The tree can be grown to any size and will work both as a very small tree and a large tree. The growth habits will be in proportion with whatever size you choose.

Is Ficus Benjamina Foliage Good For Bonsai?

Ficus Benjamina foliage is easily recognisable.  The oval shape with the pointed tip on the end along with the beautifully dark green, glossy colour is always enjoyable to look at.

Leaf Size

Naturally the leaf size is pretty small. When they are growing in the ground in tropical regions they will of course increase significantly, but for most potted plants the leaves are a good size. They will also reduce further over time with bonsai techniques which is exactly what you want. 

Internode Length

If you have good light levels for you tree the internode length can be very tight and compact. I have seen a lot of Ficus Benjamina used as houseplants that are put in a dark corner of a room. They will survive, but you will really see them stretch out with long leggy growth that has massive internode length.

With plenty of light and good pruning you can get the internodes to be very short and much more preferable for bonsai.

Is Ficus Benjaminas Growth Rate Good For Bonsai?

In the right conditions a Ficus Benjamina will explode with growth. I have been keeping mine under a grow light and the results are pretty intense. I end up pruning them multiple times a year and they just keep going.

If you are using ficus for bonsai you can very quickly build a very dense, ramified bonsai tree.

Growing Indoors

Ficus trees are often used as house plants and they will grow inside, even in slightly less than ideal light conditions.

They will need protection over winter, so they will need to be inside for part of the year, but you can keep them inside all year round, like I do, this isn’t a problem.

If you can keep them in a well lit area you should see good results and a grow light is not always necessary to keep them happy.

Ficus trees are one of the best tree for indoor bonsai, but you can read my other choices in – The Best Trees You Can Use For Indoor Bonsai.

Is Ficus Benjaminas Response To Pruning Good For Bonsai?

Ficus Benjamina respond well to pruning. They do not respond as well as some ficus, but they still respond well.

For a large majority of ficus you can hack them back and remove all the foliage and they will just bounce right back. There is a bit of confusion around Ficus Benjamina and the majority of people say you shouldn’t do this and you should always leave some leaves on a branch or it will die back.

The problem is, I’ve seen videos where people hack them back like any other ficus and they bounce right back. I believe if your trees are strong enough and your climate is right, you can do this. If your climate is maybe not as tropical as the Ficus Benjamina likes, I would maybe prune with a little more caution.

Back Budding

The Ficus Benjamina will back bud. It doesn’t seem to be as prolific as other ficus, which is why I think people tend suggest that you do not defoliate them.

I have found that buds are far more likely to shoot at the base of leaves further down a branch, rather than randomly popping out on the trunk (although this can still happen).

Ramification

You can very easily build up ramification on Ficus Benjamina. The fast growth, small leaves and tight internodes all help with ramification.

When you add consistent pruning on top you can really build a very densely ramified tree which is exactly what you want from a tree when using it for bonsai.

Is A Ficus Benjaminas Styling Ability Good For Bonsai?

Ficus Benjamina are tropical evergreens so they are going to be more suited to that style of tree. They should be styled in a way that allows them to have large luscious canopies.

Wiring

You can do a lot of styling through clip and grow but you will need to also use wire. This will mainly be to create the main structure then you can build the rest of the tree through pruning.

As it is a fast grower it is very easy for wire to bite in, so you will be careful of this.

Is A Ficus Benjaminas Fall Colours Good For Bonsai?

Ficus Benjamina are evergreen and do not change during the autumn so you will not get to see them without leaves.

This will most likely be due to the fact that they come from more tropical regions where there is not much of a shift in weather throughout the year. This also means that if they are given the right conditions they can keep growing all year long.

Is A Ficus Benjaminas Bark Good For Bonsai?

The bark on Ficus Benjamina is a light brown colour and is quite thin and smooth when young and it can be easily damaged.

As the tree ages the bark can become more textured and start to become very interesting looking. Wounds will heal over quickly, but they can often still be seen for many years as they heal over with a slightly different texture to the rest of the bark.

Deadwood Opportunities

Deadwood is not going to work on a ficus. It just does not look right as it will often dry out and shrivel up.

Are Ficus Benjaminas Roots Good For Bonsai?

The roots on a ficus are both excellent and annoying for bonsai.

They grow very quickly and can be pruned pretty hard. The problem is they can often get very thick and out of control. They actually end up looking like parsnips and have all sorts of crazy inverse taper issues.

If you prune the roots regularly you will start to get them under control after a while. The roots do grow very quickly, so you will probably find that the pot can become very full after a year and they will probably need pruned annually.

I have also had great success with aerial roots. I have not done anything to promote them. I just think my grow area is nice and warm and humid and it has caused them to shoot out from all over the tree. They look seriously cool and really help make a small young tree look much older and powerful.

Is Ficus Benjamina Easy To Care For As Bonsai?

Ficus in general are very easy to care for and so are Ficus Benjamina. They can get a little upset if you move them around and change their environment. This can mean you may have a few problems initially, but once they are settled in you should find they are very easy to care for.

You can read my Ficus Benjamina Care Guide for more information.

Conclusion

Ficus Benjamina is a great tree for bonsai. They are easy to find and easy to care for. They are also one of the few trees that you can keep inside all year round.

I would actually say this is one of the best trees you can use. You can read more about what other trees I picked in – What Are The Best Species For Beginners To Use For Bonsai?

A lot of people are not really a fan of using tropical trees, but they work very well for bonsai and respond just as well as more temperate trees.

If you like the look of them you should totally get one.