Help the development of the site, sharing the article with friends!
Unlike many bonsai species, a ficus ginseng does not leaf regularly. However, if it loses its leaves, the causes are usually incorrect care. Even the slightest carelessness can affect the small tree in need of care. If appropriate help measures are not forthcoming, it is not uncommon for the mini-plant to die. For this reason, action should always be taken quickly to ensure that the Ficus Ginseng has a long life.
Ficus ginseng loses leaves
Ficus ginseng is called normal leaf drop if it occasionally loses one to four leaves and new ones quickly follow. If it sheds more within a short time frame, it should be observed whether more follow at short intervals and whether new leaves form and also develop fully. If there is an anomaly/cause, usually no foliage grows back or the leaves become deformed and even young leaves are dropped. The color of the falling leaves is also irrelevant. This only plays a role when it comes to finding the causes. Otherwise, regardless of the age and color of the foliage, help will be required when observing the situations described.
causes
One of the most common causes of bonsai leaf drop is mistakes and poor care choices. These need to be recognized and changed in such a way that the Far Eastern plant feels good and regains its strength.
location
If the Ficus Ginseng loses its leaves, a wrong location is often the reason. If it gets too hot sun, if it is too warm/too cold or if a cool breeze blows past it, then it often reacts with a conspicuous drop of leaves. Light and warmth usually result in brown leaves, while cold also causes it to lose green, healthy-looking foliage. If it is too dark, this is usually reflected in a pale green to yellowish leaf colour. As a rule, the loss of leaves is noticeable on the side(s) where suboptimal site conditions affect it, while the unaffected sides are initially largely spared as long as they are protected by the affected foliage. Once that has fallen off and there is direct access to the opposite sides, that changes quickly.
Immediate action
Check the site immediately for any abnormal conditions and take the right actions to prevent the bonsai from dying and allowing it to recover. If you are not sure what exactly the miniature tree does not like in its location, select the most suitable location as described below:
- Bright, sunny, but no direct midday sun, because there is a risk of burns with leaf shedding
- Fresh air, but no drafts when hit by sharp temperature differences
- Ensure high humidity (spray or humidifier)
- In winter at least 15 °C in bright light conditions without blazing sunlight
- Sunlight in the morning and evening (western or eastern orientation optimal)
- After winter time outdoors, slowly get used to higher temperatures and the warmer sun
tip: If the bonsai does not receive enough light, it forms so-called light shoots, which serve to search for light. They put immense strain on the plant and should be cut off immediately at the trunk to prevent further weakening of the bonsai.
relocation
Whether it is simply redecoration or the ficus due to being relocated to a more suitable location due to suboptimal site conditions, it can be expected that it will (again/further) respond to the change of location by dropping its leaves. If the rest of the care is right, it will quickly recover on its own, provided it is not changed every week.
pour
Theoretically, a bonsai is grown as a shallow-rooted plant that belongs in a special shallow planter, because in deep pots root growth can get “out of control”. This is exactly where the difficulty arises when watering when the roots only have a small amount of soil available and sometimes even protrude from the surface of the earth. The water storage is extremely limited and they dry out quickly. Dryness is usually followed by increased leaf fall of green and yellowish color.
If the bonsai lover means too well with the plant, it overwaters and even waterlogging occurs, the parts of the plant become increasingly soft, the elasticity decreases, the leaves begin to droop and mostly fall off green. In the event of both drought and overwatering, you should act quickly as follows:
cause dried up
- Bonsai in solid soil: place them in an immersion bath together with the pot
- Leave it there until no more air bubbles rise
- Drain well (prevent waterlogging)
- Spray bonsai in loose soil only the root area vigorously
- Drain the remaining water well here too
- Spray daily in the warm season or bathe two to three times a week
- Water/spray only occasionally in winter to prevent dehydration
Cause Overwetting/waterlogging
- Lift the ficus out of the bowl/pot
- Remove soil from roots
- Cut back soggy roots to the dry area
- Cut off rotten roots completely
- Allow roots to air dry for three to four hours
- Fill the bowl with fresh, dry substrate
- Plant bonsai again and do not water/water for four to five days
- Definitely reduce the amount of water in the future
notice: Bonsai generally do not like root pruning, neither does the Ficus Ginseng. But that's the only way to keep the rot from spreading, and the fresh, nutrient-rich bonsai substrate will usually recover if no radical pruning of the roots was required.
soil/substrate
Bonsai often begin to lose foliage shortly after purchase. This is mostly the case if they were bought cheaply in the supermarket, manufactured for a gas station chain or not bought in principle from reputable garden retailers. Then it is mainly about mass production, where it depends more on quantity than on quality. Savings are often made on the soil, which in many cases only meets the requirements of the miniature plant for a short time - if at all. Here you should not wait until the Ficus Ginseng loses its leaves. Repotting in suitable soil and ideally in special bonsai substrate should be done immediately after purchase.
Depleted substrate
If this bonsai is losing its foliage, it may be due to old, depleted soil. It places a certain demand on the nutrient supply. If it stays in the same soil for too long, the nutrient content will eventually be used up. Even regular fertilizing with nutrient-rich substances cannot always compensate for this. In addition, substrate loses permeability and storage capacity for water with increasing age. Plants then tend to dry out more quickly and become waterlogged. For the reasons mentioned, it should be repotted every two years at the latest. If it has been a long time since the last repotting, it may be because it is leaving leaves.
pot/bowl
In addition to inferior soil, supermarket bonsai & co. often have a pot that is too small, which will sooner or later prevent them from developing healthily. But even the older mini tree at home will grow out of its container over time. This is usually the case as the crown increases in size. This can be recognized when fine root tips are already pushing out of the outermost edge of the substrate. To do this, the Ficus Ginseng must be removed from the shell. If this is the case, the plant should be repotted in a larger bowl. Since bonsai grow slowly, regular repotting in fresh substrate is the ideal time to check whether the current pot still fits and, if necessary, to replace it with a larger one.
fertilizer
If this species of ficus loses yellow leaves, it may be due to over-fertilization. This can happen quickly because relatively little soil can result in too high a salt content. The Ficus Ginseng in particular is known for this. If such leaf fall is noticed shortly after fertilization, the leaf loss is probably due to this. Certain measures provide a remedy:
- Bonsai with solid substrate: place in a water immersion bath (fertilizer and salt wash out)
- With loose substrate: replace fertilized substrate with a new, fresh one (repotting required)
- Thoroughly clean the bowl from the inside (to remove fertilizer residues)
- Do not fertilize fresh substrate for at least six weeks after repotting
- Ideal: use special bonsai fertilizer and pay attention to the manufacturer's dosage recommendations
pests
Like almost all other bonsai, the Ficus Ginseng has a kind of self-defense system when sucking pests start tampering with the leaves. They shed their leaves to get rid of the pests. The most common pests include aphids and scale insects, which can be expected every year from May. If you want to put a quick end to leaf shedding, support the Ficus Ginseng with an environmentally friendly home remedy according to the following instructions:
- Dissolve a tablespoon of soft soap in a liter of water
- Add a teaspoon of spirit (increases potency)
- Mix together well
- Fill the spray container with soapy water
- Spray bonsai completely and dripping wet with it every other day
- Make sure that drained soapy water does not lead to overwetting/waterlogging
- Duration of treatment: about one week - longer if necessary or repeat the process
