Golden Gate Ficus Bonsai Care [Ficus Microcarpa]

As the trend of having a garden has been there for decades, people love to see greenery and beautiful plants growing in their houses. With the changing time, the decorative pieces have been enhanced and now people are moving towards indoor gardening as it is considered one of the most beautiful and unique things to have in your room, kitchen, living area, office, or any other place.

Some factors may urge people to take this concept out of their mind as bonsai can be difficult to keep indoors and maintaining them may also cost you time but the best thing is a wide range of trees that can be used as bonsai.

Golden gate ficus bonsai is probably the best option especially for beginners because of its easy maintenance, rapid growing, and no mess properties.

Continue reading this guide as it is packed with the most useful information about golden gate ficus bonsai and its related aspects.

SpeciesFicus Microcarpa
Average Height20 – 40 cm
Average Spread12 to 18 inches
Origin CountryTropical, Subtropical, Southwest Asia, Mediterranean Region (Afghanistan to Portugal)
Flower Bloom TimeMarch to July
VarietiesRetusa, Altissima, Umbellata, Rubiginosa, Auriculata, Virens, Deltoidea, Maxima, Cyathistipula, Aurea, Trigonata, Americana, Septica, Citrifolia, Annulata, Nota
FamilyMoraceae
LeafEvergreen, Simple, Glossy, Leathery
WaterModerately Wet
SunlightFull Sun (direct sunlight for 6 hours a day)
MaintenanceLow to Medium
GrowthFast/Rapid

Golden gate ficus bonsai history

Talking about the Ficus tree itself, it has a wide range of species consisting of about 600 to 850 species of trees. It originates from tropical and subtropical regions of Asia while some of its traces can also be found in the Mediterranean region which ranges from Afghanistan to Portugal.

Golden gate ficus is an evergreen bonsai and has the ability to please your eyes through the years. The trees have fruits that are commonly present all the time while they change shape during different seasons. Its fruits are actually flowers in an inverted form.

When the concept of bonsai became popular in different regions of the world, golden gate ficus came up as the top choice and there are some solid reasons as well behind it.

One of the best things that contribute to its initial popularity is that it allows the beginner to make mistakes while taking care of a bonsai and learning at the same time.

Golden gate ficus scientific name

The scientific name of this shrub-looking tree is Ficus Microcarpa. In some parts of the world, it is known as Chinese banyan but its most common name is golden gate ficus.

It comes from a plant family of Moraceae which includes hundreds of different species but for clarity, it can be said that ficus microcarpa (golden gate ficus bonsai) is one of the species of well-known and commonly found tree named fig.

They were first grown just for shading purposes but their ability to grow in almost all kinds of conditions has allowed them to debut in the bonsai field as well.

Golden gate ficus bonsai care

Golden gate ficus is one of the few bonsai trees that require almost minimum care and maintenance practices. Experts also claim that it is probably the best bonsai tree option for those who are just learning the bonsai behavior and forget to do other caring practices very often. This quote can easily give an idea about the flexibility of golden gate ficus when it comes to caring. 

Golden Gate Ficus Bonsai Care & Information (Ficus microcarpa)

Golden gate ficus bonsai temperature

Golden gate ficus loves to live in a warmer place just like its habitual requirements which mean that the best temperature range for this bonsai plant is between 18 to 25 degrees Celsius (65 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit).

As it can survive efficiently in warm temperatures, experts claim that any temperature below 13 degrees Celsius is dangerous for the health of the golden gate ficus bonsai tree.

One of the most important things is to never place bonsai in or near the draught, air vents, or heaters because this can cause foliage to dry out rapidly.

Varying temperature can also cause the leaves to break down their tissues and fall. During the summer days, keeping bonsai outside in an open environment would be the best decision.

Golden gate ficus bonsai tree fertilizer

Golden gate ficus loves fertilizer and gives efficient results as well but you gotta change the level of nitrogen according to the changing seasons.

During the good summer days, well-balanced nitrogen mix fertilizers will go best while you need to add low nitrogen during the fall and high during the spring.

When the cold winter days come, reducing the fertilizer feeding could be the best suitable option for bonsai. Do keep this thing in mind that you should always fertilize your bonsai. It is necessary because bonsai remains in a single soil container which can lose its nutrients with time.

Golden gate ficus bonsai pruning/trimming

Pruning leaves should be done for better and enhanced growth of your bonsai tree. In normal conditions, keeping the branches of your bonsai tree trimmed to 2 to 4 leaves would be best. Experts usually recommend removing all leaves on the branches except for the top two leaves.

If you are only pruning or trimming golden gate ficus bonsai for shaping purposes, you may also use wires to keep branches at a place and not let them go off the pattern.

How to prune golden gate ficus bonsai?

Pruning should be done with pointed scissors or any other best suitable sharp tool in order to keep the desired shape while reducing the size of leaves as well.

  • Wait for the time when branches have exceeded from 3 to 4 leaves count.
  • Pinch off the leaves or just cut them off with pointed scissors.
  • To reduce leaf size, just cut the leaves as desired.
  • To reduce the number of leaves from branches, just cut them off from the point, connecting leaves to the branch.

Golden gate ficus bonsai repotting

Repotting is more than important for the better and healthy growth of golden gate ficus bonsai. Repotting is the process of changing the container or soil of the bonsai and it should be done at least once every two to three years. 

Repotting process is usually done during or just before the beginning of the spring season. One thing to take care of is root pruning. The roots of bonsai should not be trimmed in excessive amounts as it can damage the tree. Experts recommended only pruning dead roots and normal roots should only be pruned like 10% of the total.

Golden gate ficus bonsai pests and diseases

Pests and diseases are common in almost all kinds of bonsai trees but golden gate ficus is not that prone to diseases. However, it can be affected by various kinds of pests mainly including aphids, spider mites, scale, mealybugs, etc.

You should check the lower or undersides of leaves and stems and if you find any signs of pests such as filaments, eggs, or infestation, immediately spray to your tree as pests can easily be removed using specific sprays. 

Apart from this, using a rubbing alcohol mixture can also help you in this regard. Simply dip a piece of clean cloth or paper towel and wipe off everything from the leaves and their stems. Doing this regularly is recommended so that the simple infestation doesn’t turn into a chronic disease.

Golden gate ficus bonsai soil

A mixture of bonsai soils along with a little amount of sand, pebbles, and crushed granite is probably the best thing for golden gate ficus bonsai.

It mainly includes ingredients such as pumice, lava rock, and academy which are composed of a specific percentage of 25%, 25%, and 50% respectively.

The soil should have the ability to drain in a rapid manner and its pH level ranging between 6 to 6.5 would be the best for the golden gate ficus bonsai tree. 

Golden gate ficus bonsai watering

Golden gate ficus bonsai requires a good amount of water. During the hot summer days, water on a daily basis is recommended, and make sure that the pot is filled with water and has a good drainage system as well.

During the winter, spring, or fall days when water takes time to dry out, watering after skipping one or two days would be a good decision. In simple words, only water your golden gate ficus bonsai when you notice that the soil is or has been dried out completely.

Golden gate ficus bonsai sunlight requirements

Golden gate ficus love to enjoy bright sunlight and you may also put it in an outdoor environment during the summer days. Bright sunlight on a regular basis is necessary for the better growth and strength of bonsai plants.

Although it is better to place bonsai outside during the warm summer days, putting it under direct sunlight is not a good option. It can badly affect the leaves and soft branches of the golden gate ficus bonsai tree.

How fast do golden gate ficus bonsai grow?

Golden gate ficus is considered one of the fastest if not the fastest bonsai to ever grow. It can easily reach a good visible height in just a few weeks.

One of the best things about the golden gate is that it not only grows in a fast manner but also has strength that allows bonsai to live for years if not decades.

The seed of golden gate ficus bonsai usually takes 10 to 15 days to get out of the soil and show its first stem while it takes a couple of weeks to grow more branches.

If internal as well as external conditions are suitable, it will take less than a season to become a full-fledged bonsai.

Why is my golden gate ficus bonsai losing leaves?

There are various reasons that can lead to golden gate ficus bonsai losing leaves and you need to deal with these factors because these issues can result in severe damages and maybe a dead bonsai as well. Some of the major reasons include:

  • Season, environment or climate conditions are changing.
  • Underwatering or overwatering.
  • Sunlight is not enough.
  • Direct sunlight causes burns and damages.
  • Attacks of pests, insects, or diseases.
  • The build-up of fungus especially in the soil, stem, or under the leaves.

How to save dying golden gate ficus bonsai?

Golden gate ficus bonsai tree can die and there are not so many reasons behind it. One thing is sure that you need to take immediate steps but the first thing is to identify the problem that is causing the bonsai tree to die.

  1. Examine and look for each part of bonsai to find the actual cause.
  2. Prune the leaves of bonsai and stems too.
  3. Water more often to your bonsai tree.
  4. Change the place of the golden gate ficus bonsai tree.
  5. Add fertilizers to the soil.
  6. Re-pot bonsai tree as it could be a solid reason behind dying issues. 
  7. Trim or cut the dead roots of the bonsai tree.
  8. Add new soil with fresh moss.
  9. Make sure that it is free of any fungus or pests.

Is golden gate ficus bonsai poisonous to cats?

Golden gate ficus is extremely toxic and poisonous for both humans and animals. Experts claim that leaves of golden gate can cause some serious issues while they can be sometimes fatal as well if eaten and ingested. So protecting your pets from these poisonous leaves should be your first priority. The best way is to keep it at a good height or distance from cats.

Is golden gate ficus bonsai good for home?

Golden gate ficus is not only good but one of the best varieties to be used as bonsai in homes. If you are able to keep your pets away from it, it is best as it requires minimum care, maintenance, and can be kept indoors as well.

Apart from this, its beauty, charm, and attraction have the ability to make any of your empty corners look eye-catching. Some experts claim that they should not be kept indoors all year round but you can tackle them by placing bonsai outdoors during summer days.

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