If you’re partial to bonsai trees but lack the time for a trip, keeping some indoors can be done! It’s not as difficult as you might think, but it does require lots of care and training.
To maximize the health of your bonsai, it should be placed in an area with adequate light, temperature and humidity. Typically this means placing it near a south-facing window or near a door that can be opened for increased air movement.
Ficus
Ficus bonsai trees make great indoor plants due to their ease of care and resilience in low humidity conditions – making them a great choice for beginners. Plus, if the roots become bound up, they can easily be repotted.
When growing a Ficus, ensure it gets enough light and watered thoroughly. While these plants can thrive in sunny windows, they aren’t hardy and should not be placed in drafty rooms during the wintertime.
Ficus bonsai trees should be kept in a bright room, ideally near a south-facing window for maximum sunlight exposure to its leaves.
Ficus bonsai is an easy plant to care for, as it enjoys warm temperatures and a fertile soil. To maintain moisture in the soil, water twice a week and apply fertilizer once every two weeks – using liquid organic fertilizer which won’t harm the roots.
Ficus trees are popular not only due to their ease of care and easy growth, but also for its stunning aerial roots that hang down from lower branches and create an eye-catching design.
These plants can be employed in informal upright, slanting and semi-cascade styles as well as formal upright, twin-trunk and triple-truck bonsai.
When indoors your ficus bonsai tree, choose a pot that fits its size. Glazed bonsai pots are best, but unglazed ones may work too; although these are cheaper, their quality cannot compare to that of glazed bonsai pots.
Chinese Elm
The Chinese Elm is a widely beloved bonsai tree to grow indoors due to its hardiness, speedy growth, and adaptability in styling. Not only that, but its easy care requirements make it ideal for beginners.
Beginners will love this beginner’s bonsai as it requires no heavy root pruning and is simple to style. Propagation can be accomplished from a summer cutting taken with clean scissors.
Keep your Chinese Elm healthy and flourishing with plenty of sunlight and a nutritious potting mix. A suitable soil should contain organic compost and peat moss; alternatively, you could create your own compost using lava rocks, fired clay, and sifted akadama.
Once you have your potting soil, it is essential to water the bonsai regularly. Never allow the soil to become completely dry as this will promote root rot. A simple test to see if your Chinese Elm bonsai needs watering is sticking your finger in the dirt and feeling for parchedness; if so, then watering is necessary.
You can keep your Chinese Elm in partial shade most of the day, but avoid placing it directly under a sunny window. This will help the tree remain hydrated and enhance its leaves.
When growing Chinese Elm bonsai, the ideal temperature should be between 60 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. This ensures that the tree will not suffer from shock during its first year of growth.
It is beneficial to feed your Chinese Elm year-round. Depending on where you live, this may be done with either a low strength liquid feed or slow release granular fertilizer.
Flowering Tea Tree
The Flowering Tea Tree, also referred to as Fukien tea or Philippine tea tree, is one of the most sought-after indoor bonsai trees due to its ease of care and aesthetic beauty. Not only that but this easy-care tree makes an excellent addition to any home or garden setting!
This hardy evergreen can be kept indoors year-round, though it performs best with temperatures above 50 degrees. It prefers bright, indirect light from a south or west facing window.
When summer approaches, let your Fukien tea tree enjoy some direct sunlight – especially during morning and afternoon hours. Be sure to not leave it out there all day as this could dry out the leaves too quickly and cause them to burn.
Water your Fukien tea tree regularly to prevent the soil from becoming too dry. Under-watering can result in pale, shriveled leaves and stunted growth.
Maintain the health of your Fukien tea tree by fertilizing it regularly with a bonsai-specific fertilizer. A balanced fertilizer such as this should be applied every other week during spring and summer to promote plant growth and flourish.
When pruning your Fukien tea tree, it is wise to first trim away old branches and then remove any dead or damaged ones. Doing this will help maintain the shape of your plant and guarantee its beauty for years to come.
To protect your Fukien tea tree from pests, place it on a humidity tray. This will provide additional moisture as the water evaporates into the air and keep the tree from drying out too much.
Cycas
The Cycas bonsai tree, commonly referred to as the sago palm, is an intriguing plant that can be kept indoors. Its fascinating history dates back over 150 million years ago in Mesozoic times – part of the cycad family which means it’s tough and resilient under extreme conditions.
This plant makes an ideal indoor bonsai because it requires minimal care and can grow up to 100 years in a pot. It’s highly hardy, tolerant of extremes in temperature and light conditions.
Maintain the health of a Cycas sago palm by watering generously in summer and sparingly during winter when it is more dormant. Watering too much or too little can cause foliage loss and even cause the plant to perish.
Fertilize the sago palm with organic liquid fertilizer at half strength 3 to 4 times annually. Be sure to fertilize when new leaves begin growing in spring and again in late summer for hardening off.
Repotting the Cycas sago palm requires that it be root confined in a container at least one size larger than its current pot. Doing this helps protect the roots from becoming overgrown.
Before repotting, it’s wise to add a layer of compost to the soil. This will provide extra nutrients and enhance drainage.
For optimal growth, these plants should be placed in an area that receives plenty of sunlight. Furthermore, they require minimal watering and will tolerate neglect if done gently.
Dracaena
Dracaena is a classic indoor plant beloved of both novice and expert houseplant gardeners alike. Not only are they easy to care for, but also space-efficient and tolerant of typical room conditions like temperatures and humidity levels.
One of the most commonly seen varieties of dracaena is Madagascar dragon tree (Dracaena marginata), which features long, thin leaves with red or dark green edges and a yellow line running up its center. If you’re partial to its eye-catching foliage, why not make this one your bonsai plant?
Similar to other dracaenas, the Madagascar dragon tree should be kept in a room with bright but indirect light. Direct exposure will cause its leaves to wilt and likely die.
As a general guideline, water your Madagascar dragon tree only when the top half of soil has dried completely. Overwatering will lead to root rot and fungal infections in your tree’s roots.
Check the tips of your dracaena’s leaves to see if they have become crispy and brown. This indicates that it is too dry, and needs watering soon.
Thankfully, dracaenas are less vulnerable to pests and diseases than other indoor plant species; however, mealy bugs and spider mites may occasionally invade them. Misting your dracaena with a humidifier or misting its foliage with water helps combat these issues.
A Madagascar dragon tree can make a striking addition to your home or office, especially when situated in shade. Its vibrant leaves add visual interest and its unique design make it ideal for indoor spaces.