Defoliation of a nursery variegated ficus?

[Kevin_T82]

First of all Happy Thanksgiving all!

I'm sorry if this question has been asked in this forum, i've done a forum search and I can't find what looking for.

My local nursery has about 5 variegated ficus plants with what looks like at least 5-9 seedlings per pot. They are setup as house plants. I hear that the variegated varieties are a little more finicky, is that true? Now, on to the question: could you defoliate the leaves so they grow back smaller as I've heard you can with deciduous bonsai?

On to another question; I live in zone 5b, I know ficus are indoor plants, could I potentially separate those seedlings at anytime, including over this winter? If, I could separate these seedlings, I say seedlings but they are about 12-20 inches tall, when would I cut them back for them to sprout actual side branches? Thanks!

 

[edprocoat]

Keeping them inside with good light you can work on them any time. Ficus are very hardy, I had a few variegated ones and did not find them any different than other Ficus as for being more finicky. The defoliation does make the leaves come back smaller like in deciduous trees, but the most important thing in any tropical for reducing leaf growth for this is the amount of light they receive. Tropicals will grow larger leaves in lower light areas to capture more light, in bright light or full sun the leaves grow smaller. I know this to be true in all the Ficus and Scheffelera I have had.

ed

 

[Kevin_T82]

I also could have mentioned that I do have access to a small commercial style greenhouse at the college where I work. I could easily go hog wild with bonsai if they would give me a little corner of my own my bonsai collection would be quite varied. I'd display them during the where I live of course when I could.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Finicky, yes, but still very tough.

defoliating to reduce leaf size, probably not significantly with a seedling ficus. Defoliating to reduce leaf size is one of the last steps in developing bonsai. It's probably better to focus on developing trunk and branches. The more branches, the more leaves, and that itself will reduce the leaf size. When a shoot grows to 5 leaves long, trim it back so 2 leaves remain...all year.

Repotting/dividing now is fine of you can keep them in a hot greenhouse, or on a warming mat. It is better to wait until summer on ficus.

 

[mat]

I've found that variegated benjaminas are less healthy/robust than "regular" ones. Mine put out fewer leaves when pruned back hard and grow slower in general (foliage & trunk/branches).

Their leaves have seemed to reduce. I didn't defoliate for that reason, but did prune back to no leaves. The new ones are a little sparse and significantly smaller.

This is based on comparing results from what were houseplants bought at a big box store and chopped way back (a couple of times). My plan is to create a variegated Ficus forest planting, though it's slow going so far. I don't know that I've seen variegated Ficus at a bonsai nursery, which may be a telling sign right there.

edit - just to add an additional thought - My amateur-botanist guess is that it's the green in the leaves that gets the photosynthesis going. So, less green in the leaves leads to less energy being harvested form the sun, leads to a plant is not as thrive-ful (unscientific term, I know).

 

[edprocoat]

I've found that variegated benjaminas are less healthy/robust than "regular" ones. Mine put out fewer leaves when pruned back hard and grow slower in general (foliage & trunk/branches).

Their leaves have seemed to reduce. I didn't defoliate for that reason, but did prune back to no leaves. The new ones are a little sparse and significantly smaller.

This is based on comparing results from what were houseplants bought at a big box store and chopped way back (a couple of times). My plan is to create a variegated Ficus forest planting, though it's slow going so far. I don't know that I've seen variegated Ficus at a bonsai nursery, which may be a telling sign right there.

edit - just to add an additional thought - My amateur-botanist guess is that it's the green in the leaves that gets the photosynthesis going. So, less green in the leaves leads to less energy being harvested form the sun, leads to a plant is not as thrive-ful (unscientific term, I know).

The scientific term is actually thriveabilitatefulness.

ed