Hey nuts! I’ve got a nice willow leaf. A bunch of leaves turned yellow and some discolored and have brown spots. This happened a little over a week ago. Not sure if it was the heat, bugs, dryness or watering issue. It’s been super hott and dry hear in TX. Some of the leaves have fallen off. Been trying to keep it humid and watering twice a day. I thought about defoliating the tree but wanted to check with y’all first? Any suggestions or insight would be helpful. The tree does live outside just brought it in for pictures And I know that the curled deformed leaves are from over fertilizing. Which I think I have fixed as most of the newest growth came in straight. Thanks everyone.
Help with willow leaf ficus. Yellow and discolored leaves
- Thread starter Gatorade
- Start date
SWfloirda
Chumono
In my opinion that is a healthy tree. Summertime yellowing, older heat stressed leaves between growth spurts.
Very nice too.
Very nice too.
Ugo
Shohin
Hi!
Yes the tree is getting rid of its old leaves due to heat stress which is "normal".
It could also be a result of water stress (temperature and quantity of water)
To control the temperature I dont necessary water the tree entirely.
If the substrate is still moist to touch but outside temp is rising I will spray water on the surface of the soil and leaves.
Ficus can be a little picky on the water temperature used to water them!!
Room temp. Is always better than cold tap water for them... not a necessity but something to be aware of.
Not knowing exaclty the cause, you should protect the tree from heavy afternoon sun and be careful with watering.
In a near future would consider removing the most damaged leaves as the tree will use energy to get rid of them. Leaves not able to photosynthesis and or showing signs of decay has to go.
Cut the leaves by leaving the petiole, you might create the opportunity of a new branchlet by doing so.
Keep a water spray bottle handy, spraying water on the cuts will stop the sap bleeding, you dont want to waste that precious energy!!
On a side note, I use a shade cloth 30% shade for my ficus and it helps to protect the foliage while the tree still gets alot of bright light.
Just for info can you provide details on the fertilizer product and method you use?
Very nice tree!
Ugo
Yes the tree is getting rid of its old leaves due to heat stress which is "normal".
It could also be a result of water stress (temperature and quantity of water)
To control the temperature I dont necessary water the tree entirely.
If the substrate is still moist to touch but outside temp is rising I will spray water on the surface of the soil and leaves.
Ficus can be a little picky on the water temperature used to water them!!
Room temp. Is always better than cold tap water for them... not a necessity but something to be aware of.
Not knowing exaclty the cause, you should protect the tree from heavy afternoon sun and be careful with watering.
In a near future would consider removing the most damaged leaves as the tree will use energy to get rid of them. Leaves not able to photosynthesis and or showing signs of decay has to go.
Cut the leaves by leaving the petiole, you might create the opportunity of a new branchlet by doing so.
Keep a water spray bottle handy, spraying water on the cuts will stop the sap bleeding, you dont want to waste that precious energy!!
On a side note, I use a shade cloth 30% shade for my ficus and it helps to protect the foliage while the tree still gets alot of bright light.
Just for info can you provide details on the fertilizer product and method you use?
Very nice tree!
Ugo
Last edited:
Thanks so much for the help and advice! I will pull off those discolored leaves later today. I am using room temp water but not sure if my tree is getting enough shade in afternoon so I will look into that. Watering is such and art and I think I’m doing an ok job but still so much to learn. I’m about a year into my bonsai journey so still trying to dial everything in. Thanks for the spray bottle tip while pruning that’s a new one for me!
As far as fertilizing.I was using both liquid bonsai pro and the bonsai supply’s slow release and I might have overdone it. Now I’m just using the small maintenance dose of liquid bonsai pro with every watering.
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namnhi
Masterpiece
It us cause by the intense heat we are having this year. All the ones I have that under the sun have this problem. I move mine away from afternoon sun and they are slowly revert back. No issue with the tree.
cmu268
Yamadori
Yeah I too had this same issue with mine. It was getting too much sun in the spot that I had it. I moved it to a new bench I made a couple weeks ago that is in a bright spot but gets a little more limited amounts of direct sun. It has rebounded nicely with new growth starting to come back and no more discoloration of leaves.
Paradox
Marine Bonsologist
Wow crazy that a tropical adapted to the tropics could get too much sun and heat.
