Chinese banyan

Chinese banyan: how do you recognise it?

Habit

Compact tree shape with a thick, gnarled base; in a pot usually 30–60 cm tall.

Leaves

Oval, 4–8 cm, leathery and glossy dark green; new leaves are paler.

Base

The thick ‘ginseng root’ is the swollen stem base and upper root of a seedling. It thickens only very slowly.

Aerial roots

In humid air it sometimes makes thin aerial roots, which you can leave hanging or cut off.

Latex

Every wound oozes a white, sticky milky sap that can irritate the skin.

Plants: March–April · Pruning: March–August

Why grow it?

• A living sculpture: the thick, twisted roots make every plant unique.
• Glossy evergreen leaves all year round.
• An easy first ‘bonsai’, far more forgiving than a real one.
• With a pair of scissors you can keep it compact and give it a pleasing shape.
• Grows well in an ordinary living room, as long as it gets enough light.

Chinese banyan: where does it grow best?

• Bright, with some morning or evening sun; no fierce midday sun behind glass in summer.
• A permanent spot: every move, even to the other side of the room, can make it drop leaves.
• Warm, 16–24 °C, never below 10 °C; no draughts from a door or open window and not above a radiator.
• Airy, free-draining compost: houseplant compost with some perlite or grit, or bonsai mix.

Light

Sunny or bright, out of direct sun

Potting soil

Multi-purpose compost or airy, humus-rich compost

Acidity

Acid or neutral

Watering

Moderately

Size

1 m tall, 0.8 m wide

Temperature

Minimum 10 °C

Goes well with

• Jade plant: Another sturdy ‘little tree’ for a bright windowsill.
• Peperomia: Small, glossy leaves in the same bright, warm room.
• Snake plant: Stiff, upright leaves as a contrast to the rounded crown.
• Pilea: Fresh, round leaves that like the same bright spot.

Chinese banyan: when and how to plant it?

Plant in March–April.

1. Repot in March–April, every two or three years, when the roots fill the pot.
2. Choose a wide, shallow pot one size larger, with a drainage hole.
3. Use free-draining compost: bonsai mix or houseplant compost with a third perlite or grit.
4. Gently tease old compost from between the roots and trim back roots that are too long.
5. Set the plant at the same height, so the swollen base stays above the compost, and firm it in.
6. Water, let it drain and keep it slightly out of the sun for a few weeks.

Care

Watering

Water when the top 2 cm is dry; too little is better than too much. Less in winter.

Feeding

From April to September, half-strength houseplant or bonsai feed every two to four weeks.

Humidity

Mist the leaves with tepid water now and then, especially when the heating is on.

Permanent spot

Move and turn it as little as possible and keep it out of draughts.

Leaves

Wipe the leaves with a damp cloth.

Tip: Cut new shoots back to two or three leaves as soon as they have six to eight: that gives a dense, compact crown, just like a real bonsai.

Chinese banyan: when to prune it?

Pruning months: March–August.

When: From March to August, during the growing season, whenever new shoots get too long.

How:

• Let a new shoot make six to eight leaves, then cut it back to two or three leaves.
• Cut just above a leaf: new side shoots form there and the crown becomes denser.
• Remove branches growing inwards or straight up.
• Cut off shoots that come from the swollen base, below the graft: they have different leaves.

Caution: The white sap can irritate skin and eyes. Wear gloves and put a cloth under the plant, as the sap is sticky and stains.

Pruning: when and how · Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Tip cuttings

In May–June, take 10 cm cuttings and strip the lower leaves; let the sap dry, then root them in moist compost under plastic at 22–25 °C. They do not form a thick ‘ginseng root’.

Air layering

In spring, make a small cut in a branch, wrap the wound in damp moss and plastic, and wait a few months for roots. Then cut it off and pot it up.

Chinese banyan: how does it get through the winter?

• Houseplant: keep it above 10 °C in winter, ideally around 16–20 °C.
• Give it as much light as possible, but away from cold panes and draughts.
• Water less and do not feed from October to March.
• Some leaf drop in autumn, as light levels fall, is normal; new leaves grow in spring.

Diseases and pests

• Leaf drop: Usually caused by moving it, draughts, too little light or too much water. Give it a permanent, bright spot and be patient: it will regrow.
• Scale insects: Brown bumps on stems and leaves, and sticky leaves. Brush them off or wipe them away with a cloth and soapy water.
• Thrips: Curled, spotted leaves with tiny elongated insects. Remove affected leaves and rinse the plant in the shower.
• Root rot: A soft, wrinkled base and yellow leaves from overwatering. Let the compost dry out, cut away soft roots and repot into an airy mix.

Through the year

• January: Little water. Bright spot without draughts.
• March: Repot if needed. Growth starts: first trim.
• April: Start feeding. Cut back new shoots.
• May: Prune. Take tip cuttings.
• June: Prune and feed. Mist the leaves.
• July: Cut back shoots. Watch for thrips.
• August: Last trim. Feed.
• September: Last feed.
• October: Water less. Some leaf drop is normal.
• December: Resting. Away from the radiator.

Edible and useful

Not edible. The white milky sap of these figs is poisonous and irritant: on the skin it causes redness and itching, in the eyes pain, and anyone who chews it gets an upset mouth, stomach and gut; cats and dogs drool and vomit. The sap contains latex: people who are allergic to latex sometimes react to it too, and dust on the leaves of an indoor fig can also cause allergies. Wear gloves when pruning and taking cuttings, and wash your hands afterwards. Keep the plant out of reach of cats, dogs and small children, and clear up trimmed twigs and fallen leaves. The small fruits are not figs for eating. If any is swallowed, call a poison centre (in Belgium 070 245 245) or your doctor at once.

Did you know?

• Like all figs, it bears its tiny flowers inside the fruit. They are pollinated by a minute wasp that belongs to this species.
• The name ginseng comes from the thick roots, which resemble the root of the ginseng plant.
• In warm regions such as Florida and Hawaii, Ficus microcarpa has escaped from gardens and is considered invasive: it even grows on walls and on other trees there.