Advice for Ficus

Shorty54

Mame
Messages
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Location
Biloxi, Mississippi
USDA Zone
8b
image.jpg My wife purchased me a Ginseng Ficus today. I've looked into it and it recommends inside for this tree. Would leaving it outside kill it? I'm setting up a small Bonsai Table outside and I'd like to display this Bonsai Plant outside.
 
seems to me that you never get frost there. So it ideally should be outside. Always.
 
My ficus are in direct sunlight whenever possible. If they were kept in shade they will need time to get used to direct sun or get sunburnt (Our ficus get sunburnt every year when I take them outside as it is too heavy to easily move around: It goes in full sun from day 1)
 
Ficus shouldn't drop below 15 degrees celsius i heared from a reliable source. I hope you can style it ok, because most (bonsai) ginseng i see look like bad treated houseplants.
 
It should be outside in the sun. I recommend bringing it in if your night time temperature is expected to be in the low 30's (fahrenheit).
 
Let me add some clarification with a reference. This is an excellent source for specific species care. We normally consider that tropicals should not be exposed to temps below 50F. But the Empires actually says 59F.
 
My comment was based on my experience with this species. They're a lot tougher than most folks think. I've found that most 'references' exaggerate the cold sensitivity of plants. 59? For a Ficus?

My low 30's number may be a little risky, but 59 is just crazy.

I shuffle lots of trees in & out in February. I left a bunch of microcarpa cuttings out all winter, and all are doing fine now. Not even a brown leaf on them. We had a few nights in the low 30's, and one a tick or two below freezing.

Lumping tons of species together with blanket statements like 'all tropicals need protection when temps hit 50' seems like a poor way to provide specific information. Even if you wanted to use that as your guide, Ficus is generally considered to be sub-tropical. Different than a true tropical, like Buttonwood for example.
 
I'm with Mat. Ficus are subtropicals. I've left mine outdoors all winter before with no ill effects. Of course I live in Houston - what passes for winter here would be kind of a joke over most of the country. Neverthess, we get the occasional freeze with temps into the upper 20s. My ficus were protected from the wind but remained outside through it all. No problems - not even any leaf burn. They're grown as street trees in San Fransisco.

My advise is to protect them from a freeze. But otherwise its probably not an issue.

Scott
 
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I'm with Mat. Ficus are subtropicals. I've left mine outdoors all winter before with no ill effects. Of course I live in Houston - what passes for winter here would be kind of a joke over most of the country. Neverthess, we get the occasional freeze with temps into the upper 20s. My ficus were protected from the wind but remained outside through it all. No problems - not even any leaf burn. They're grown as street trees in San Fransisco.

My advise is to protect them from a freeze. But otherwise its probably not an issue.

Scott

I'm from Houston originally and now live due east on I-10 in Biloxi. The weather here is the same as there. Thanks!
 
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