I need a tree doctor! New ficus seems sickly :(

[FiggieSmalls]

A brief history on this plant: I bought him from a nursery in Florida and brought him home to St Louis to cultivate as indoor bonsai. He's been living under my care for about 10 days now.

I'm concerned because he had new shoots everywhere when I got him but I haven't really noticed any growth. And he has some symptoms going on.

My concern has grown since the other day I was running my hand along his leaves and noticed white fluffy-looking debris falling off all the foliage. And then I realized it was some sort of flying insect...

There are a number of signs on the leaves and I'm not sure what things are concerning or not. Remember he is living indoors now. Let me know if I should consider putting him outside or what. Thank you!

 

[19Mateo83]

Looks like some kind of gall mites In some of those leaves. If your temperatures are stable above 50 degrees at night put it outside…it craves sun….it will thank you.

 

[FiggieSmalls]

Ya, it is warm outside for now, but I should mention I have it under some grow lights that should do the trick I would think. A few 50w led sticks up nice and close. It's actually very hot outside (>95 deg recently) and my deck is partially shaded, so I figured the ficus would thrive with more reliable direct light. But I could try putting it outside!

 

[19Mateo83]

That ficus will love as much heat, humidity and direct light you can give it. My ficus are outside here and loving every bit of North Carolina’s hot southern summer. It gets about 8 hours of direct sunlight and is booming growth. The grow lights are good for overwintering but when it’s warm out they need to be outside soaking it up.

 

[19Mateo83]

ALSO…. Welcome to the nut house!

 

[FiggieSmalls]

ALSO…. Welcome to the nut house!

Thank you!!!! I definitely feel like a nut already

This beautiful tree was only $35 at the nursery in my home town in FL. I Stuck it in a box and brought it through TSA... Oh, and I made my girlfriend pack two other trees in her suitcase . They all survived! Definitely feeling nutty though

 

[FiggieSmalls]

And I will put it outside per your recommendation! I'm also considering a repot, but I'm hesitant to stress the plant any more after the big move to St Louis. Was going to wait for signs of good health first. Thoughts?

 

[19Mateo83]

With ficus it is recommended to repot in the heat of the summer when it is growing vigorously. Get it outside and growing and repot shouldn’t be an issue. When you do repot get it out of that nursery mud and into some free draining soil. Your ficus will thank you. Btw….That’s a nice ficus Microcarpa!

 

[ShadyStump]

I kept a ficus benjamina on my desk at work with a 17w 26PAR light in a desk lamp all year, and it did fine. Grew rather slowly compared to being outside, but still fairly compact internodes, and smallish leaves. Doesn't even shed when I change its environment.
So it's definitely possible to keep them inside and quite happy, but they need to be healthy to begin with if they're going to be kept under less than great conditions.

I'm still learning the disease diagnosis and treatment thing, but I'd recommend treating it with whatever you have to now, and bring it in to your indoor space when it looks stronger.

PS: add a general location and USDA growing zone to your profile. Geography and climate make all the difference in the world when folks here give advice, and they WILL ask almost every time.
Welcome aboard!

 

[berzerkules]

I remember reading something about ficus gall wasps in Florida. I'm so far from Florida that I really wasn't trying to catalog that information upstairs but it might be worth looking I to.

I'd remove infected leaves and treat for bugs and fungus. Treating newly acquired plants is probably a good habit to pick up. I still forget sometimes, like about a month ago my little sister dropped off some home despot plants at my place while I was out. I didn't notice them at first then neglected them for a couple days and now I have mites. Thx sis.

Anyways, nice user name @FiggieSmalls . Gl and welcome

 

[sorce]

Might be scale, them disks.

Don't know about wasps, good possibility, but I been watching leaf miners doing some odd shit this year.

I'd naked it out (defoliate, figs too) and stick it outside, it'll pop off.

You can rub any other scale off the branches when it's naked.

Sorce

 

[penumbra]

It clearly has leaf gall but the fuzzy white debris has not been addressed. It is likely mealy bug or wholly aphid. These can hide out in the soil. Your plant should be re-potted and diseased leaves removed. In many cases with ficus I defoliate them completely. I would use a systemic insecticide and give the plant as much outdoor time as is possible.
Regarding the soil, use an appropriate bonsai mix, which is not a soil at all. You might consider Bonsai Jack mix. The are good people to deal with and they have good products. You can buy from them or purchase their products on Amazon. Lastly, feed the plant. Ficus are heavy feeders.

 

[Paradox]

I'll second what penumbra posted. Make sure you don't throw the leaves you remove on the ground. Put them in a zip lock bag and throw in the trash.

Yes you can keep a ficus inside under adequate light but it will be much happier outside.

Up here in the frozen north, my ficus are outside from mid June to October 15 as long as temperatures are above 50 F. During winter, I keep them in my basement under strong lighting

 

[FiggieSmalls]

Thank you all for the help!!!

 

[penumbra]

Keep us posted please.

 

[FiggieSmalls]

Update... I defoliated *mostly* and put the leaves and figs in a ziplock bag. My thinking is/was that I can clean the remaining leaves by hand now and let them be, as long as they look healthy without any foreign-looking sort of debris. And then I will monitor closely and if they begin to go south I will remove them all immediately.

That said, I have a new observation to share... I noticed a few tiny orange wormlike things on leaves (and coincidentally, browning on the leaf around where they were hanging out). Just now I took a look at the ziplock bag with the discarded foliage and they're all over! And it looks like they can jump... yikes! Anybody familiar with these? Should I go ahead and remove ALL leaves?

 

[FiggieSmalls]

Here is a picture of the tree now (and a peek at some other plants ... which are probably in great peril now being so close to the sick plant... ), showing how much foliage is left. I removed probably 75-80% of leaves.

The bark isn't showing any cause for concern that I can tell. A little bit of a frosty appearance on maybe 3 of the smaller branches. Attached is a picture of one such branch. The frosty look is not all that noticeable

 

[Michigan Tree Murderer]

I remember reading something about ficus gall wasps in Florida. I'm so far from Florida that I really wasn't trying to catalog that information upstairs but it might be worth looking I to.

I'd remove infected leaves and treat for bugs and fungus. Treating newly acquired plants is probably a good habit to pick up. I still forget sometimes, like about a month ago my little sister dropped off some home despot plants at my place while I was out. I didn't notice them at first then neglected them for a couple days and now I have mites. Thx sis.

Anyways, nice user name @FiggieSmalls . Gl and welcome

Good Advice on treating newly acquired plants. I spray everything down, the tree, the outside of the pot, and bottom, the work bench or table it's on. Lots of microscopic stuff I can't see, but get a microscope or magnifying glass out and you'll see more than you want to.

 

[Michigan Tree Murderer]

Update... I defoliated *mostly* and put the leaves and figs in a ziplock bag. My thinking is/was that I can clean the remaining leaves by hand now and let them be, as long as they look healthy without any foreign-looking sort of debris. And then I will monitor closely and if they begin to go south I will remove them all immediately.

That said, I have a new observation to share... I noticed a few tiny orange wormlike things on leaves (and coincidentally, browning on the leaf around where they were hanging out). Just now I took a look at the ziplock bag with the discarded foliage and they're all over! And it looks like they can jump... yikes! Anybody familiar with these? Should I go ahead and remove ALL leaves?

Looks like aphids to me, but I'll leave it to the experts. I'd get those other plants as far away as possible and treat them, and the infected tree with this. Also listen to "gimme the loot" when you are spraying the trees.

Courtesy of the Milwaukee Bonsai Society Newsletter.

Pour 1-2 tablespoons of original Dawn dishwashing detergent and 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a gallon jug.
Slowly add water to fill the jug.
Pour part of this solution into a spray bottle and add 2 capfuls of rubbing alcohol.

Use immediately.

If there is any solution left in the spray bottle, add 2 more capfuls of alcohol the next time you want to spray your trees.
It seems that the contents of the gallon jug (soap and vegetable oil solution) can be stored for months without it going bad.

Spray on plants covering all leaf and stem surfaces.
You may have to spray from 3 - 4 times with intervals of 3 days.
Almost any kind of pest, including scale, can be eliminated using this solution.
It is not necessary to wash off the spray as no adverse reactions have been found.

Do yourself a favor and get one of these. Best $5 bucks I've spent in awhile. I spray everything down, the tree, the outside of the pot, and bottom, the work bench or table it's on, etc.

 

[rockm]

Update... I defoliated *mostly* and put the leaves and figs in a ziplock bag. My thinking is/was that I can clean the remaining leaves by hand now and let them be, as long as they look healthy without any foreign-looking sort of debris. And then I will monitor closely and if they begin to go south I will remove them all immediately.

That said, I have a new observation to share... I noticed a few tiny orange wormlike things on leaves (and coincidentally, browning on the leaf around where they were hanging out). Just now I took a look at the ziplock bag with the discarded foliage and they're all over! And it looks like they can jump... yikes! Anybody familiar with these? Should I go ahead and remove ALL leaves?

Uh, defoliating a weak tree is not a great move.