Ficus Virens - The Spotted Fig

On several trips to Thailand I have been impressed with a local, native Ficus species, Ficus virens, that is extensively used for bonsai in Thailand but interestingly not often seen as bonsai elsewhere. I was introduced to this tree by Montri Suksermsongchai of Bangkok on my visit there in 2005. Montri is an avid bonsai lover and collector and has one of the best bonsai collections in Thailand - if not in all of Southeast Asia. Montri is past president of the Thailand Bonsai Association responsible for the 3rd Asia Pacific Bonsai Friendship Federation meeting in December of 2009. At this meeting there were many Ficus virens on display.

Ficus virens is a species that is endemic to a number of countries in south-east Asia including Thailand, Australia, India and Malaysia. The common name is the Spotted Fig or White Fig and its most famous individual trees are the Cathedral and Curtain figs of Cairns in northeast Australia. These two trees have attained truly massive proportions and are famous around the world. Ficus virens often grows as an epiphyte in its normal environment and has aggressive root character making it suitable for exposed root and root-over-rock styles but also easily shaped into more conventional bonsai designs.

The leaves of Ficus virens are larger than the hugely popular Ficus microcarpa, Chinese Banyan, but other than its larger leaf size virens seems quite suitable for medium to larger sized bonsai. It does have some very interesting traits to recommend it for bonsai. Many of the virens in Thailand have very attractive red leaves on new growth. This red color may be quite intense or hardly noticeable depending on the specimen. The bark can be a mottled brownish red which is quite attractive. Additionally the fruits are quite colorful with lighter colored spots on reddish 1/4" figs.

I am currently growing some Ficus virens from seed from Australia and Thailand. I am currently growing Ficus virens from seeds of both Australian and Thailand trees. Both types seem equally suitable for bonsai. The Thai form has redder leaves and may be a bit slower to gain trunk size. Unfortunately, the new reddish leaves revert to a dark green after a few weeks to several months’ growth. I just wonder about discovering a red leaf variety that would remain red. What a prize that would be for fig lovers as well as bonsai growers!

Virens grown in Thailand are very often grown as a root-over-rock specimen. Larger specimens may have overgrown the rock as it is no longer visible buried deep in the basal root system. I suspect the large bases of some of the virens may be older trees which originally were root-over-rock style but the tree has overgrown the rock.

The culture of virens is typical for all Ficus species and there are no peculiarities in growing them. It responds to reduction, defoliation, and aggressive treatments without any problem. Under certain less than ideal conditions of dryness or cold virens may go "dormant" and rest for a few weeks before sprouting new leaves. In my greenhouse most virens do not lose leaves.

I think it is a species that should be used more extensively for bonsai in all warmer climates and for indoor bonsai in northern climates.