Planting in a Bonsai Style: Ginseng Ficus and Nerve Plant

Lea
4 days ago
3 min read

Ginseng ficus is a very common bonsai tree. I choose it for t is inexpensive, widely available, and naturally attractive in form. In your area, if you can change to local mini tree. The key point is how you style it.

I have talked about ginseng ficus before—in a tall glass cloche together with moss.

However, many people prefer to grow ginseng ficus in the open, planted in a pot and placed directly on a desk or balcony. Ginseng ficus likes moisture but is also very drought-tolerant, so it is quite forgiving no matter how you grow it.

Today, I want to show how to decorate ginseng ficus in a more visually pleasing way.

In the photos, I used a wooden box with a side length of 15 cm. Inside, it has a plastic liner, which prevents water from leaking out during watering and dirtying your tabletop.

Planting Method

The ginseng ficus was purchased directly from a local shop and placed into the box with its original pot intact—there is no need to repot it. The flimsy plastic pot it comes in is sufficient.

Originally, the two nerve plants were also planned to be placed directly into the box with their pots. However, after arranging them, I found that the distance from the roots was too far, which didn’t look good. So instead, two stems were separated from their original pot and directly inserted into the ginseng ficus pot.

The ginseng ficus pot was placed directly into the wooden box (with liner), and then buried with 1-3mm black lava rocks.

The black lava rock serves both a stabilizing and decorative purpose. If you like, you can also place a small decprative stone near the base of the ginseng ficus roots (like seiryu stone, and dragon stones). In this case, we chose not to—the clean look of the black lava rock alone already works very well.

Watering Concerns

Some may ask: how do you water this? Won’t it get waterlogged?

Just water it normally. A bit of standing water around the ginseng ficus roots is not a problem. Even if you accidentally pour in too much water, it’s fine—just hold the lava rock and the plant in place and pour the excess water out.

The nerve plant used here is also tolerant of wet conditions.

In fact, if you want to use more drought-tolerant plants for decoration, that’s also possible. The logic here is simple: the farther a plant is from the bottom layer, the farther it is from moisture. Even placing a cactus here would not be a problem.

Another common question is: what if I get tired of the look and want to change the plant?

That’s even easier—just pull the pot out and replace it with a new one.

Below is an introduction and care guide for ginseng ficus, in case you want to duplicate the idea.

🌱 Ginseng Ficus (Ficus ginseng)

Ginseng ficus is not a strict botanical species name. It is a commercial term used to describe a bonsai form of ficus with enlarged roots that resemble ginseng.

Its botanical base is usually Ficus microcarpa. Through many years of cultivation, the roots are allowed to swell, and then the plant is grafted or pruned to create the familiar “miniature tree with thick roots” appearance.

🌳 Characteristics and Appearance

1. Signature “ginseng roots”

The bulbous, segmented, or forked roots resemble ginseng and are the plant’s most distinctive feature.

These roots are typically formed after years of ground cultivation in nurseries.

2. Small leaves and compact branching

The leaves are oval, thick, and deep green in color.

This makes the plant suitable for small bonsai, miniature landscapes, and moss containers.

3. Strong growth and easy care

It adapts well to different light and humidity conditions.

Even in low-light indoor environments, it can continue to grow steadily.

🌞 Growing Conditions

Native range: Tropical Southeast Asia (southern China, India, Thailand, and surrounding regions).