Read more about Placement.Īnother issue with keeping a Bonsai tree indoors is that the tree needs relatively high humidity, much higher than the conditions of your house, especially with heating or air conditioning. For example, you can use fluorescent lighting with radiating growth-friendly spectra, or light-emitting diode lighting for about 10 hours a day. You can supplement this deficit of light with artificial lighting to help your tree. That’s why placing your Bonsai in a bright location, preferably directly in front of a window facing the south is highly recommended when growing Bonsai indoors.Įven when you have a south-facing window, the light intensity may still be too low. Trees won’t die immediately if they don’t get enough light, but growth will decrease and weaken the plant over time. The main problem with keeping a tropical Bonsai tree indoors is that the intensity of light is much lower than outdoors. More importantly, tropical trees are accustomed to receiving a lot of light and high humidity, climates that are challenging to replicate indoors. The main reason is that Bonsai trees are planted in small pots and therefore have limited storage for nutrients and water. Indoor Bonsai tree careĬaring for an indoor Bonsai is different from that of normal potted house plants.

Tropical and subtropical trees do not need this period of dormancy. A tree becomes dormant when temperatures and light intensity gradually decrease over several weeks, which does not happen when you keep temperate trees indoors. In this period of dormancy, the yearly growth cycle ends, and the tree prepares for the next cycle which will start again in early spring. Why can’t I keep temperate, nontropical, Bonsai indoor?Īs stated above, temperate trees need a period of dormancy in the winter. Indoor Bonsai trees a Ficus, Carmona, and Chinese elm. If you select one of these trees and care for it properly, your Bonsai will thrive indoor. Other popular indoor Bonsai include the Dwarf jade, the Fukien tea (Carmona), the Hawaiian umbrella (Schefflera), and the Sweet plum (Sageretia). The Ficus is tolerant of low humidity and is very resilient, making it an excellent choice for beginners. The most common, and the easiest to care for, is the Ficus Bonsai. There are several tropical and subtropical trees that you can grow indoor.

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