Ficus benjamina Natasja

The Family of ficus plants is composed of various species.  They are popular for their habit of dropping leaves which usually occur during sudden change of environment.  Ficus benjamina is one popular houseplant under this family of plants.  It is commonly known as the Weeping Fig and is called as such because of its graceful drooping branches.  This plant is so flexible that it can be grown as a small tree or as a bonsai or even as a multi-stemmed bush.

At the left is a Ficus Benjamina cultivar called ‘Natasja.’  Ficus benjamina Natasja has thin glossy leaves that are either oval or elliptical in shape and light green to dark green in color.  The trunk of Natasja is very flexible that many creative growers have grown this plant with braided and spiral stems in addition to the bonsai form.  With the braided or spirial form, the stems of 2 or 3 young Natasja plants are twisted or wounded together around a support.  When the plants grow old it results to a corkscrew-like trunk as in the photo at the left.  Note that this growth condition has no ill effect even on the young Natasja plants.

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