Hoping someone can help....

I have a ficus on my office desk, watered when the soil surface becomes dry, mist once a day, fertilised once a month, has a grow light on around 6 hours a day. I have no real issues with growth and have to prune every couple of weeks to keep the tree in shape. The problem is that quite a few of the leaves are wavey, see pictures. Is this normal or am I doing something wrong.

Appreciate any feedback.

Hi Dave and welcome.

I would not mist it ever day. Tree does not need that much. Every once in a while is fine, lets say weekly. Not sure if it needs that strict fertilizing too, I would step it little back. How much sun your tree gets daily? It may be light deficiency but I am not sure. Good experienced people here can tell you more about that.

I think that this is perfectly normal.
You seem to be doing things adequately (although some, including myself, will tell you that there is no need to mist your tree)

BonsaiLearner wrote: I think that this is perfectly normal.
You seem to be doing things adequately (although some, including myself, will tell you that there is no need to mist your tree)

From my reading, misting does little to actually increase functional humidity and the water in the leaves and stem can provide a means for fungi to start growing in.

Three answers. Nobody picked up one important factor. You do not have a ficus, but a ligustrum. The leaves are different, and what you see is the normal growth habit of one of the soft leaved, subtropical ligustrum species. There should be no need to mist. I would put it outside when spring is well underway.

leatherback wrote: Three answers. Nobody picked up one important factor. You do not have a ficus, but a ligustrum. The leaves are different, and what you see is the normal growth habit of one of the soft leaved, subtropical ligustrum species. There should be no need to mist. I would put it outside when spring is well underway.

Good shot. While looking the pictures I was wondering what makes me feel strange about these leaves. If trunk was visible I could have figured it.

Thanks for the feedback and help guys....

Identifying the tree as a ligustrum rather than ficus was the key, I'm pleased I'm not doing anything wrong. Also, thanks for the pointer about misting,

spacewood wrote:

leatherback wrote: Three answers. Nobody picked up one important factor. You do not have a ficus, but a ligustrum. The leaves are different, and what you see is the normal growth habit of one of the soft leaved, subtropical ligustrum species. There should be no need to mist. I would put it outside when spring is well underway.

Good shot. While looking the pictures I was wondering what makes me feel strange about these leaves. If trunk was visible I could have figured it.

Maybe you could have, but my identification on trees is pretty much limited to deciduous hardwoods native to the metro Detroit area with a few other obvious ones thrown in.

Detroit Techno (Motor) City : ) Would love to visit this place one day.