Ficus benjamina: care at home

A popular member of the genus Ficus – Benjamin (Ficus benjamina) – a known houseplant, referring to the mulberry family – with a spreading crown and small leaves of different colors. This type of ficus has many varieties, which differ in the size of leaves, color, shape and pace of growth. Grow it for landscaping the premises: it looks very beautiful – delicate crown of small variegated leaves makes this plant is very decorative and allows to enter into any interior
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Flower Ficus Benjamin

Features houseplant Ficus

Benjamin

In the wild, it is an evergreen tree or shrub. The plant can reach heights of up to 20-30 m. Oblong-oval with a pointed apex leaves attain a length of from 6 to 13 cm and a width of from 2 to 6 cm. The roots not only into the ground, but also distributed on the surface.

One of the most popular indoor plants Ficus has always been, since the plant is unpretentious, well-adapted to the new conditions. For those fans of indoor plants, who are constantly busy, it is suitable nekapriznoe, and at the same time a beautiful plant. Ficus does not require constant care.

Benjamin bedroom with smaller, slightly wavy leaves. looks like a small tree. Short barrel with a smooth gray-beige bark, branched crown. Home comes from the tropics with powerful roots and if not periodically pour into the pot a new earth, they will appear on the surface.

At home, with proper care, a rubber plant can grow up to 2 meters. In the conditions of the apartment it grows slowly and in ten years up to a meter in height.

Rooting figs

Rubber plants, growing houses, multiplies apical cuttings. By purchasing a twig or a rooted cutting, you want it to become a more beautiful tree with lush foliage. Particularly impressive look in the apartments variegated varieties, but the more white on the leaves, the worse they take root. So cuttings notorious variegated Ficus benjamina Starlight de dumbbell or successfully take root only 30%, the remaining 70% die at different stages: establishment, planting, growth.

The shape of the crown</ h4>

If, however, you decide to buy a varigatny ficus, you should think in advance what you would like to see it in a year or two or ten. There are different opinions on the need to bind multiple trunks figs”pigtail”, that he was beautiful.

formation ficus benjamina pigtail

Can be twisted with each other, two ficus, that it was beautiful. But this should be done at an early age of plants, as eventually the trunk loses its flexibility and elasticity – kosteneet. There is a risk to break it, if you put a little more effort.

As braid braid of ficus benjamina

So, to determine the amount, it is necessary to choose the same cuttings on the growth and development to developing evenly, they are not drowned out the weaker of the figs.

The place for Ficus Benjamin in a house

One of the decisive factors affecting the growth and overall development of most plants have their place in the apartment. For variegated varieties should be a very bright place, to the foliage showed all its beauty. Ficus mostly light-loving plants, in a dark room they gradually fade or disappear bright veins on leaves, green will prevail.

Keep in mind that rubber plants, you should not be moved from one place to another, if you do not want the fallen leaves! In determining their permanent residence should take into account the presence of drafts, which can also lead to death of the plant or the loss of large amounts of foliage.

burns – if in the summer months on the Ficus benjamina will be exposed to direct sunlight, the dark brown spots appear on the leaves. It should take care of it, put a flower behind the curtain, which will become an obstacle and will dissipate direct sunlight. If the windows so there is no barrier, then try to choose for this flower is a place where the sun will hit only in the early morning or late afternoon.

They can not be placed near radiators, as well as a draft.

Note!Variegated rubber plants are more exacting to light, and fig-trees with dark green leaves can grow well in partial shade.

Maintenance

For ficus requires some care. Optimum cultivation room temperature for from 18 to 24 ° C. winter should be below 3-4 ° C.

Important!It is necessary to periodically rotate, forming a crown, to your”birch” did not grow one-sided.

Pruning ficus Benjamin</ h4>

In the spring of large specimens are cut crown. Ficus well formed cutting, whereby it is possible to impart different shapes.

Stretched branches carefully pruned to form in the form of a bush or tree. The well-branched shoots cut the tip to 2-3 buds. Often bedroom rubber plants are grown in the form of a tree bole. This form of work, if you leave the main branch and remove the side.

Good to know!When cropping, keep in mind that the shoot growth will be directed toward the kidney at rest on a branch, as it is activated first after trimming.

Watering</ h4>

Ficus benjamina needs a lot of water, especially in summer during active growth. Do not allow the soil drying out in nature, he lives in conditions of high humidity. In autumn and winter, reduce watering watered once a week.

Note!If you water the plant in insufficient quantities, it begins to drop leaves. It needs to be watered only lukewarm soft water.

Ficus loves light shower that cleans leaves from the accumulated dust. It promotes the healthy development of plants and prevention of pests.

Ficus Benjamin spraying

It is worth remembering that the flower does not like bays, and during this process you need to make sure that the land is not pereuvlazhnyat. Required in a flower pot should have drainage holes and a layer of expanded clay or stones.

Throughout the year, ficus need constant spraying of leaves. The apartment where the central heating dries the air in the winter, it is necessary to periodically spray the foliage. This will help to move the flower is a negative thing and not lose a single leaf.

Feeding</ h4>

A pronounced period of rest at no figs, but they start actively growing in the spring, as well as other indoor plants.

In the spring-summer culture needs a dressing. Adult plants during the growing season weekly fed ordinary flower fertilizer, and small – once in 2-3 weeks. Winter should be abandoned fertilizer.

Transplant</ h4>

The best time to transplant Ficus benjamina – spring. Rubber plants should be transplanted only when needed, after the roots fill the entire flower container. Periodically update sufficient topsoil.

The problems in the cultivation

If domestic ficus leaves began to fall, it requires more careful attention to the care of it, so as not to lose the green handsome!

Note!Ficus Benjamin often can not rearrange to another place. He reacts negatively to such a change – they begin to fall off the leaves

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With a sharp defoliation may be different reasons:

    • It is located near heating sources;
    • when grown ficus in dry air;
    • drafts, hypothermia;
    • the lack of light;
    • change of plant locations;
    • the excess or lack of watering.

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In most cases, if you know the time and eliminate the cause, the plant is updated.

      • leaves wither and twisted at a low temperature air.
      • The tips of the leaves turn brown when dry air and lack of humidity in the room.
      • With a lack of light, lack of nutrients – the new shoots are thin, and leaves them little

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      • Pozheletenie leaves – this excessive waterlogging of the soil

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Sometimes abscission lower leaves – the natural process occurring in process of development and maturation of the plant.

Ficus benjamina – one of the most popular indoor plants, which serve as decoration for any home. If you properly care for it, it will please owners for many years.