Ficus: its features
Ficus is a genus of plants of the Mulberry family, has more than 1000 species. Ficus types include shrubs, creepers, and woody trees, most of which are evergreen. Some grow well outdoors in warm conditions. Others are better suited as houseplants.
Most varieties of ficus are easy to care for. In their natural habitat, most can grow into fairly large trees. In nature, they give flowers and fruits.
Ficus home
]Grown in a pot, they usually never flower or bear fruit.
In the garden or indoors, decorative species are usually kept in check by regular pruning. In some species, aerial roots are formed that develop on above-ground branches, surround the trunk and grow into the soil. Others form support trunks.
ficus care
Indoors, they like bright indirect light, preferring at least six hours of sunlight a day. This is one of the most important factors in caring for ficus in winter. Place it near the brightest windows, usually facing south or west, and leave it alone, as it does not respond well to changes in location.
Note! Once properly installed, the flower pot must not be moved, otherwise the leaves may wither and fall off. Rotate the ficus a quarter of a turn every week so that different parts of the plant face the window. This allows the plant to continue growing evenly.
Temperature
Ficuses are tropical plants that love warmth. Indoors, the ideal temperature for them is around 21°C. Keep them away from drafts and air conditioner vents. They do not like fluctuations in temperature and will shed their leaves. Dry air can also cause the leaves to dry out and fall off. Mist the plant every few days to maintain moisture, or place the pots on pebble-filled saucers of water. Don’t put the pots in the water!
Additional Information! In summer, they can be placed outdoors in the shade. Never put in the sun because they can get sunburn on the leaves. They return to the house in the autumn, when night temperatures begin to fall below 10 ° C.
The soil
Indoor ficus should be grown in a top quality potting mix. It is recommended to plant in a mixture of potting soil and loam. Pots should have good drainage.
Watering ficus
Ficus flower does not like wet soil, leaves quickly and looks unhealthy. Before watering, let the top layer of soil dry by 5 cm. The ideal frequency of watering is 1-2 times a week. You can also spray water on the foliage. Dust from the leaves should be removed with a damp cloth.
Ficus care
Good drainage is important to keep excess water off the roots. Pots should have plenty of drainage holes in the base and sides.
ficus fertilizer
The ficus tree requires fertilizer, especially during the growing season. In the spring, it is advisable to start top dressing, which is carried out regularly until autumn. Liquid fertilizers with a higher nitrogen content than other nutrients are recommended. A fertilizer specially formulated for green plants is dissolved in water for irrigation. In summer and spring, indoor plants can be fertilized every 20 days, in autumn and winter, fertilizer is applied every 60 days and stopped at the end of winter.
Ficus transplant
Ficus is a plant that grows quite quickly. In the early years, it should be transplanted annually into a larger pot. The ideal time to transplant is early spring. Carefully unravel the roots and remove dead, damaged ones.
Ficus transplant
Fill the pot with a quality soil mixture, place the root ball in the center of the pot and tamp down. Then water abundantly and allow to dry for a week. Avoid adding fertilizer to the pot for 15 days after transplanting (there is a risk of burning young roots).
Subsequently repot every 2 or 3 years when the roots sprout from the pot. When the ficus gets too big, you can replace the top layer of soil with a new one.
How and when to prune ficus
Regular pruning of ficus is necessary both in the garden and when growing in pots, otherwise the plants will become too large. Pruned when its branches grow old, also cleared of dry branches. This will allow the ficus to develop foliage and restore vitality.
Ficus: reproduction
Most ornamental ficuses are grown from cuttings. Cuttings 15-20 cm long are suitable, but in order for them to take root, they need heat and moisture.
Propagation by cuttings
Some species can be propagated by air layering, a method that forms roots on the stem of the plant while it is still attached to the parent plant.
Ficus diseases
Ficuses are little susceptible to attack by pests or diseases. However, it is always necessary to know the right solutions to avoid possible problems.
To prevent the attack of red spiders, which usually weave webs under dry leaves, it is necessary to moisten the plant with water.
They are prone to root rot: the right watering conditions are important for their survival.
Other symptoms, such as browning of the leaf margins and leaf drop, are more likely to be caused by improper care than disease. Check watering, drainage, light and humidity.
Note! If a ficus lives outdoors during the growing season, it’s important to check for pests or diseases before bringing it indoors for the winter. Quarantine the plant until it is free of diseases or pests to prevent them from spreading to other houseplants.
Ficus varieties
Ficus benjamina is popular as a houseplant. It is also very easy to grow. Ficus small-leaved stands out with a lush crown and graceful leaves.
Ficus Benjamin
The ficus elastica tree is native to Asia, where it grows up to thirty meters in height. In addition, this plant is called rubber. At home, rubber ficus usually reaches 2-3 meters in height. Large leathery leaves up to 30-40 cm long, oval-shaped, attached to the branches with long petioles.
The species has several varieties, and the most common among them is ficus Robusta. Decora variety with large leathery leaves with purple veins on the underside. Tineke ficus has creamy variegated leaves.
Elasticity: several varieties
Ficus Bengal with aerial roots, which are especially important for him, give several trunks to one tree. The main requirement is the availability of free space, since the tree grows up to 3 m in height. The need for light in ficus is quite weak. The leathery leaves are large (about 30 cm), oval, slightly pubescent on the underside.
Bengali
Ficus dwarf. Aerial roots allow it to climb, and most often it is in limbo. The small oval heart-shaped leaves are very graceful when they cascade down. Young shoots need to be trimmed regularly to obtain a compact and dense shape.
Dwarf creeping
Microcarpa ficus is a small tree, the height of which at home is about 1.5 meters. An interesting ficus with thick aerial roots of an unusual shape.
Microcarp
Ficus Lyra is large in size, grows up to 2.5 m indoors. It got its name because of the shape of the leaves, which resemble a lyre in structure. The leathery, ribbed leaves are large, wrinkled, of a dense structure, the edges are slightly wavy. Their size reaches 50 cm in length and 25 cm in width.
Ficus Liravidny
Growing mistakes
Ficus is a fairly hardy plant that survives even in adverse conditions. However, it can happen that improper cultivation will lead to some problems. Often ficus loses leaves due to errors: when transplanting, sudden changes in temperature, drafts, lack of light, lack of watering. With the right care, leaf fall can be minimized and the plant will be healthy throughout the season.
- Over-watering can lead to rot or mold development, and lack of water can lead to leaf loss.
- The yellowing of the leaves is caused by too much water. It needs to dry out between waterings.
- Brown spots on the leaves are the result of too much sun exposure.
Leaf fall is a common occurrence during the winter months. It is normal for a plant to lose leaves when the temperature drops and in dry air. This is a way to save energy for the plant. It is necessary to move the ficus to a room that is not too hot, well lit and without drafts.
Ficus leaves and sap are poisonous, mainly due to the latex they contain. Therefore, it is recommended to store this plant out of the reach of small children and animals.
