Mulberry family. This is one of the most common indoor plants.
In nature, ficuses are trees and shrubs, grow in dense forests under rain, wind and sun, and are very hardy. But at home, ficuses are much more tender - they do not tolerate drafts, waterlogging of the soil and direct bright sun. Ficus variegated varieties are more photophilous, they need shading only in the hottest time of the day, from about 11 am to 3 pm.
In winter, ficuses tolerate room temperature well, but need good lighting, so if the plant pots do not fit on the windowsill and are moved into the room, you need to arrange the backlight with fluorescent or LED lamps. And variegated forms, such as Ficus Benjamin, can stand on the southern windowsill all winter. With a lack of lighting in winter, weak shoots are formed, internodes are lengthened, there are few leaves, branches reach for the light and the crown looks one-sided.
Ficuses propagate by cuttings. From the shoot, you can get as many cuttings as there are leaves on it. The propagating stalk should consist of one leaf with an intact eye and half of the lower internode without an eye. After cutting the cutting, it is dipped in warm water to stop the secretion of milky juice. For better rooting, a cut or split is made at the bottom of the cutting (for a cutting with hard wood, it is crosswise, for a cutting with soft wood, one cut). It is better to root the cuttings with soil heating and covering the cutting with a plastic bag.
For all ficuses, such a soil mixture is best suited - 2 parts of leaf, 1 part of peat soil and 1 part of humus. Ficuses do not like to be planted in a dish much larger than their root system, so they are transplanted when the roots are supposed to fill the entire pot or tub. At the same time, ficuses grow quite quickly, therefore, the soil during transplantation should be nutritious, in addition, fertilizer top dressing is carried out in spring and summer (they respond well to top dressing with organic fertilizers, rotted cow manure or Giant fertilizer is well suited for this). Ficuses can also be fed with fertilizers such as "Rainbow" and "Palm". Old specimens of large ficuses are transplanted very rarely - after 5-6 years. But every year you need to replace the top layer of the earth with a new one. You should also replace the top layer of the earth if a white crust appears on it - a salt coating.
Types of ficuses
The first place of honor among the various types of ficuses is occupied by rubber-bearing Ficus or Ficus elastica. Ficus Benjamin, Ficus lyre, Ficus Bengal, Ficus dwarf, etc. are also very popular. The secret of such popularity is the unpretentiousness of ficuses in general and the individual beauty of each species:
- ficus elastica - a large monumental plant, very shade-tolerant;
- benjamin's ficus in shape is a miniature tree, easily shaped by pruning, splicing trunks, its branches easily bend and accept any forum;
- lyre-shaped ficus - a proud single plant with shiny leathery leaves;
- ficus Ali (binnendika) - its appearance resembles a willow tree, it never grows and also branches well;
- dwarf ficus is an excellent ground cover or ampelous plant.
Ficus rubbery Ficus elastica
It has several varieties that differ in the shape and color of the leaves. Particularly spectacular varieties with yellow spots and stripes on the leaves. Some cultivars branch well and are quite compact, while others are reluctant to form side shoots and tend to grow upwards.
At home, rubber ficus is undemanding to air humidity and tolerant of lack of light. We advise you to pay special attention to proper watering and care for growing shoots, which can reach several meters and bend intricately. It is necessary to form a crown in a timely manner, tying up the stems or periodically cutting them off and rooting.
Ficus rubber care
Ficus elastica is not demanding in care, it is important to choose the right place, especially for large specimens - so that it is light and does not fry from batteries; do not water excessively and periodically wipe the leaves from dust.
Temperature
Preferably moderate, not below 18°C. They like to "keep their feet warm" - do not put a ficus pot on a cold windowsill, marble or tile floor, etc. In an above-moderate temperature room, the leaves begin to hang down.
Lighting
All varieties of ficus elastica prefer a bright place, protected from direct sunlight during the midday hours. Variegated forms need a lighter and warmer place than dark-leaved forms.
Watering
Ficus rubber-bearing watering loves moderate, does not tolerate waterlogging of the soil. Water at room temperature, better settled. Top dressing with fertilizers from March to August in two weeks.
Ficus benjamina Ficus benjamina
Small-leaved compact tree with a dense crown. The branches of Ficus Benjamin in old plants, 8-10 years old, droop, and give the tree a special attraction. At home, it grows up to 1.5-2 m in height.
Ficus benjamin care
Temperature
Moderate, optimal within 20-25°C, in winter it is possible to keep at lower temperatures of about 16-18°C, with limited watering, limit 10°C with dry content.
Lighting
Ficus benjamina loves light, especially variegated varieties, but with protection from direct sunlight in the afternoon. In spring and summer, an east window is suitable, where the sun is in the morning or evening. But in central Russia for the period from September to January, the southern or southwestern window is ideal for him. With a lack of light in winter, the ficus can leaf fall.
Watering
Ficus benjamin has moisture-retaining thickenings on the roots, therefore it does not tolerate waterlogging, it must be well dried before the next watering. If the roots of a ficus dry for a very long time after watering, rotting may begin: the plant simultaneously throws off a large number of leaves, some lose their color, turn yellow, others fly around still green.
Ficus Ali (binnendika) Ficus binnendijkii "Alii"
Ali is the most popular variety of ficus binnendik Ficus binnendijkii, which is also found under the name "willowleaf ficus". The leaves of this ficus do indeed resemble willow in shape, but this is a folk name, not a botanical one.
With good care, ficus Ali at home reaches 1.5 m in height and about 70-80 cm in diameter. You should not put this ficus on the floor: firstly, it is dark, the lower part of the trunk will begin to become bare, and secondly, it is always colder on the floor, the earth in the pot dries longer and the roots can rot if watered too plentifully.
Ficus Ali Care
Temperature
Moderate, optimal in the range of 20-25°C, in winter it is possible to keep at lower temperatures of about 16-18°C, with limited watering, the limit is 13°C with a dry content. With sudden changes in temperature, it can drop leaves.
Lighting
Bright diffused light, light partial shade. With an acute lack of light, the shoots stretch out, the leaves thin out. From direct sunlight in the hot afternoon can get burns. Ficus Ali with green leaves is more shade tolerant than many other types of ficus. But variegated varieties like 'Amstel Gold' need more intense light, with some morning or evening sunlight.
Watering
In summer, the ficus is watered moderately, the topsoil should dry well to a depth of about 1/2 the height of the pot. In winter, when light and temperature decrease, watering is limited, allowing the earth to dry out almost completely.
Ficus lyre-shaped Ficus lirata
Lyre-shaped ficus Ficus lirata - is distinguished by its large leaves, similar in shape to an inverted violin. Its leaves reach a length of 50-60 cm. He loves loneliness, you should not put him close to other plants.
This ficus is not often seen in flower shops, but it is wonderful - leathery leaves, directed upwards, have an interesting shape. The ficus itself grows slowly, with good care it does not become bare from below. A real decoration of a spacious office or hall. Ficus lyre-shaped at home does not branch well, often grows in one trunk, at the age of 4-5 years it can produce side shoots.
Ficus lyre care
Temperature
In summer, ordinary indoor, does not like extreme heat, in winter it is optimally 18-20 ° C, limit 12 ° C. Does not like soil cooling after watering!
Lighting
A bright place, protected from direct sunlight in spring and summer from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Watering
Moderate, the soil should have time to dry out before the next watering. Water at room temperature, well settled. Top dressing with fertilizers from April to August in two weeks.
Ficus dwarf Ficus pumila
Fast-growing, small-leaved ficus, completely unlike all other types of ficus. You can grow it as an ampelous plant, you can tie it to a support so that it stretches up.
The main care for the ficus is to tie up the support, timely transplant and water, fertilize with fertilizers. Ficus responds well to hot showers as a preventive measure against ticks.
Ficus pumila care
Temperature
Moderate, optimal in the range of 20-25°C, in winter it is possible to keep at lower temperatures of about 12-14°C, with limited watering, the limit is 8°C with a dry content. Although under natural conditions, the tiny ficus can withstand lower temperatures, and even slight frosts, when grown at home, it’s not worth the risk - protect the plants from drafts.
Lighting
Ficus pumila grows well in bright diffused light with some sunlight. An east and west window is suitable, shading is required only at noon. Grows well in artificial light. The variegated ficus is more photophilous. If the ficus lacks light, it can grow new shoots without leaves.
Watering
Pretty plentiful in summer, this is a rare ficus that does not tolerate complete drying of the earth, it should always be slightly damp, but have time to dry from above for the next watering by about a quarter of the height of the pot. In winter, the ficus is watered less often, with the drying of the earth at half the height of the pot.
Ficus turns yellow
The first reason that can cause yellowing of the leaves is a violation of watering.
The leaves turn yellow if the plant has not been watered for a long time, while they fall off one by one. In ficuses with large leaves, when dried, the lower leaves turn yellow first of all, in small-leaved ones - in different parts of the crown.
When waterlogged, excessive watering, ficus leaves also turn yellow, but the main difference is this: when dry, the leaves turn yellow slowly and fall off one at a time, when overflowing they turn yellow faster and fall off en masse: in large-leaved 2-4 pieces at a time, in small-leaved ones - 20 each -30 leaves per day.
Do not rely on your own memory, but dig up the earth and touch it in the depths of the pot.
To avoid waterlogging the soil: if water remains in the pan after watering, it must be drained. In winter, water less often than in spring and summer.
Make good drainage when transplanting in a pot. If there is no expanded clay, then they put a broken red brick - it collects excess water well. Add pieces of birch charcoal to the soil - they prevent the processes of decay. And add a few tablespoons of vermiculite to the soil.
Ficus diseases
New leaves become smaller, old ones turn yellow and fall off - the plant does not have enough nutrients, it needs to be transplanted into nutrient soil.
Yellow spots appear on the leaves or the edges of the leaves turn yellow, the leaves fall prematurely - with excessive watering.
Watering should be moderate, i.e. the soil should have time to dry out.
Also, with excessive watering, the leaves wilt, become lifeless and fall off.
Dry shriveled leaves in ficuses - more often in ampelous forms - too dry air, overdrying of the soil, sunburn.
Sudden leaf fall - in different species it can be caused by different reasons - waterlogging of the soil in rubber-bearing and lyre-shaped ficuses, lack of light or a sharp change in climate in benjamin ficus.
Also, this phenomenon can be caused by watering with cold water, low room temperature, lack of light, excess nutrients in the soil, or a cold draft. Good results in such cases are obtained by spraying with Epin's solution.
Falling of the lower leaves - it is believed that the fall of the lower leaves in tree-like forms of ficuses is a natural phenomenon (very typical for ficuses in room conditions), but this is not entirely true, the lower leaves naturally fall off periodically during aging, but the trunk, nevertheless, should not be completely naked. Baring of the trunk occurs due to untimely transplantation, transplantation into poor soil, lack of top dressing, violation of temperature and light conditions.
Brown spots on the tips and edges of the leaves - If the room temperature is too high, the air is dry, or when overfertilizing.
For lyre-shaped ficus and dwarf ficus, overdrying of the soil is dangerous. If you forget them during the watering of the leaves and the shoots dry.
The loss of variegated leaf color in many species of ficus occurs due to lack of light or sunlight.
In some varieties, it is almost impossible to completely restore variegation, for example, the Safari variety very often turns into an ordinary green ficus.
Ficus pests
It is quite difficult to detect any pest on variegated ficuses - their traces are masked by the natural color of the leaves. Therefore, if the ficus began to shed its leaves, take a magnifying glass and carefully inspect them on both sides.
Scale insects: look like brown plaques on the surface of leaves, petioles and stems, suck out cell sap. Leaves lose color, dry and fall off.
Control measures. For mechanical cleaning of pests, the leaves are wiped with a soapy sponge. Then spray the plant with Actellik solution (1-2 ml per liter of water) or water and spray with Actara solution.
Spider mite: small discolored spots appear on the leaves at first, if you look at the leaf clearance, pinpoint punctures are visible. Gradually, the leaves turn yellow and dry out. With a strong lesion, a cobweb is visible in the internodes and on the back of the leaves.
Control measures. You can use drugs such as Fitoverm, Aktofit, Agravertin, Akarin - at the rate of 10 ml per 1 liter of water, or Vertimek (1 ml per 1 liter of water). The treatment must be repeated after 3-5 days - if the weather is hot or warm (26-24 degrees) and after 7 days if the air temperature is 20 degrees and below, since these drugs do not kill tick eggs.
Thrips - high temperature and low humidity contribute to the appearance. On the underside of the leaf, thrips lays numerous colonies, and light dots appear on the upper side of the leaf. As a result, the upper side of the leaf becomes grayish-brown with a silvery sheen.
Control measures. The plant should be sprayed, if necessary, repeatedly with insecticides (fitoverm, decis, actellik, inta-vir).
Read more about pests of indoor plants in the section "pests"
Ficus fertilizer
General rule: fertilizing with fertilizers for decorative and deciduous plants at a dose recommended by the manufacturer.
Do not feed overdried plants, those that were flooded froze
Do not feed ficuses for a month after transplanting, during the winter months and very hot days in summer. Do not overdo the fertilizer.
Ficuses need to be fed from April to August, once every two weeks with special fertilizer for indoor plants.
Suitable fertilizers such as "Giant", "Ideal", "Uniflor growth", "Rainbow" and others.
Ficus tiny must be fed carefully, as it, despite the fact that it grows quickly when too large doses of fertilizer are applied, loses leaves.
Read more about houseplant fertilizers in the Fertilizers section.
This beautiful indoor culture takes pride of place on our windowsills and is represented by many varieties. But if her entire genus has about 2000 species, then 20 of them are domestic, most of which are evergreen, and some are deciduous. From which countries did these beautiful flowers come to us, in what forms can they be seen, and what is the origin of individual species?
Ficus is a plant of the glorious mulberry family, which is often called the rubber tree. It is easy to explain - the juice of the culture consists of 15 percent of this substance. It is native to the tropical and subtropical forests of Malaysia, the Philippines and Southeast Asia.
Another famous homeland of the plant is New Guinea. Impressive specimens grow there, reaching 40 meters in height. Their trunk diameter is about 5 meters. Most species of such trees have huge and shiny leaves that grow in a downward direction. At the same time, the flowers of such plants are medium in size and form beautiful inflorescences. Parts of the culture are characterized by the presence of a specific milky juice. It is widely used in Latin America for the manufacture of medicinal tinctures that are used to treat benign tumors.
In another well-known homeland of culture - in southern Indonesia and the regions of India located in the northeast, this plant is even recognized as sacred. Buddhists living here believe that, being under it, the Buddha was able to enter nirvana. In Ceylon, it is believed that, planted for the first time in 288 AD, this tree is the personification of spirituality. It can be seen in all local temples. Arriving on the island, believers traditionally tie bright ribbons on the branches of such trees.
In the wild, the well-known fig or fig tree still grows. But few people know that it also belongs to the mulberry family and is actually called ficus Karika. Its homeland is ancient Mesopotamia, in the modern version it is the territory of Iran, Iraq, Syria, Turkey. Whatever variety of ficus you choose, the country of its origin leaves an imprint on the appearance of the plant, the size and color of the foliage, and the features of the content. At home, such a plant usually does not grow above 1 - 2 meters. According to the teachings of Feng Shui, ficus is able to cleanse the energy of the home, create favorable conditions for any fruitful activity.
In what forms can they grow
Under natural conditions, they grow in the form of shrubs, trees, unusual climbing and creeping vines. There are also quite large vines among them - for example, hairy ficus. Many species begin development as epiphytes - such as golden ficus. They are also able to form additional roots, developing on other plants. After a while, such neoplasms descend to the ground. This is a banyan ficus, which in its homeland can form a Bengal, Indian and sacred ficus.
Experts call the main life forms of such a plant epiphytes, stranglers, banyans, bottle or caudes, earth or aggressive. In a number of tropical plants at different stages of development, there is a frequent change of life forms. They can, starting life on other cultures, become stranglers, then banyans. And they are also able to develop in the form of simple evergreen trees.
Various strangler ficuses grow in the tropical forests of America and Asia. They get many advantages - being located in the crown of the owner, they get excellent access to light. And, being in the crevices of other trunks, they are protected from the scorching sun. A wax coating on the surface of the foliage allows such crops to have enough moisture for normal growth and full development. When it gets stronger, a small bush of such a tree releases aerial roots. Since the ground with minerals and water is very low, they can now grow in humid tropical air.
With overgrown roots, the strangler entangles the host, forming a kind of skeleton and inhibiting its growth. Over time, the host tree inevitably dries up. Banyan is another peculiar form of vegetative propagation. Numerous aerial roots hang down in garlands, appearing on horizontally arranged branches of an adult specimen. Often such life forms form multi-stemmed trees-groves. In India, there is the famous Calcutta Botanical Garden called "The Great Banyan".
In it you can see a bright representative of the banyan grove, with about 1000 trunks. His age is 160 years. Engineers rightly compare the banyan tree to a spatial articulated structure, which is distinguished by its ability to withstand even strong gusts of wind. Getting to New Guinea, travelers see interesting low-growing climbing vines, which are attached to a support with aerial roots. Some of these cultures are usually used to decorate the walls of houses - for example, a tiny ficus. In the people for this, he received the beautiful name "alpinist from East Asia." And indoors, such crops are used as groundblood and ampelous.
Video “About growing ficuses”
The origin of individual varieties of ficuses
As mentioned earlier, at home, lovers of indoor crops prefer to grow about 2 dozen varieties. One of the most popular is the rubber-bearing type of flower. It grows and develops well, does not require complex care, has a strong immunity to most diseases. Easily tolerates the pruning procedure, quickly recovers. This tree-like flower grows up to 2 meters, has dark green oval-shaped foliage up to 35 cm in size. The culture comes from hot countries - Nepal, Burma, West Africa, the Himalayas.
The variety has a variety characterized by beautiful variegated leaves. Green-leaved varieties are less demanding on growing conditions. Variegated varieties include the rubber-bearing Robusta and the Black Prince with leaves of the same color. Variegata has green leaves and cream edging, while Doechery has variegated foliage with a red vein and pink spots on the surface.
The lyre-shaped flower has pretty light green leaves. This ficus got its name for the shape of the leaves, very reminiscent of this musical instrument. It comes from the tropical and lowland forests of West Africa. In the wild, it can grow up to 12 meters. It has an upright trunk without aerial roots, the length of the leaf plate is up to 60 cm.
Dwarf or pimula - an ampelous plant in the form of a creeping and climbing liana with thin and long shoots about 5 meters in size. Found in China and Japan. By nature, it has small heart-shaped leaves up to 3 cm long. It covers the ground with a beautiful carpet and gives roots. The size of the leaves of adult crops reaches 10 cm. Variegated species are also found among dwarf varieties.
The countries of origin of the creeping variety are the tropical regions of America, Asia and Africa. Such a shrub is a creeping miniature species with rounded leaves. It has adventitious roots, perfectly climbs up the bark of trees.
A retuza variety, also known as laurel, also blunted, is an alien from the tropics of Southeast Asia and Taiwan. Many flower growers know him as Cuban. Such a culture is perfect for creating bonsai, having an interesting stem shape. It has glossy green egg-shaped leaves that are up to 10 cm long.
The rusty variety, which is also known as the Australian variety, since it grows on the territory of this country, is a bit like rubber. It is an evergreen and spreading tree of medium size. It has beautiful red shoots and dark green foliage that grows up to 25 cm. The apical shoots are pubescent and painted in a pleasant bright pink hue. A variation of the rusty-leaved variety is a variegated form with a creamy-white edging of the leaves. Aerial roots form at the bottom of the trunk.
Known to every gardener, the Benjamin variety came to our country from the tropics of Asia, where it is found at the foot of the mountains. Under natural conditions, it is an evergreen tree up to 20 meters high. At home, such a culture barely reaches 2 meters. It is the symbol tree of Bangkok. It has leaves that resemble an egg in shape, and the Baroque variety has leaves in the form of a spiral. From such a culture, excellent bindings are obtained, which are made from props of aerial roots.
From India, we got a rooting variety from this family. It is unusual in appearance, has a large number of curly thin shoots. Its dark green leaves pointed at the ends with a white stripe along the edge are on the roots. The length of each is up to 7 cm.
A variety of karika, or fig, or fig tree is mentioned in the Bible. Its fruit, the fig tree, was once forbidden, and the first people on Earth created garments from the leaves. This culture grows in India, Europe, North and South Africa, is found in the Caucasus and Transcaucasia. It is a medium sized deciduous shrub with a spreading crown. Its decorative leaves have a broadly lobed, palmately incised shape, light yellow and white veins are visible on the surface. The Karika variety includes Kadata, Black San Pedro, Dalmatika, Black Crimean, Shuisky.
Ivy-shaped - a native of Burma, Laos, Thailand, South China. It is a climbing shrub with aerial roots located at leaf nodes. They have a narrow shape and somewhat sharp edges, grow up to 11 cm. At the bottom of the leaf plate there is a pubescence resembling bristles. Mountain variety Montana is found in Indonesia, Malaysia, New Guinea, Indochina. Such a tree-like shrub reaches 1.5 meters in height. It has beautiful rich green leaves in the shape of an egg up to 10 cm long, on which dark veins are located.
The sacred species was first seen on the territory of such countries as India, Thailand, Taiwan, China. Under natural conditions, it grows up to 30 meters. At the bottom of the trunk forms roots-props. The religious variety has large leaves of an interesting heart-shaped shape up to 20 cm long. An amazing phenomenon is associated with it - when the pressure changes at the tips of the foliage, juice comes out, which is called the weeping of a sacred tree. Its leaves surprise with a greenish-blue color with a characteristic white vein.
The triangular variety is found in distant Africa, where it can reach 30 meters in height. It has pretty triangular-shaped leaves up to 10 cm in size with a vein symmetrically located in the center. At home, it even produces round, light yellow fruits.
A variegated variety is a low-growing shrub up to 1 meter high. On the surface of its leaves of a dark green hue, brown spots are clearly visible. It bears fruit with inedible berries resembling olives in size and color. Parcella is a fast growing tree that has dense lush foliage. Received from nature hard oval-shaped leaves, on the surface of which bright yellow strokes are located.
Bengal Banyan flower has good branching. In the wild nature of India and New Guinea, it grows in huge plantations. This invasive species inhibits the growth of all undersized crops located under it. At home, it’s really possible to grow a tree up to 7 meters tall. Rough or aspera is a medium-sized tree growing up to 1.5 meters, with lush foliage. It is characterized by good branching, the bottom of the trunk is bare. On the leaves of dark green there is spotting and dashes of pink, also white. They form a magnificent marble pattern. It grows in the tropics from the Eastern Himalayas to the Philippines and Micronesia.
Ficuses are plants that have become extremely common with florists. In many ways, this is facilitated by their external attractiveness and unpretentiousness.
Where are the ficuses from?
All of them belong to the genus Moraceae. And where is the birthplace of plants? Ficuses live in Southeast Asia, in Ceylon, Java and Borneo. Some species grow in the tropics and subtropics of the Australian continent.
These plants are so peculiar and beautiful that lovers have not been surprised for a long time by the new forms of ficuses that scientists find almost every year.
In what forms do they grow?
Their diversity is such that both trees and herbaceous species are found. Regardless of what the homeland of plants is, ficuses of one variety or another are easy to correlate with each other thanks to the milky juice that appears on the fault.
The myth of evergreen
By the way, it is generally accepted that due to the "greenhouse" growing conditions, all ficuses are evergreen. In most cases this is true, but sometimes there are exceptions to the rule. So, ficuses "ali", "natasha", "viandi" and "elastica", whose habitat is the humid and hot jungle of Borneo, are deciduous.
In addition, the birthplace of ficus plants in many ways formed not only biologically, but also morphologically distinct from each other. Moreover, the differences are so significant that even a fairly experienced botanist will be amazed at how much related species can “leave” each other.
Once again about species diversity
For example, the small-leaved Pumila and Hederacea are so small that they are used as an exquisite ground cover. The maximum diameter of their leaves rarely exceeds 1.5 cm. But their relative, the "banyan", which is very common in Bengal, reaches a height of 30 meters with a crown diameter of five meters.
Few people know that the homeland of plants (ficuses of some subspecies) managed to "mark" even in the Bible. Did you know that the fig tree is also a ficus? Yes, yes, that same fig also belongs to the mulberry genus, and its biological name is “karika”. This plant comes from ancient Mesopotamia, which was located on the site of modern Turkey, Iran and Syria.
Influence of habitat on characteristics
As even an inexperienced lover of indoor plants in botanical affairs can notice, the biological range of these species is simply huge. This means that each ficus bears an invisible imprint of its distant homeland, which largely determines not only its appearance, but also its attitude to growing conditions.
So, "benjamin's ficus" (the birthplace of the plant is Australia) does not tolerate cold weather and sudden changes in temperature at all, as it is accustomed to the relatively constant climate of tropical forests. Because of these features, it is strongly not recommended for beginners to choose, as they can easily destroy such a gentle ward.
findings
If you want to purchase one of the representatives of the mulberry genus for cultivation in potted conditions, it is better to find out in advance where this or that ficus comes from. The homeland of the plant in each case determines the conditions for care and cultivation.
Without this knowledge, you are unlikely to be able to provide your pet with comfortable living conditions.
ficuses are again gaining wild popularity, especially as indoor plants - for their originality and unpretentiousness in care. But many of us know little about ficuses. Let's get to know them better.
The genus Ficus belongs to the Mulberry family (Moraceae). Other well-known plants belong to the same family, for example, mulberry, paper tree, breadfruit, maclura, Brazilian dorstenia. Ficus was isolated by C. Linnaeus in 1753. Now up to 1000 species are known, which are distributed in the equatorial and subequatorial belt in the territory from about 35 o north to 35 o south latitude - in Africa, America, Asia, Australia.
There are so many different types of ficuses in the world that it is easy to confuse them. The difficulty in identification also lies in the fact that the same type of ficus can be found under different names, or, conversely, two different ficuses can have the same name. To avoid such confusion, it is customary to put at the end of each Latin name the name of the scientist who first described this species, often in an abbreviated form.
If other plants can be recognized by leaves, then this number will not work for ficuses), because very often a ficus leaf plate within one variety can change more than between varieties. This feature is called heterophilia, a prominent representative of which can be called ficus heterophyllous, or deltoid. Therefore, when determining one or another type of ficus, attention is also paid to the color of the bark, the size and color of syconia, the nature of the venation of leaf plates, and the general appearance of plants.
Each type of ficus has its own habitat on Earth. For example, in the Amazon River basin there are such types of ficuses that cannot be seen anywhere else.
Ficuses growing in equatorial humid forests have an evergreen crown with hard, shiny leaves, adorning powerful columnar trunks, at the base of which are flat plank-shaped roots, which also rise above the ground several meters in height. In the equatorial climate, where it is always warm and very humid, plants grow all year round. At evergreen ficuses, for example, ear-shaped ficus, crater-leaved ficus, old leaves do not have time to turn yellow and fall off, as new, young leaves bloom again. That's why they seem to be evergreen.
In the mountainous regions of the tropics, at an altitude above 1.5 kilometers above sea level, ficuses with densely pubescent leaves, for example, ficus Hirta. Pubescence protects ficuses from hypothermia. Cherry ficus has pubescence in the form of short bristly hairs, almost invisible, but because of their presence, the ficus leaf plate seems rough.
In the subequatorial zone, where there are periods of drought that can last several months, there are growing semi-deciduous(cape ficus, or sur, sacred ficus, racemose ficus) and deciduous ficuses. The erect ficus (Ficus erecta) is considered to be completely deciduous. Even those plants that grow far from their homeland shed their old leaves every year in October, and new leaves appear only in January.
In ficus dye, or green (Ficus infectoria), the leaves fall off twice a year: in autumn and spring. His young leaves begin to bloom at the ends of the shoots, when the old leaves have not all fallen off.
On the rocky slopes of the mountains of the Mediterranean, in Iran, Central Asia, the carian ficus (Ficus carica), better known as the fig, or fig tree, grows. This is a deciduous ficus that freezes over after severe frosts, but quickly recovers in the form of root shoots.
Semi-deciduous ficus rough (Ficus aspera), sheds only part of the leaves.
Among ficuses there are not only trees, but also shrubs, for example, scaly ficus (Ficus ramentacea), as well as large lianas, a typical representative of which is hairy ficus (Ficus villosa).
On the island of New Guinea grows a lot undersized ficuses in the form of small climbing vines that cling to the support with aerial roots. One of them - tiny ficus (Ficus pumila) - is called the "climber from East Asia" and is used to decorate the walls of houses in tropical countries. In room conditions, such ficuses are used as ampelous or ground cover plants.
There are ficuses that start life as epiphytes on other trees, then, as they grow, turn into banyans or strangler ficuses. How the epiphyte behaves rubber ficus (Ficus elastica), golden ficus (Ficus aurea), high ficus (Ficus altissima).
Strangler ficuses belong to the category of natural wonders. Tropical plant researchers J. Korner and A. Fedorov described the approximate life cycle of strangler ficuses. Birds or insects carry ficus seeds to the top of a large tree. The seeds germinate, and at first the ficus receives nutrients from the air and water with the help of its aerial roots. Gradually, the roots wrap around the trunk of the tree on which they grow. As soon as the aerial roots of the ficus reach the ground, they quickly take root and begin to grow rapidly in thickness. Some roots grow together, cover and squeeze the entire trunk of the tree. The tree dies, turning into humus, but continues to serve as food for the ficus for a long time. When the tree finally disappears, a strong frame-trunk of intertwined and fused roots of the strangler ficus remains in its place.
Another, no less exotic form of ficus life - banyan, which got its name in honor of the sacred tree of India - Bengal ficus (Ficus benghalensis). Strangler ficuses turn into banyan trees in the later stages of growth. Over time, on the horizontal branches of an adult tree, aerial roots hang in garlands, which, having reached the ground, take root, thicken and turn into additional trunks. Sometimes such offspring trunks are separated from the mother plant. But often multi-stemmed groves grow. In the Calcutta Botanical Garden (India), the "Great Banyan" grows, which has up to 1000 root offspring. This tree is 160 years old and it will take 10-15 minutes to walk around it. Other large banyan trees cover an area of up to 2 hectares.
However, not every plant in this group of ficuses turns into banyans. This is facilitated or hindered by the natural conditions in which ficuses grow. For example, yellow ficus in the arid regions of Africa grows like an ordinary tree, without even growing to its maximum size.
Malaysia and New Guinea have earth ficuses, in which shoots develop in the lower part of the trunk, underground. Leaning and reaching the ground, the shoots penetrate the surface layers of the soil, forming inflorescences there, which eventually become seedlings. Earthen ficuses include long-horned ficus (Ficus uncinatavar. strigose).
There are even succulent ficuses. Such ficuses grow in arid areas. And in order not to lack moisture, they store it in a thickened trunk. These ficuses include Ficus palmeri (Ficus palmeri).
Ficus flowering- this is another of the wonders in the plant world. The fruit of a ficus is called a fig. In fact, sweet berries with an abundance of small seeds are fruit. They are usually pear-shaped with a hole at the top. Scientifically, ficus seedlings are called syconia. They are lined inside with flower petals, but you can see the petals only by breaking the fruit in half. In general, ficus has three types of flowers: male, consisting of stamens; female, consisting of pistils; and another type of inflorescence with long pistils, which turn into a sweet fruit. In wild ficuses, all three inflorescences are on the same tree. Only in cultivated forms of the fig tree, the inflorescences that form the fruit are found on female trees and are called figs. Male infructescences (caprifigs) always remain hard and inedible.
Pollination of ficuses occurs with the help of insects. There is a variety of wasps that pollinate only ficuses. Some seedlings of ficus wasps are used as incubators for breeding. Flying into one or another inflorescence, wasps transfer pollen from stamens to pistils. Wasp larvae overwinter in male inflorescences - caprifigs. However, new parthenocarpic varieties of figs have been bred - seedlings develop without pollination and seed setting.
Ficus has another wonderful property - caulifloria, thanks to which its inflorescences, and then infructescence, develop directly on the trunk.
No matter how ficuses are tied to their habitat, a person successfully intervenes in the life of ficuses. Now many beautiful varieties and forms of ficuses have been bred for every taste. Some species of ficus have been transplanted from their usual habitat to other places, and they have successfully established themselves in the new place. Now ficuses decorate not only city streets, parks in areas with a warm climate, but also our homes.
When writing the article, materials were used https://ru.wikipedia.org;
Literature: In Chekurov "Ficuses".
Image source: www.tropicaldesigns.com, www.happyho.ru, http://biodiversity.sci.kagoshima-u.ac.jp, https://www.flickr.com - Brian Chiu, Black Diamond Images, Joel Abroad , Hans Hillewaert, Reuben C. J. Lim, *L, S.J. & Jessie Quinney Library, Tim Waters, rosch2012, Pedro Garcia
A beautiful tree with evergreen leaves that is hard to miss is Benjamin's ficus. Fans of indoor plants know that he is able to decorate any room with himself, but in order for the tree to remain beautiful, care must be taken. Someone may say that they are quite complex and this flower has a capricious character, but now we will tell you how to care for Benjamin's ficus, and you will see that in fact caring for it at home is not so complicated.
Choosing a place for ficus
Given that any indoor plants do not like rearrangements, it is advisable to choose a place before the flower appears at home. So you will facilitate the care of the plant. Where Benjamin's ficus will be located, it should not be too dark or light, and also cold. Of course, like all indoor plants, Benjamin's ficus does not like drafts.
The temperature should not fall below 15 degrees, and it is desirable that the room is well ventilated. Direct sunlight can cause the ficus to die, but the lighting should be quite bright, especially if your specimen has a variegated leaf color.
Care also implies control of air humidity: it should not be lower than 50%, and the optimal indicator is 70%. If the air is too dry, it is necessary to spray the leaves with a spray bottle and bathe Benjamin's whole ficus (if its size allows) in the shower at least once a month. After bathing, allow the plant to dry completely, otherwise it may freeze.
Watering and fertilizing ficus Benjamin
It's hard to imagine proper care without a watering schedule. But you have to water indoor plants without it, because different seasons require different watering intervals. Ficus Benjamin should be watered only when the earth ball is already dry enough from the previous watering, but excessive drought should not be allowed. Check the soil - if it has dried out by about 1/5 of the pot, then you can safely proceed to water procedures.
Considering the size that Benjamin's ficus reaches, it is better to water in several stages so that the earthen ball is well saturated with moisture. The water that remains in the pan after watering must be drained (about 30 minutes after watering: this time is enough for the earth to absorb all the necessary moisture).
It is worth noting that proper care without fertilizer is unlikely to succeed. As a top dressing for the plant, you can use ready-made mixtures. Calculate the dosage according to the instructions. Usually ficus Benjamin begin to fertilize the ficus in early spring and continue throughout the summer (once every two weeks).
During dormancy, do not overload the soil with fertilizers. This can only contribute to the development of various fungi, which later serve as sources of numerous diseases. You can use a leaf feed, but be sure to stick to the dosage, otherwise Benjamin's ficus will easily shed its foliage.
Plant transplant
How to understand that a plant needs a transplant? If you find that the intervals between watering the ficus are getting shorter, and the roots began to peek out through the drainage holes, then the time has come. Usually young indoor plants are transplanted every year, choosing a pot 2 cm larger than the previous one.
Upon reaching the age of 5, Benjamin's ficus is transplanted every two years. And long-lived ficuses of impressive size can not be completely transplanted, but only partially replaced with soil.
Transplantation is carried out mainly at the moment when the plant is going through an active period. Spring and summer, in principle, are ideal for relocating ficus. Two days before transplanting, the plant must be well watered. For transplanting, we take the plant out of the pot and gently shake off all the earth from the roots.
In the pot where the plant will be, be sure to pour a layer of drainage and install the ficus there. We fill up the earth on the sides, tamping it a little. Water and let it root. Care after transplantation is normal.
Reproduction of ficus Benjamin
The period of active growth of ficus is great for propagating it. The main method of reproduction is cuttings. You should not try to root young tops, choose those branches where the fabric is already quite stiff. Cut off the stalk from 7 to 10 cm in size and be sure to remove the released milky juice. You can simply immediately place the cuttings in a container of water, and after some time change it. This procedure must be repeated during the day every three hours.
When the juice has already been disposed of, leave the cuttings in a jar of clean water until the roots appear. It usually takes about two weeks before the appearance of small roots, after which the cuttings are ready for rooting in the ground. When you put the cuttings in water, it is very important to cut off all the lower leaves so that they do not decompose in a humid environment.
Pots with a diameter of 10 cm and any universal soil are suitable for planting cuttings. Do not forget about drainage, a layer of expanded clay must be required. Planting young plants differs little from the further transplantation, which we have already written about.
Problems in caring for Benjamin's ficus
Foliage is the main indicator of plant health. The most common problems that affect such indoor flowers are described below.
- The leaves fall off and the tips dry: the reason is too dry air in the room. Solved by spraying;
- The leaves of the plant curl and wither: this indicates a lack of heat for the ficus. If he is standing near a wall or glass, move away. Increase the temperature in the room as a whole;
- New shoots, thinned and too small leaves: lack of light or nutrition. Feed the plant and put it in a more lit area;
- The lower leaves fly around: this is not a problem, but a natural result of plant growth;
- Do not forget to periodically inspect the plant for pests. Ficus leaves love spider mites and shield aphids. You can destroy them with the help of ready-made insecticides.
- rubbery ficus (aka elastica) has yellowish stripes and spots on rather large leaves;
- Benjamin's ficus, on the contrary, is overgrown with small graceful leaves, often variegated;
- lyre-shaped ficus is famous for its large leaves of a specific shape, the size of which reaches half a meter;
- dwarf ficus grows very quickly, but does not tolerate drying out of the soil and low levels of humidity.
- Ficus Banyan (sacred) is famous for its large, heart-shaped leaves with yellow veins and fruits that have antibacterial properties.
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That's all the basic rules for caring for ficus at home. Do not be afraid to form its crown and regularly cut off excess shoots, the plant will only benefit from this. Do not take it out to the balcony in January and do not put it in drafts, then it will decorate your apartment for a very long time!
Article date: 07.11.2007
Family: Mulberry (Moraceae).
Homeland: tropical areas.
Bloom: depending on the type.
Growth: average.
Light: bright scattered.
Temperature: in the spring-summer period 23-25 ?, in winter most species need a temperature of 12-15 ?, but they tolerate wintering well in the warmth of the dwelling.
Watering: plentiful in spring and summer. In autumn, watering is reduced, in winter it is watered moderately.
Air humidity: the plant is able to tolerate dry air, but responds well to spraying.
Top dressing: mineral and organic liquid top dressings in spring and summer (2 times a month) contribute to the rapid growth of plants.
Pruning: a number of ficus species are excellent for shaping pruning.
rest period: in winter. Plants are kept in a bright room, watered moderately.
Transfer: young ficuses should be replanted annually. Older plants are transplanted after 1-2 years, in March. In tub specimens, transplantation can be replaced by an annual replacement of the topsoil.
Reproduction: mainly by cuttings, rarely by seeds. It is permissible to propagate plants by air layering.
Rod Ficus ( Ficus L.) has up to 900 plant species and belongs to the mulberry family. Ficuses are widespread in tropical and subtropical zones.
Evergreens, trees and shrubs, rarely with falling leaves, as well as creepers. The leaves are alternate, entire or lobed, glossy or pubescent. Ficus inflorescences (syconia) have a unique structure. They represent an overgrown axis of a capitate or pear-shaped shape, hollow inside and with a hole at the top. Flowers are located on the inner surface of the wall of the inflorescence and are pollinated by insects. After pollination, numerous small fruits develop from the flowers - drupes, which, with the overgrown dry or juicy wall of the inflorescence, form a seed. In room culture, ficuses almost do not bloom. Plants contain milky juice.
Among the representatives of the genus there are fruit crops, but mostly these are park and deciduous ornamental plants suitable for cultivation in the greenhouses of botanical gardens, in winter gardens and rooms.
Ficuses are stable in indoor conditions, suitable for residential and office premises, winter gardens. Ficus trees are very beautiful in the interior. Climbing and creeping are spectacular in hanging ceramic vases. Grow quickly, relatively undemanding to light.
Fig tree, or Fig tree (ficus carica L.)- a photo. It grows on carbonate soils on rocky mountain slopes in the Mediterranean region, Transcaucasia, Central Asia, India, Afghanistan, Asia Minor, Iran. Deciduous trees 8–10 (up to 12) m tall. Leaves broadly ovate, 3–5 (up to 7) palmately lobed, 10–15 (up to 35) cm long and 6–12 cm wide, heart-shaped at the base (fall off in winter).
inflorescences- siconia, round-pear-shaped, hollow, develop on the branches of a tree. In syconia, 3 types of flowers are laid and develop: male, female with short and female with long columns. female flowers with long columns develop into juicy fruits - infructescences, commonly known as figs, fig, or fig- photo of infructescences. Dioecious, rarely monoecious (in culture in a number of varieties).
Valuable fruit plant. Cultivated in cool, bright areas. Fruits in rooms. The method of pollination of fig flowers in nature is very interesting. Pollination is carried out by a small wasp - blastophage. Male and female short-columnar flowers, called caprifigs, are solid, stamens develop in them and the blastophage development cycle occurs. The final stage in the development and activity of the blastophage is that, being fertilized in caprifiga, it emerges from it, showered with pollen, penetrates into the syconip with long-columnar female flowers to lay eggs and simultaneously pollinate them.
Content Features:
During the growing season, it is plentifully watered with soft settled water as the top layer of the substrate dries up and top dressing is applied - organic and mineral fertilizers, every 3 weeks. In autumn (more often in October), the plant sheds its leaves, so watering is reduced (watered only when the earth begins to dry out). In autumn and winter they are kept in a cool room, at a temperature of no more than 10?, but it is more desirable to lower the temperature to 6?. After a dormant period, watering is increased; plants are placed closer to the light. Top dressing is applied after the leaves appear. Figs bear fruit from 3-4 years of age.
Propagated by cuttings from fruit-bearing trees, in spring and summer. The cuttings are rooted in the sand. After rooting, they are planted in 7-centimeter pots. The earth mixture is made up of soddy soil - 2 hours, humus - 1 hour, sand - 0.5 hours. Young plants are transferred twice - into 9- and 11-centimeter pots. When the plants reach 15–20 cm in height, the top is pinched to stimulate the development of shoots, which are also later cut to 1/3 of the length; on young plants, only 3-4 developed branches are left, the rest are removed.
ficus bengal (Ficus benghalensis L.). Synonyms: F. indian (F. indica L.). It grows in monsoon forests and on the lower slopes of mountains in India and Sri Lanka. Evergreens, trees up to 30 m tall, forming large branches and aerial roots. The leaves are oval, 10–20 cm long and 4–8 cm wide, leathery, rounded at the base, smooth, obtuse at the top. Highly decorative look.
ficus benjamina (ficus benjamina L.). It grows in tropical rainforests, at the foot of mountains, rising to a height of 300 m above sea level, in tropical Asia. Evergreens, trees 15 - 18 (up to 30) m tall, with branched hanging thin branches; form aerial roots. The leaves are oval-ovate, 5-12 cm long and 2-5 cm wide, rounded at the base, dense, almost leathery, glossy, slightly wavy along the edges, 1.5-2.5 cm long. The petiole is long. Popular ornamental plant. This species can be grown as a bonsai and is excellent for bonsai compositions.
It has a number of varieties that differ in leaf coloring.
Redjinald- light olive leaves with dark green spots along the midrib.
In varieties Natasha and Wiandi the leaves are small, slightly folded and curved outwards.
Varieties bushy king, Variegata, golden king, starlight variegated with white, cream, yellowish spots or border.
Extraordinarily good Curly with white leaves, on which cream and green spots are randomly scattered.
Toolittle- a small tree with original small arcuate leaves.
Variety Kiki- a lush bush with many upright shoots, densely leafy, elongated-lanceolate with a pointed tip, dense, leathery leaves. The color of the leaf blade is very effective: small white spots are scattered as if on a dark green background.
One of the most popular varieties Monique. The leaves are bright green, the edge is wavy, with age this sign intensifies, as well as in low light. At a light intensity of at least 3000 lux, the leaves acquire a beautiful dark green color. There is a form with white spots on the leaves.
Variety Monique Gold with green leaves adorned with pale green and yellowish spots.
Ficus Binnendijka (Ficus binnendijkii Miquel). At home (Java), it is an evergreen, large tree. In room conditions, the most common varieties Alii and Amstel Gueen. In appearance, they resemble willows.
Variety Alii thin shoots are densely leafy with linear, entire leaves with a pointed apex. Record 17-20 cm long, leathery, shiny, dark green - photo. Amstel Queen- photo - differs in larger leaves, the length of which reaches 30 cm. Altissima has elongated-oval leaves, with a slightly serrated edge, the color is dark green, in young leaves with gray-green spots, in old leaves the edge of the leaf blade becomes creamy white, the veins are white.
Ficus goblet (Ficus craterostoma warb. ex Mildbr. & Burret). An evergreen tree from the subtropics of East and South Africa. Leaves obovate, apex cut, 7-8 cm long and 4-5 cm wide, leathery, shiny, bright or dark green. It is more common in the greenhouses of botanical gardens than among amateur gardeners.
www.floralworld.ru
Ficus: Plant for creating a warm family environment
Indoor ficus is a small tree with dense glossy dark green leaves. He loves sunshine, fresh air and plenty of water. It grows quite quickly, but lives quite a long time compared to other houseplants.
Ficus has the ability to create a family atmosphere- inspires benevolence and helps people become more attentive and patient with each other. Ficus is especially useful for houses with “domestic tyrants”, as it draws aggression out of a person and teaches to cope with his inherent temper. Even the most hopeless pessimist, the plant is able to instill a share of optimism. Ficus wean people from the need to share their problems with everyone around, and also eradicates the need for pity.
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Ficus Benjamin: care, causes of leaf fall
What is it - Benjamin's ficus?
Ficus comes from Asia. In total, there are more than a thousand species of ficuses, and the rubber-bearing ficus was once the most common. But in recent years it has been replaced by Benjamin's ficus with smaller, slightly wavy leaves.
Ficus Benjamin is a small evergreen tree with thin drooping shoots and small numerous leaves of different colors and shapes. At home, with proper care, such a ficus can grow up to 2 meters.
Ficus Benjamin looks very beautiful - an openwork crown of small motley leaves makes this plant very decorative and allows you to fit into any interior.
How to choose a place for ficus Benjamin?
Variegated ficuses are more demanding of light, but direct sunlight is useful only in the morning and evening. And ficuses with dark green leaves can grow well in partial shade.
The optimal room temperature for growing Ficus Benjamin is from 18 to 24 ° C. In winter, as a rule, the temperature should be lower by 3-4 °C.
Do not place your ficus Benjamin near the radiator, as well as in a draft.
How to water ficus Benjamin?
Watering the ficus, especially in winter, requires a moderately wet one - you can neither pour it over nor dry it with an earthen lump, otherwise the plant will immediately start to hurt.
In summer, watering should be more frequent. Remember that ficuses suffer more from overflow than from underwatering. Water only with warm soft water.
Do not forget to spray the plant: in summer, spraying is required 2-3 times a week, and in winter, once a week is enough. Wipe the leaves from time to time with a damp cloth.
Why does Benjamin's ficus shed its leaves?
If your plant has begun to drop leaves, then carefully inspect it. If there are no suspicious spots or signs of insect damage on the leaves, and if the plant has not been accidentally overdried or overfed with fertilizer, then there should not be much concern. Dropping the leaves of ficus Benjamin tolerates easily and quickly restores the loss in the spring.
But keep in mind: ficus likes constancy in lighting, temperature and habitat. In autumn, growing conditions change, the days become shorter and the illumination drops sharply, the temperature drops. From such stress, the ficus sheds a lot of leaves. He no longer needs some of them for photosynthesis and evaporation of water.
You can reduce leaf fall by placing the pot in the brightest and coolest place. In this case, you need to pay attention to how the plant was oriented towards the light before. Ficus Benjamin is better not to turn, this can also cause leaf fall. In order not to be mistaken, a mark is made on the surface of the pot, turned to the stream of light. And, rearranging the ficus, they always focus on it.
From November to February, it is generally advisable to send the plant to rest, reduce watering and do not feed.
If leaf loss is caused by disease or root death from fertilizer overdose or drying out of the soil, extreme measures are required: fungicide treatment or transplanting with a complete replacement of the soil with a new one.
- Large plants during the growth period should be fed weekly with ordinary flower fertilizer, and small ones - once every 2-3 weeks. In winter, fertilizers should be completely abandoned.
- If the plant is in a too dark place in winter, the leaves may also begin to fall. Loss of foliage also happens with large specimens if the ends of the shoots are in the dark. Ficuses require uniform lighting.
- Ficuses should be transplanted only as needed after the roots fill the entire flower container.
www.wild-mistress.ru
Ficus? one of the most popular indoor plants. This evergreen tropical shrub with falling leaves takes its rightful place in homes and offices. Ficus care is very simple. One of its undoubted advantages is that this indoor flower can be kept even in shady places and is able to endure dry air, although ficus grows much faster in good sunlight. It is necessary to water the ficus very abundantly, drying out of the soil can lead to its death.
Ficus? a very unpretentious indoor plant that does not require special care, but it looks very impressive. There are a huge number of various varieties and subspecies of ficus, but the most common are the following varieties:
Ficuses can only be propagated by cuttings. To do this, they are rooted in disinfected sand and only after the formation of calluses are placed in the soil. As for fertilizers, there is complete freedom of action. You can feed your pet with organic, mineral or complex fertilizers twice a month, but you should still fertilize ficuses carefully in winter and generally exclude top dressing in the first few weeks after transplantation.
Ficuses are often attacked by thrips colonies. You can find out about this by the silvery coating on the leaves. Spray the houseplant immediately with drugs such as Fitoverm, Actellik, Intavir. If your pet has chosen a scale insect, which manifests itself in the form of brown plaques on the surface of the leaves that suck the cell sap from the plant, use Aktellik's solution. Usually three approaches are enough.
With a mealybug, which reveals its presence in the form of white fluff or cotton wool on the surface of the leaves, it is better to fight, armed with a Confidor solution. The procedure is recommended to be repeated twice, until the pests are completely destroyed. Spider mites can be washed off with soapy water from the leaves or, if this remedy does not help, apply any insecticidal preparations. Can the springtail be defeated by the physical method? immerse the pot in water and carefully collect the floating insects.
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