Ficus rubber

The rubber-bearing ficus belongs to the mulberry family. The genus of this culture, of course, is the ficus. And this amazing plant came to us from afar - from Indonesia, as well as from the northeast of distant India. As you guessed, the name of this culture was not given by chance. This ficus has a fairly thick and viscous juice, which, surprisingly, has a lot of rubber. It's no secret that this substance is used to make rubber. Buddhists believe that ficus is a sacred culture. This plant is very popular at the present time, because flower growers are happy to grow ficuses in their apartments. An interesting fact, even in the last century, the ficus was considered wild, a sign of bad taste, so this plant was not grown as an indoor plant. That is why for a long period of time this culture was forgotten, and in vain. But in the current 21st century, this elegant and surprisingly beautiful plant is gaining popularity again. This culture is rightfully considered unpretentious, in many respects, therefore, flower growers love to grow ficus all over the world.

Growing.

In order to grow ficus, you will need to adhere to certain agrotechnical rules. This plant is appreciated for its decorative foliage, so there is no need to expect flowering from this culture. Ficus is usually grown either in partial shade or in a place where diffused light is concentrated. Direct sunlight should not fall on the sheet plates. In the spring-summer period, the air temperature in the apartment should be about + 21-25 degrees, but in winter it can be cooler. Watering this crop is usually recommended several times a week, but in winter the intensity of watering should be reduced. Watering this culture during the dormant period is recommended once every 6-7 days. But the humidity in the room should be high enough. In spring and summer, experienced flower growers moisturize foliage with a spray bottle. Do not forget to wipe the dust off the sheet plates in a timely manner. But it is not so active to feed this culture. Usually, flower growers recommend alternating organic and mineral fertilizers. And it will be necessary to feed this plant in spring and summer. Moreover, it is better to apply fertilizer to the soil once every 2 weeks. But in autumn and winter, this houseplant is dormant, so you should not worry about the ficus in vain.

Young plants are often transplanted, usually annually. This is best done either in spring or early summer. But mature bushes are recommended to be transplanted once every few years. It is not worth disturbing very old plants, in order for the ficus to develop normally, you will only need to change the top layer of the earth in a timely manner. This culture is propagated by cuttings or guesses. The plant's immunity is not very high, therefore, very often on the leaf blades, you can see signs of many diseases, for example, anthracnose. They also like to feast on foliage and shoots and many pests. Therefore, carefully examine the ficus and carry out preventive treatments. But remember, the juice of this plant is poisonous, so it is advisable to carry out all the work on caring for an indoor flower with gloves, without contacting directly with the plants.

About the features.

In its natural habitat, rubber-bearing ficus grows more than intensively. Its shoots can reach tens of meters in height. This culture grows well and in breadth.It often has air roots that sink to the ground, eventually growing into the soil surface. So the ficus supplies itself with additional useful and nutritious elements. For such an unusual shape, flower growers called him a banyan tree. It is also often called the snake tree, as aerial roots often resemble this animal. The leaf plates are usually dark green, oval, elliptical in shape. Their apex is usually pointed. The foliage surface is leathery. Brownish stipules are formed on young leaf plates. However, they quickly begin to dry out and fly around, so you won't be able to admire this decorative spectacle for a long time. But the flowers of this culture are not at all attractive, as we noted above, this plant is valued for its beautiful foliage, but flowers are rarely formed in apartments, because only a few types of insects are engaged in pollination. But in the winter garden, adult bushes bloom quite normally.

If we talk about the fruits, then they have a spherical shape, relatively small, similar to inedible figs. Once upon a time, this culture was intensively cultivated in order to obtain rubber. However, remember that it is recommended to work with this plant with gloves, because if the juice of this plant gets on the skin, then you may well have an allergic reaction, so it is better not to experiment. When grown at home, the ficus grows no more than 2 m. This plant is considered slow-growing. But in especially favorable conditions, the annual growth of this bush is usually about 0.5 m. The ficus is usually not cut off, however, with too intensive development, the bushes begin to form. Usually, side shoots are not formed in this plant, so the trunk is always single. It is interesting that earlier wounds were treated with ficus juice in order for them to heal faster, however, as you remember, this plant is considered poisonous, so we do not recommend using this folk remedy for healing wounds.

How to care.

If we talk about the level of illumination, but it should be noted: the ficus is a light-loving plant. But remember, direct sunlight negatively affects the foliage, so the light must be muffled, diffused. You can put a pot with this plant in partial shade. There it will grow and develop more slowly, perhaps the lower parts of the leaf plates will even begin to dry out, but the plant will become comfortable there over time. As we noted earlier, in spring and summer, it is best to grow ficus at a temperature of plus 21-25 degrees. If it is too hot in your apartment, then this will not harm the ficus in any way, however, such an increase in the degree should be short-lived. In winter, it is best to rearrange the plants to cool. But the air temperature should not drop too much. If we talk about watering this culture, then I recommend moistening the soil when the topsoil dries well. Usually in spring and summer, plants are watered up to 2 times a week. In winter and autumn, the watering regime should be adjusted, moreover, it is best to water the plants during this period no more often than once every 6-7 days. If you moisten the soil too much, foliage can fly around, so do not overdo it with moisture.

Indoor humidity should be high in spring and summer. It is recommended to often spray the leaf plates with lukewarm water. Also, do not forget to remove dust from the leaves in a timely manner, about once every 2 weeks. But once a month, you can arrange a more intensive spraying, send the plants to the shower. But do not forget to protect the soil mixture by covering the pot with a film. In winter, it is not recommended to spray the foliage from a spray bottle. It is possible only occasionally during this period to wipe the sheet plates with a damp cloth. It is undesirable to put a pot of ficus near the battery and heaters.Fertilizing the soil is recommended in spring and summer, and it is best to do this no more often than once every 2 weeks. Alternate the use of liquid organic matter and complex mineral fertilizers. Ficus loves nitrogen, don't forget about it. Very often, nitrophoska is introduced into the soil, and the plants are also fed with various settings, including mullein solution. It is best to feed the bushes with liquid fertilizers, and do not forget to loosen the soil in time. But the top dressing should not fall on the leaf plates, this negatively affects the development of leaves and shoots. If you want to polish the leaves, then try to wipe the sheet with non-alcoholic beer, but it is undesirable to use chemistry for this.

How to transplant.

As you noted earlier, at an early age, young ficus bushes will need to be replanted annually. This is best done in the spring or summer. But transplanting adult plants will need to be very careful and only when necessary. This is usually done no more often than once every few years. If the soil in the pot is too depleted, then it is advisable to change it. And do not forget to put drainage at the bottom of the pot so that in the future excess moisture will move away from the roots. Each time, the new pot should be a few centimeters larger and deeper than the previous one. If the ficus bush is too old, then it is undesirable to transplant it, otherwise the plant may completely die. Many growers believe that it is not necessary to transplant ficus at all if it is not cramped in the pot. In order to enrich the soil with useful substances, you can simply change the top layer of the earth annually. Also, in order to enrich the soil with useful micronutrients, add peat, sod and leafy soil to the earthen mixture. Suitable for structuring soil and sand. If you do not want to mess with the land, you can buy a ready-made mixture, usually it can be purchased at any specialized garden center or agricultural store. Ficus can also be transplanted into universal soil, but do not forget to add a little sand there. It is also good to put some drainage in the pot. If you are replanting plants, then do it using the transhipment method. It is recommended to fill the voids in the pot with fresh soil.

How to trim.

As you remember, ficus grows quite intensively under favorable conditions. The leaf mass increases rapidly. However, over time, the lower foliage begins to fall off. Bushes are pruned in order to restrain the development of this culture. Many growers, in order for the ficus to form lateral shoots, pinch up the plants, unfortunately, this event will not add branching. Perhaps, after this procedure, the upper bud will begin to awaken, but the lateral shoots will not form. Usually, several internodes are cut during pruning. If the top of the bush stretches too far, you can remove it. But do not throw away this cutting, it is quite possible to root it and get a new plant out of it. When, in your opinion, the shoots are as high as possible (for your apartment), then the upper part of the plant should be cut again.

It is recommended to prune the bushes in early spring, if you do it later, then the lateral shoots will not develop again, and the ficus will start growing up again. The trimming tool should be disinfected before use. The knife must be sharp. It is advisable to remove the juice that will be released after this procedure. If you want to grow lush bushes, then you can plant several ficuses in one pot. At first, the plants are recommended to be placed in slightly shaded places, moreover, it is recommended to turn the bushes periodically, so that the shoots develop evenly, are even and beautiful.And if you do not do this, then the bush will reach for the light, which means that the decorative appearance of the plant may lose. You can completely plant a ficus in a container. However, it can also be made more bushy. It is advisable to wake up inactive buds in time; for this, try to cut the plants as we advised you earlier.

Sometimes the trunk is pierced in order to increase the splendor of the plant. Moreover, the depth of this puncture should not be more than 1/3 of the width of the stem. They begin to carry out this procedure from the top, ending with the base of the bush. Sometimes the top of a young plant is specially tilted to the bottom, fixed on the soil surface, thus the lateral shoots begin to awaken, which means that the bush will be more lush, but as soon as you notice that the buds have become active, it is recommended to return the plant to its usual position, be sure , lateral shoots will actively develop.

Reproduction.

Ficus can be propagated in different ways. And the most common method is grafting. Moreover, this method is considered the simplest and most effective. In order to get a stalk, you will need to cut off the top of the stem, the shoot should be no more than 15 cm long. On each stalk, you will need to cut off all the leaves, leaving one pair of leaf plates. The juice oozing from the wound will need to be removed, the cut site should be rinsed with water, and this will need to be done until the sap flow stops. Cuttings are placed in containers with liquid, and in order to prevent moisture from evaporating from the surface of the foliage, they are recommended to be rolled up with a tube. You can fix them in this position with a regular rubber band. Of course, cuttings form a root system in water, but this process takes place faster when the cuttings are placed in a special mixture. In order to create a favorable microclimate, containers with cuttings are recommended to be covered with foil or glass. Usually from cuttings obtained in this way, full-fledged plants develop very quickly. There are no difficulties with acceleration. However, in certain subspecies of this culture, cuttings take root worse, so it is best to pre-treat them with a growth stimulant, so the root system is formed more intensively. You can also build a mini greenhouse for them, providing heating of the soil mixture from below. In some varieties, it should be noted that cuttings root very poorly, so it is better to propagate them in other ways.

Many subspecies of ficus are propagated using air layers. In order to grow new plants, you will need to make a special incision on the shoot, but not very deep. And so that the wound does not heal, a match is inserted there. And after that, these places will need to be wrapped in wet sphagnum, wrapped in foil and fixed with tape. Usually in such places air roots begin to form, through the transparent film you can easily determine the time when the roots will begin to break through. When the root system looks massive enough, it will be possible to separate this process below and plant it in a separate container. Ficus is often propagated by a leaf. This method is considered not very simple, therefore, experienced gardeners consider this breeding method not entirely proven. However, some researchers claim that this method is considered to be effective. Try cutting one piece of leaf and sending it into a glass of water. Sometimes, after a certain period of time, roots begin to grow at the base. And after that, you can plant the plant in a separate pot, but very often the leaf plate does not have enough strength to form shoots, so such a mini plant will flaunt on your windowsill for more than one year, and a full-fledged plant from a leaf plate will never form.

Pests and diseases.

Rubber ficus is considered a fairly resistant plant.Moreover, this applies to both pests and manifestations of various diseases. Unfortunately, insects such as scale insects and spider mites often appear on the leaf blades. In order to get rid of these pests, you should clean the foliage with a tincture of tobacco dust. A little more soap is added to the same solution so that the liquid is better retained on the surface of the sheet plates. However, the tincture is not left on the foliage for a long time; after a few hours, the sheet plastics will need to be rinsed with clean water. If you notice that a scabbard has settled on the shoots, then before using the solution you will need to collect all the insects using a piece of cotton wool twisted into a tourniquet. Do not forget that with proper care, no insects settle on the ficus, so follow the rules for care and keep the foliage and shoots clean.

Possible problems.

If you take the wrong care of the plant, then you may encounter various problems. Sometimes the foliage begins to fly around the ficus. If you notice that the leaf plates from below begin to fall off, then you should not sound the alarm. When the plant ages, this process is considered a pattern, but if the leaf plates fly over from above, then this indicates possible problems. For example, an earthen lump is too dry, perhaps, on the contrary, too moist, so adjust the watering regime. If the foliage begins to turn yellow, and eventually die off and fall off, then perhaps this also indicates overly intense or poor watering. And sometimes this signals an insufficient content of nutrients in the soil. Therefore, consider feeding. It is also recommended to rinse the substrate in order to improve the structure of the soil. After carrying out this procedure, it is not recommended to feed the plants for 2 months. Sometimes the foliage begins to turn yellow even if a lot of salt has accumulated in the soil. If you notice this, then it is advisable to transplant the flower into a new pot with new soil mixture.

Sometimes the foliage turns yellow and if the flower is too spacious in the pot, in order to get rid of these unfavorable phenomena, transplant the plant into a container with a smaller volume. Sometimes the foliage turns yellow even if rot begins to appear on the root system. In order to determine this, you just need to carefully examine the topsoil, smell it. If your suspicions are confirmed, then it is advisable to transplant the plant, freeing the roots from the old earth, and also removing rot from the roots. However, sometimes the plant cannot be saved, so you can turn the old ficus into new cuttings and propagate it by using cuttings. If you notice that the ficus bush does not grow for a very long time, then this most often indicates a lack of nutrients in the soil. It is also possible that the plant simply does not have enough sunlight, so change the location of the pot. Sometimes the lack of growth suggests that the roots have become cramped in the old container, so it's time to transplant the ficus.

About the benefits and harms.

It is believed that ficus is a fairly useful plant. This handsome rubber-bearing man well cleans the surrounding air from many harmful substances. He converts them into sugars and amino acids. Feng Shui fans believe that this plant also purifies the energy in the house, and Indians believe that by planting a ficus at home, you can very soon have children, even if the couple was previously considered childless. Rubbery ficus is also used as a medicinal plant; with the help of foliage and juice, mastopathy, cancer, and other diseases are treated. With the help of compresses from the juice of this plant, you can get rid of, for example, radiculitis and osteochondrosis. However, this plant is still considered poisonous, so it is undesirable for asthmatics to keep this flower in their room. So ficus is considered not only a beautiful, but also a useful plant.The culture is unpretentious, it is easy and simple to care for a flower. Therefore, try to grow this handsome man at home, decorative foliage will perfectly fit into any surrounding interior, and if you wish, your apartment may well turn into a real greenhouse. But do not forget to prune, feed, water the crop in a timely manner. And then the ficus will thank you by striking your hearts with its stunning decorative appearance.