Top 6 varieties of rubber ficus, planting and care at home
Guests from the tropics can easily settle in the apartments and effectively decorate the premises. Rubber ficus is one of the most popular and beloved houseplants. It grows fast, has glossy foliage and an exotic look. Consider what kind of care is needed at home for rubber ficus, what variety to choose, how to avoid problems when growing.
Description and characteristics of the plant
The homeland of the mulberry order plant is the tropics of India, Nepal, Sumatra, where Ficus elastica grows up to 30 meters. Rubbery or rubbery ficus grows rapidly in indoor conditions (40-60 centimeters per year), but does not exceed 2-3 meters.You can adjust the height of the bush by trimming it.
The beauty of the plant lies in the shiny leathery foliage, which gives the bush a decorative effect. The leaves are elongated, with a pointed tip, arranged alternately. Young leaves are enclosed in stipules of red-brown color, which dry up and fall off immediately after the plate unfolds.
Note: Ficus was grown at home because of the milky juice (rubber) used for rubber production.
varietal variety
At home, many varieties of ficus are bred, which have decorative foliage, suitable for room conditions.
decorated
This species has large, wide foliage with a slight curvature at the tip.
The reddish midrib reaches the middle of the leaf.
Doscheri
Ficus with narrow foliage and a mottled gray-green or cream-green hue.
Rare and very decorative variety.
Robust
A handsome man with rich green foliage - dense and fleshy.
Even a novice florist can grow Robusta.
Black Prince
Lovers of dark plants choose the Black Prince.
The foliage is large, rounded.
Variegated
Ficus with beautiful spots on the leaves.
Grows up to 2 meters.
Trikolor
A variegated ficus, the foliage combines cream, white and green tones.
Foliage patterns appear only with sufficient lighting.
How to properly care for a flower in an apartment
There are some differences in the caring characteristics of different varieties of ficus. Here are the basic rules that will ensure the rapid growth and decorative effect of the bush.
Choice and location of the pot
Basic rules for placing the ficus:
- regular change of the pot with the growth of the bush;
- it is allowed to grow in a room of any orientation - on the north side they are placed on a windowsill, tulle and curtains are removed;
- on the sunny side, the ficus is shaded in the middle of the day;
- Variegated species need sun for a good part of the day.
Ficus does not tolerate drafts, slows down growth with frequent changes of place.
Temperature and lighting
Ficus grows well at moderate temperatures of 20-25 °, in winter it is better to reduce the indicator to 14-16 °. Scattered light rays are ideal for ficuses. During the hot sun (11-16 hours), the culture is shaded. Variegated varieties need sun.
air humidity
If the pot is not located near a warm radiator, you do not need to spray the ficus. It is enough to wipe the foliage regularly with a damp sponge.
Ground requirements
The best choice is a ready-to-use potting mix for ficuses.You can prepare the ground for planting yourself - a mixture of sand, humus, peat and nutrient soil. For mature and heavy bushes, the soil should be more dense.
Watering and spraying mode
Ficus does not like excess moisture - watering is carried out when the earth in the pot has dried to the middle of the container.
Reference: watered with settled water no more than once a week, when the growing season freezes - once every 10-14 days.
Features of content in winter
The dormant period with a slowdown in vegetation begins in October. The container with the flower is transferred to a cool room (13-18 °), watered every 10-14 days.
Top dressing and fertilization
During the growing season (April-September), the plant is alternately fed with mineral and organic fertilizers every 15-20 days.
Use ready-made mineral complexes with nitrogen and manure infusions.
Bloom
In most cases, it is not possible to achieve ficus flowering indoors, but flower growers are not upset - the buds are not particularly decorative. Powerful adult ficuses usually bloom only in winter gardens.
How to prune correctly
A fast-growing bush requires regular pruning, it is important to know the timing and basic rules.
Need
Why does the ficus need pruning:
- control the size - the height of the bush;
- for the development of side shoots, giving density to the crown;
- to stimulate the growth of the leaves of the lateral buds.
If you do not prune, the ficus stretches upwards, has weak branching, the lower part of the trunk loses foliage and remains bare.
Tools required
For work you will need:
- a sharp knife with a short blade (garden);
- pruner or scissors;
- gloves and goggles.
Tools are pre-disinfected, hands are protected with gloves. Ficus juice is poisonous, can cause poisoning, allergies.
Recommended schedule
Pruning begins when the ficus reaches 70-80 centimeters. The best time is spring, when the lush vegetation has not yet started. The pruned bush should grow side shoots during the season, that is, activate side buds.
Step by step instructions
How to cut:
- prepare and disinfect instruments;
- the bush is shortened by cutting off the top - from 3 to 4 leaves, that is, up to 15 centimeters;
- thick shoots are cut at an angle of 45 °, thin - straight;
- cut off excess and curved side shoots, give the plant symmetry, without thickening.
Sections are disinfected with crushed activated carbon, the ficus is removed from the bright sun.
Fix basic growth issues
A slowdown in growth and a deterioration in the appearance of the plant require adapting the care. Let's take a look at common problems.
yellowing of leaves
Foliage turns yellow when the air is too dry, hot (in winter due to heaters), direct hot sun, lack of nitrogen fertilizers. It is necessary to choose a suitable place for the plant, to feed it.
Foliage
The bush loses foliage for a number of reasons:
- root rot - reduce watering, transplant;
- insufficient nutrition - adjust the feed, increase the pot, replace the soil.
Poor soil drainage is a common cause of leaf drop. Additional holes are made in the containers, a layer of expanded clay is laid out.
Growth and development issues
Vegetation freezes for a number of reasons - root rot due to excess moisture (normalize watering), lack of nutrients (top dressing), too small pot (graft), little light (rearrange closer to the window).
Diseases and pests
Rubbery ficus is not very susceptible to diseases - the roots sometimes rot with excessive watering. Treatment with fungicides will be necessary. Of the pests, the scabbard and spider mite attack more often than others.
Spider
At first, cobwebs and mites are barely noticeable, they are clustered on the lower part of foliage and stems. With a massive infection, the leaves dry up and wither along the edge, the growing season comes to a halt.
Shield
Pests are removed with tampons, the bush is treated with a solution of laundry soap or tobacco dust. In case of severe infection - insecticides, transplantation.
Transplant Features
Young ficuses are transplanted each year; for adult plants, one transplant in 3 years is enough. They choose a pot 4-5 centimeters larger than the previous one, carefully remove the plant and transfer it to a new container. The voids are filled with fresh soil. If it is impossible to transplant the old ficus, then the top of the soil is changed once a year.
Crown formation
A ficus bush can be personalized if you shape the wreath in a special way. It takes perseverance, patience and time.
Crop method
If the ficus is branched, pruning can give the desired shape. They work in gloves, wash off the juice with a damp cloth.
no cut
There are several tricks that can help activate the growth of the side stems and make the bush lush:
- for the growth of the lateral stem, the top is bent, fixed so that the desired bud is at the top, when a shoot appears from it, the plant is released;
- the growth of side shoots is stimulated by pricking with a needle (by 1/3 of the diameter of the stem) of the trunk, this is how they achieve branched and symmetrical growth of branches;
- turn the right side towards the light and shade the other part of the bush.
To awaken the ficus buds, cytokinin paste is used - a growth phytohormone.
Weaving
A variant of braided ficus trunks is a braid, but you can braid 2 or 4-5 trunks. Thin cuttings are planted in a pot next to them, which intertwine as they grow. To prevent the trunks from collapsing, they are tied with wire.
Stam
The crown stem shape is preferred by many growers. Training rules:
- the lower branches are removed - at a height of 80-90 centimeters for ground containers, 40 centimeters for the rest;
- pinch the top;
- stimulate the growth of side shoots.
The side stems are shortened to round the ficus.
Spiral
To form a spiral shape of the trunk, the ficus is freed from the lower branches and leaves, as it grows, it is wrapped around the support installed in the pot.
Bow
Ficus grow up to 80-90 centimeters and cut off the top. The trunk of the ficus is bent in an arc and tied to the edge of the container. As the buds that have become superior grow, the shoots also bend and attach. Branches are untied when they retain the specified arc shape.
Fence
Collect several (at least 5-8) ficus seedlings of the same size and plant them in a large container in a row or in a circle at a distance of no more than 10 centimeters. The crowns are cut in the same way so that the fence is symmetrical.
Fake
Choose 3 thin flexible seedlings of the same size, planted in a pot close to each other. Free the background from branches and foliage. Carefully weave them into a braid, reinforcing them with fishing line, yarn. The top layer of the skin is removed so that the rods are tighter.
the reproduction
For the propagation of plants at home, the best are vegetative methods:
- leaf with internode - placed in water or soil substrate;
- cut - use a top or side shoot, remove the lower leaves, place it in a container with water or soil;
- air layering for variegated species - an incision is made on the shoot, covered with moss and a bag, when the roots appear, they are cut and planted in the ground.
To accelerate root formation, stimulants ("Kornevin") are used, although the roots grow quickly and without it.
About useful properties
The foliage of the plant makes the air in the room cleaner, removing harmful compounds of phenols and benzols. Traditional medicine uses ficus to treat:
- mastitis;
- inflammation of the respiratory system;
- joints and spine;
- diseases of the oral cavity;
- wounds, hematomas, boils.
In the homeland of the rubbery ficus, they believe that the plant eliminates harmful energy in the house, helps to conceive a child.
Common Mistakes
When grown on window sills, the ficus often suffers from the cold of a window and the hot air from the batteries. An aggressive impact leads to the loss of the decorative effect.Radiators should be covered with a screen or blanket, do not keep the plant in drafts, out of direct sunlight.
Tips & Tricks
Ficus lovers give the following advice to beginners:
- After pruning, the ficus is not sprayed, not waterlogged, the wounds are treated with charcoal.
- Waterlogging is more dangerous for a plant than a lack of moisture.
- In dry rooms with too high a temperature, it is useful to spray and wipe the bush with a damp sponge.
Shoots are thin and weak if the plant lacks light and nutrients. When transferring to a large container, it helps to shake off some of the old soil and replace it with new.
The flowering of ficus is a rare phenomenon, but lovers appreciate the culture for its beautiful foliage and decorative bushy effect. By shaping the crown, you can get a unique-looking plant, which will decorate the apartment with an exotic look, the gloss of large leaves of a rich green or variegated color.