Ficus microcarp - care and reproduction at home, plant photo

Photo of ficus microcarp

Ficus microcarp (Ficus microcarpa) is a tree-like plant from the Mulberry family. Develops at medium speed. Over many years of life in nature, it can grow up to 25 m. It often grows as an epiphytic plant and, reaching a great height, can literally strangle its support. The home tree, with a growth of up to 1.5 m, has thick aerial roots.

They rise above the ground and take on bizarre forms. Leaning on the roots, the ficus of the microcarp confidently stands in a flowerpot, proudly showing shiny ellipsoidal leaves. Flowering tree original. On gray shoots inflorescences are formed, similar to a small ball, inside which there are heterosexual flowers.

The homeland of ficus microcarp is the tropical zones of Japan and China. Under natural conditions, an evergreen tree is common in southeast Asia, Australia, and the Philippines.

Also read about Benjamin's ficus and Bengal ficus.

	Low speed of development.
	At home, ficus does not bloom.
	The plant is easy to grow. Suitable for a beginner.
	Perennial.

Beneficial features

Photo of ficus in a pot

Ficus microcarp purifies the air of harmful carbon compounds - benzene, phenol, formaldehyde. It is believed that the plant has a beneficial effect on the energy of the enclosed space. People growing a tree at home rarely get sick, and if they get sick, they can easily recover.

Psychologists advise keeping a plant at home to maintain peace of mind and improve mood. Esotericists consider ficus a tree that attracts well-being (it is assumed that the higher the plant, the greater benefit and joy it will bring).

Features of growing at home. Briefly

A tree with unusual thick roots and lush hair attracts attention. In order for the plant to be beautiful, care must be taken for the ficus of the microcarp. At home, elementary conditions are created for him:

Temperature mode	In winter - not lower than + 16 ° C, in summer - up to + 23 ° C.
Air humidity	Increased throughout the year.
Lighting	Bright diffused; on the south window they’re shaded.
Watering	The substrate should dry between waterings, but not allow the appearance of a crust on the soil.
Priming	Ready substrate for ficus; soil mixture of sod land, peat, leaf land, sand taken in equal amounts.
Fertilizer and fertilizer	From the first days of March to the very end of August, bi-weekly fertilizer is used for ficus.
Microcarp Ficus Transplant	Young trees - every spring, adults - once every 2.5 years.
Breeding	Seeds, air layers, root cuttings, cuttings.
Growing Features	The plant gets used to grow in one place, forced rearrangements cause him stress. In the summer they take to the street, putting a container with a plant in a place protected from the wind. In spring, shoots are trimmed, leaving 4 leaves on each of them.

Ficus microcarp: home care. In detail

Ficus microcarp gradually gets used to home conditions. To help the plant adapt to the new environment, it needs to create favorable conditions.

Purchase

When buying ficus microcarp in flower salons, you need to pay attention to its appearance. Inspect the leaves on both sides, trunk and aerial roots. If damage is noticeable, and the leaves are sluggish, it is better to postpone the purchase. A specimen is selected that is not in doubt: with a beautiful thick trunk that has no damage; elastic leaves.

Bloom

During flowering, ficus on the microcarp forms siconia - small inflorescences in the form of a closed circular cavity. Inside, there are female and male flowers that pollinate small wasps that penetrate the small hole of the syconia.

Initially, Siconia is painted in golden color. As they mature, they become cherry. In their place, miniature fruits are formed. The ability to form small fruits formed the basis of the name of the tree: it translates as "miniature fruit."

Temperature mode

The most important thing - at home, when caring for the ficus of the microcarp, it is impossible to prevent the appearance of draft and a sharp temperature fluctuation. It is important to control the temperature regime. In winter, the tree is kept at + 16 - 18 ° C. In summer, warm weather is favorable when the mercury column is in the range + 23 - 25 ° C.

At a higher temperature, you need to water and spray the plant more often.

Spraying

When the homemade ficus is microcarp comfortable, its leaves are resilient, beautifully shiny. In many ways, the state of the tree depends on the humidity in the apartment. The plant prefers humidified air.

At home, especially in late autumn and winter, it is necessary to spray foliage more often (the trunk cannot be moistened). Humidifiers are used, the plant is placed on a pallet with wet expanded clay, making sure that the roots do not touch the water.

Hygiene

When caring for a tree, it is extremely important to follow the rules of hygiene. So that the leaves are always clean, they are rubbed every 10 days with a clean, damp cloth; plant bathe in a tepid shower.

Lighting

Having bought a plant or received it as a gift, you must immediately figure out where it will stand: the tree does not respond well to permutations. Harmoniously develops in bright diffused lighting. On a window facing south, it will have to be shaded from the bright sun so that the leaves do not burn out.

It is best to put a tree on a window facing the southeast or southwest side.

Watering

To find out if you need watering ficus microcarp, you need to stick a match into the ground. If it stays dry, you can water it. If the soil remains moist at a depth of 2.5 cm, it is too early to water. Waterlogging leads to root rot, and moisture deficiency causes leaf decay.

At low temperatures watered less often. Excess liquid is drained from the pan. For irrigation use settled warm water. To preserve soil moisture, the trunk circle is mulched with sphagnum, crushed bark.

Pot

For indoor ficus microcarp, choose a wide and stable pot. It is important that it has several drainage holes at the bottom. The diameter of the container is 2/3 of the height of the tree. The container should contain the roots of the plant and a thick layer of drainage.

Priming

It is important to choose the right soil for the ficus microcarp. For the plant at home, they prepare the soil on their own, taking the same portions of leafy soil, sand, turfy land, peat. In the store you can buy a special substrate for ficus. In any of these soils, vermiculite is added, crumb brick to give greater friability.

Fertilizer and fertilizer

With the help of fertilizing and fertilizers, the ficus of the microcarp becomes more beautiful, its immunity increases. From the beginning of March to the beginning of September, once every 14 days, the plant is fed a universal mineral remedy for ficuses. Fertilizer is diluted with water and used after evening watering. Foliar top dressing is also carried out. After the procedure, the plant is shaded for a day.

In winter, do not feed.

Ficus transplant

Young plants are transplanted each spring in a new container with a larger diameter. An adult ficus microcarp needs a transplant every 2.5 years. The plant is taken out of the flowerpot, the roots are cleared of the remnants of the earth and shortened by 5 - 7 cm. The diameter of the new container should be 40 mm larger than the previous one. A thick layer of drainage is poured at the bottom.

Then - the soil layer on which the plant is placed, gradually adding soil and ramming it around the roots. The tree is planted at the same level at which it grew earlier. Watered. After waiting for the moisture to absorb, they fill up the soil. Ficus microcarp shade for several days. A week is not watered. Feeding 15 days after transplantation. The upper layer of the substrate is refreshed for mature plants.

Pruning

With regular pruning, you can form a beautiful crown of a tree. In spring, the shoots are shortened, leaving four leaves on each. The slice areas get wet from the milky juice and sprinkled with charcoal powder.

It is necessary to trim the apex to give the trunk a thickening and stimulate the formation of lateral shoots. When they grow back, they can be given any desired shape, growing a tree in the form of bonsai.

Rest period

In ficus microcarp, the resting period falls in mid-November - early March. At this time, the tree is kept at room temperature, not allowing a decrease to + 15 ° C. If the temperature is higher, increase the brightness of the lighting. Phytolamps are used at this time.

Watering should be moderate. In dry air, spray the leaves; place a flowerpot with a tree on a pallet with wet expanded clay.

Breeding

There are different breeding options.

Growing ficus microcarp from seeds

This method is rarely used. Small seeds germinate reluctantly, seedlings develop slowly. Seeds treated with a solution of growth stimulant are planted in a mixture of peat and sphagnum. Germinate under a film under lower heating and moderate watering. When seedlings appear, the film is removed. The grown seedlings are transplanted into pots, deepened to the first leaves.

Propagation of ficus microcarp by cuttings

After trimming, choose strong lignified shoots. Cuttings with a length of up to 15 cm are cut at an angle from them. Lower leaves are removed. The cut site is wiped from the milky juice, treated with a stimulator of root formation. Planted in a wet mixture of sphagnum and peat, covering with a film.

Under the influence of bright light, rooting occurs after 6 weeks. It can be rooted in water by adding crushed coal to it (water is changed periodically). After rooting, all leaves are removed, the plant is transplanted into a pot.

Reproduction of ficus microcarp by root cuttings

This method of propagation is combined with a plant transplant. The cuttings are planted in the ground, leaving about 30 mm above its surface. Cover with cellophane. Often air. Watered when the soil dries. About three months later, rooting will occur, as prompted by the formation of young shoots. When four leaves appear, the shelter is removed.

The tree is rearranged in a bright place, they are looked after in the usual manner.

Reproduction of ficus microcarp by air layers

Approximately 0.7 m recede from the top of the shoot. Several small incisions are made 4 cm apart. Matches are inserted into the incisions so that the cavity does not close. Wet sphagnum is placed on the incisions. A fragment of the shoot with notches is covered with a film, making several punctures for air access. The film is fixed at the top and bottom. It will be necessary to periodically moisten the sphagnum with a syringe. About a month later, when the roots begin to sprout through the sphagnum, the film is removed. Cuttings are cut under the roots and planted in the ground.

If the tree is propagated by cuttings, there will be no root thickenings in new plants. They appear only when propagated by seeds.

Diseases and Pests

With careless care of the plant, diseases begin to bother him, and pests attack more often than usual. All problems are reflected in the state of appearance:

• thin shoots with small leaves form - nutrient deficiency, little light (feed, rearrange in a brighter place);
• green leaves fell sharply- waterlogging of the soil; a sharp change in environment or temperature; light deficit; exposure to draft; watering with cold water (often do not rearrange; adjust watering; enhance lighting);
• leaves turned yellow and opal - moisture deficiency; little light; lack of trace elements; dry air (water well; rearrange in a lighter place; feed; spray);
• leaves turn yellow ficus microcarp - nutrient deficiency; excess or deficiency of moisture (feed; adjust watering);
• gray spots on the leaves - rotting of the roots due to stagnation of moisture (remove damaged fragments of the roots; treat the plant with fungicide; transplant into a new loose soil, strengthen drainage);
• leaves are curled - sunburn (shade on a hot afternoon).

Sometimes scale insects, mealybugs, and aphids settle on a tree. Pests are washed off with a shower, the plant is treated with insecticides.

Ficus microcarp is not only a spectacular plant, impressive with bizarrely curved thick roots and a lush crown. Having settled at home, he will improve the microclimate in it, take care of the health of his masters.

Watch the video: Propagation ficus plant , how to grow ficus from cutting (November 2024).