Ficus
There are more than 900 Ficus tree varieties in the world. They are mainly found in the tropical regions of the world, often in jungles and rainforests, and they can get enormous. We will look at a few and advise you on how to grow, and keep a beautiful and thriving Ficus indoors.
Ficus trees have incredible growth. They have some of the strongest and longest stretching roots systems. Some countries have banned their plantation as they cause a great deal of destruction to logistical infrastructure. Despite the troubles, they are also some of the plants with highest ornamental value and loved by plant collectors as indoor plants, bonsais and even in gardens. Did you know some Ficus can actually produce delicious fruit? Ficus Carica is the variant that grows edible figs. Other popular indoor Ficus are Altissima, Benjamina or Weeping Fig, Elastica, Ginseng and Lyrata.
Care
These trees are relatively easy to care for but once they are settled into a new environment. They don’t like being moved much and can shed lower leaves when brought back home, but after the adjustment period they are pretty low-maintenance. Ficus prefer bright, indirect light, which means they need no direct sun touching their leaves and they also prefer a consistent watering schedule. We recommend that you should always find out which variety of Ficus you have.
Some Ficus variants need more light than others, particularly the variegated ones. But ample, indirect is ideal and preferably away from droughts. We do recommend that humidity around the plant is relatively high as they are tropical plants. This can be achieved by spraying them, wiping leaves with a damp cloth or using humidifiers. Another effective tip is placing other plants around them.
How often do they need watering? Well, that really depends on the type of plant, how much light they get in your home and the time of year. Over summer you may have to water them as often as twice a week as they drink a lot of water and prefer the bottom of the soil to be a bit damp. Over winter you want to cut back to maybe once a week or fortnightly for larger plants. We do recommend using a fertiliser over the growth period for healthy and lush foliage and keep a moisture metre to check the soil.
Ficus trees should be repotted every 2 year in fresh but well draining house potting soil ideally with ⅓ of succulent soil and some bark for really good drainage. Repotting also allows your plant to grow taller and develop a trunk.
It is important to mention that Ficus are toxic to pets and humans. They produce a white sap that can cause irritation and rash on the skin and serious injuries to pets. Use gloves to repot them.
Problems and solutions
One of the most asked questions regarding Ficus is “Why is it dropping leaves”. It could be one of the following reasons
Relocation: give her some time to adjust
Change in temperature: tropical plants like to be above 15 degrees
Overwatering: this will cause leaves to go yellow, limp and soft, always check the soil and never allow roots to sit in water.
Underwatering: crispy edges, water your plant deeply when it is watering time
Too little light: move her closer to the window
Low humidity: Mist, pebble trays, humidifier
Pests: find out which kind and treat the plant
