Benjamin ficus(Ficus benjamina), commonly referred to asficus benjaminis the best-known species of the genus Ficus among thousands of tropical trees and shrubs . This small-leaved species is great for home growing, where it can grow up to 2 meters tall. See what its requirements are, whatficus care looks likeand what diseases may threaten the ficus.
Ficus benjamin, Benjamin fig cv. 'Variegata' with interesting, two-colored leaves
Fig. Kurgus, Public Domain, source: Wikimedia Commons
Fikus benjamin is an attractive evergreen houseplantwith drooping twigs. Although it can be a large tree in nature, grown at home it grows up to a maximum of 2 m in height. It has shiny, pointed, small leaves, 5-10 cm long. They are green in the species, butvarieties of fucus benjaminwith two-colored leaves are very often found in pot cultivation. The leaves of the 'Starlight' variety are golden mottled, and of the 'Variegata' they are cream-green. The cultivar 'Exotica', whose green leaves have long, twisted tops, also looks interesting.
Ficus benjamin is very often grownas a bonsai tree, often the shoots forming the trunk of the tree are intertwined for an attractive appearance.
Ficus benjamin care
Position, insolation
Fikus benjaminrequires a bright position at home, but not directly exposed to sunlight. Therefore, we do not place it on the windowsill, but rather a short distance from the window. In a position that is too dark, the ficus can lose its leaves quite quickly.
Note!Select the cultivation site for the ficus benjamin very carefully and avoid moving the ficus as the plant reacts to the change of location by quickly shedding its leaves. Rearranging pots with this plant is a very common mistake in the care of ficus benjamin.
Ficus growing temperature
During the growing season, i.e. from spring to the end of summer,ficus benjamingrows well at normal room temperature. For the autumn and winter period, it is worth providing the plant with slightly lower temperatures, preferably in the range of 10-18 ° C.
Watering and sprinkling ficus
Watering ficus benjaminshould be moderate as excess water quickly leads to yellowing of the leaves. In summer, the soil should be moist but not wet - we water it twice a week, observing the rule that between each watering, about 2/3 of the soil from the top of the pot has time to dry. In winter, water less frequently and never keep the water in a stand under the pot (drain off any excess immediately after watering).
Fikus benjamin, Benjamin Ficus. In order to obtain an attractive appearance of a ficus
shoots are often braided together to form a fancy tree trunk
Fig. © PoradnikOgrodniczy.pl
Fikus benjamin loves spraying leaves . When the plant is already large, sprinkling helps to keep it clean, because hardly anyone has the patience to wipe each small leaf with a cloth to remove dust.
Remember, however, thatfor sprinkling ficus always use sludge water(at least for one day), at the same temperature as in the room where our ficus grows.
Fertilizing ficus benjamin
Fikus benjaminshould be fertilized during the growing season - from March to September. Approximately every two weeks, a diluted liquid fertilizer for potted plants should be applied. The use of a special fertilizer for ficuses can bring excellent results.
Transplanting ficus benjamin
Replant the ficus in spring, when the roots overgrow the potHowever, it is not worth giving the pot too large, because the ficuses grow better in a pot that is too small. The pot should be filled with fertile, permeable soil with a pH of 5.7 - 6.8. Older plants in large, heavy pots, which are difficult to replant, only replace the top layer of soil with a fresh one.
Breeding ficus benjamin
Ficus benjamina easily multiplies from apical cuttingsIt can be successfully done at home. To do this, cut he althy, leafy tips of the shoots 10-15 cm long. From below, we remove the leaves so that only the top half of the seedling is leafy. Then, dip the lower ends of the cuttings in the rooting agent and plant them at a depth of about 5 cm into the fertile, well-drained soil (if you use ordinary soil for potted plants, you need to loosen it by adding a felt-tip pen).
After planting the ficus seedlings, make sure that the soil is constantly slightly moist , as well as high air humidity around the plants. After a few weeks, the seedlings should start to sprout new leaves, which will be a sign that they are already rooted: -)
Diseases and pests of ficus
Most problems in the cultivation of ficus arise from improper care of these plants, as a result of which the ficus loses its leaves.
Why does ficus benjamin lose leaves?
Too low air humidity in the apartment, insufficient light, excessive drying of the substrate in the pot or overflow of the plant, and damage to the root system during transplanting can lead to the shedding of leaves by the ficus. Sometimes simply moving the plant to another place is enough forficus benjamin to shed all the leavesUsually in such a situation you need to provide the plant with the best possible growing conditions and wait for the plant to change position.
Ficus leaf spot
Sometimes the leaves of ficus benjamin appear numerous, round, yellow spots with a diameter of 3-4 mm. The reason for their formation is too low light intensity at high air humidity. This phenomenon is most often observed in winter, when we have a shorter daylight. It helps to move the ficus closer to the window.
Ficus leaf corkiness
Ficus benjamin often develops leaf corkiness. As a result of this disease , light green, water-soaked spots appear on the underside of the ficus leaves. While it looks very disturbing, inappropriate growing conditions are also the most likely cause of this condition. Most often, leaf corkiness occurs when the cultivation temperature is too low, in combination with a lack of light and too high soil moisture.
Ficus leaf tips drying up
The tips of the leaves wither very often in the ficus benjamin.The tops of the ficus leaves first turn yellow, then brown and dry upThis phenomenon has one reason that is quite simple to remove - too little air humidity. To improve the situation, you should regularlysprinkle the leaves of the plant, and next to the pots with ficuses, place the trays inwater, which will give some moisture in the air by evaporating. Plant regeneration will be fostered by adding Biosept Active growth stimulator to the ficus sprinkler water every 2 weeks. This preparation strengthens plants and makes them resistant to diseases.
Ficus root rot
Sometimes, however,improper care of the ficus leads to more serious diseasesand the attack of the plant by fungal diseases. If the plant is watered too often or when grown in too heavy, compacted soil, the roots of the fig tree may rot. First, we will notice stunted plant growth, yellowing and leaf fall, and the final diagnosis can be made after taking the plant out of the pot and observing dark brown, putrid discoloration on the roots.The diseased plant should be transplanted to lighter soil, watering should be limited and soil should be applied to the soil with biopreparations: Biochikol, Bioczos BR or Biochitan.
From other diseasesficus benjamin can also suffer from anthracnose, verticillium wilt, ring or ring blotchand gray mold. Usually, treatment consists in improving the growing conditions, cutting out diseased plant organs and using appropriate biopreparations or fungicides (i.e. fungicides). The first choice should be the aforementioned natural biopreparation Biosept Active. If that doesn't help, look for ready-to-use fungicides in sprayable containers, such as Saprol Hobby 750 ml.
Ficus benjamin leavescan also be fed by potted plant pests, such as the spider mite (it causes the formation of small spots and mosaic discoloration on the leaves), thrips and pests from the group of scots - scales and bowls.If you do not want to use chemical insecticides, the natural preparation Emulpar Spray 750 ml will help in most cases, and sticks with an insecticide Ultra Scumble can be used against burrows in the soil. We should also remember that the appearance of pests, as well as in the case of diseases, is favored by inappropriate growing conditions. Spider mites and scots like to appear mainly in winter, during the heating season, when our apartments are too dry and warm for plants. Sothe appearance of these pests is prevented by regular sprinkling of the ficus
