How to care for ficus Robusta at home

Botanical description of the plant

The decorative ficus Robusta comes from rubber (elastic) ancestors growing wild in India, Sumatra and Java.
The evergreen giant reaches 30–40 meters in natural conditions; individual specimens were found above 60 meters. Ficus leaves reach half a meter in length, 20 cm in width, oval shape, pointed tip. They are distinguished by a rich dark green hue, with a pronounced light central vein. A distinctive feature of Robusta foliage is its slightly curved edges. New leaves form from a scarlet-colored plate at the top of the bush.

It blooms with small, yellowish inflorescences, the fruits are almost invisible, have a diameter of no more than 1 cm.

Main characteristics:

Did you know? The oldest known ficus plant was planted in 1781 and grows in Buenos Aires.

Features of care

The leaf needs to be planted in prepared soil - it is better to immediately buy a ready-made sample in the store. If this is not possible, you can prepare the soil yourself. For her, mix in equal proportions:

• turf;
• sand;
• coal;
• peat.

All ingredients are thoroughly mixed and dried. To do this, you can use the oven, place the soil in a baking tray and fry it. A drain hole is made in the pot; it is recommended to place pebbles or crushed stone at the bottom. Do not compact the soil under any circumstances; it will settle over time.

What conditions need to be created at home?

Easy to care for, unpretentious to conditions - the exact characteristics of the rubber ficus. It grows rapidly, growing up to 2 meters in three years with proper care.

Lighting

Adapts well both on a brightly lit windowsill and in a slightly shaded corner of the room. You can add artificial color. The ficus itself will tell you that it needs it - the leaves will fade a little.

Direct sunlight, on the contrary, can burn the leaf plates. It is better to find a “golden mean”: sunbathing in the morning and light shade throughout the rest of the day.

Ventilation

Ficus Robusta is unpretentious to temperature, but do not abuse drafts. At optimal air temperatures (+18...+25°C), it is better to keep windows or vents in the “ventilation” mode.

In winter, the plant can be “walked” on a glassed-in balcony on a sunny day. This event promotes the formation of chlorophyll, the leaves will be rich in color and have a glossy surface.

At home, the following types of ficus are also grown:

Temperature

Robusta is a resident of the South and does not tolerate low temperatures well. A temperature drop of less than +10°C will lead to yellowing and falling leaves. Too high a temperature (from +30°C or more) will dry out the air, the plant will begin to intensively absorb moisture from the soil and the surrounding air, and will quickly lose its appearance: the leaves will curl and turn yellow, the growth of the trunk and the formation of new leaf plates will stop. The optimal maintenance temperature is from +18°C to +25°C with proper watering.

Air humidity

Too dry air will damage the “health” of an exotic pet, but there is no need to oversaturate the room with moisture. The best indicator is 50%, which allows the ficus to develop in the right direction: form new leaves and send out side shoots, while helping to purify the air and create a beautiful interior.

When humidity naturally decreases in spring and autumn, you can additionally use a spray bottle, and also clean the surface of the foliage with a woven cloth soaked in water.

Reproduction

Reproduction occurs by cuttings. You can use the stems after trimming the top crown. It is necessary to choose planting material with three leaves (internodes).

Rooting occurs in home greenhouses. They are created using plastic bottles or glass jars. The main thing is that such a container allows sunlight to pass through.

Temperature

Good growth of ficus occurs at temperatures from 18 to 25°C.

A shorter or longer interval has a negative effect on the plant.

How to care at home

The correct approach to the conditions of keeping rubber ficus at home contributes to the formation of a strong trunk and crown, and the formation of bright foliage.

Watering

Watering Robusta does not require high labor costs:

• Before watering, check the condition of the soil: the surface should be slightly dry;
• use water at room temperature, first let it settle for a day;
• in summer water two to three times a week, depending on the ambient temperature;
• in spring and autumn - once every seven days, checking the soil moisture;
• In winter, once a decade is enough, maybe once every two weeks, if the air humidity is at least 40%.

Important! There is no need to be overzealous with water: an excessive amount of moisture in the soil leads to root rot and death of the bush. It is better to let the soil dry out a little between waterings.

Top dressing

The active growth phase is the time to feed the ficus. Nitrogen fertilizers give a good start: the speed of creating new “houses” with leaves increases, the plant stretches without losing the strength of the trunk. Start of feeding: March 10–15, frequency: 10 days. After November 20, the plant is not fed, promoting a winter dormancy period.

Trimming

The crown is formed by annual pruning between the end of February and the beginning of March. The tool - pruning shears, a sharp knife - is pre-disinfected with an alcohol solution or by heating it over an open fire, observing safety rules.

Process Features:

• a low plant (up to 20 cm) is “pinched” near the top;
• young shoots are stimulated by pruning 7 cm above the desired leaf or branch;
• the trunk is cut along an oblique line, a straight cut is made along the branch;
• pruning the central trunk prevents the bush from growing in height.

Find out more about how to properly prune a ficus.

Transfer

Early spring, early June is the optimal time to transplant a ficus into a new container:

• up to the age of three, it is carried out once a year; adult bushes - every three years;
• use store-bought substrate for exotic plants or prepared with your own hands: leaf soil and peat (2:1);
• install a good drainage layer of pebbles or expanded clay.

Large bushes do not need to be replanted; it is enough to add a new layer of soil every year.

What to do with ficus after purchase

First, the plant is quarantined for 2 weeks with minimal lighting and watering. This is necessary in order to observe the new pet and not infect the entire collection of flowers with pests or diseases.

Then they look to see if Robusta needs a transplant. If the pot contains ordinary mixture or soil, you should focus on the season and the condition of the root.

The ficus definitely needs to be moved from a container filled with peat in the spring or early summer. If the purchase was made during the dormant period or at the end of the growing season, you should evaluate the condition of the plant, first of all, the root system.

Ficus Robusta should be replanted, regardless of the season, in the following cases:

• the substrate has turned sour, turned to stone or smells bad;
• for some unknown reason, the leaves began to wrinkle, turn yellow, curl, and fall off;
• the root has filled the container, the peat is practically invisible;
• the owners specifically bought an unpretentious flower because they cannot pay much attention to it or regularly care for it.

The main disadvantage of peat used for planting ficus plants in shipping containers is that it requires very careful watering. When the substrate dries out, it turns into stone and is difficult to absorb with water. When overmoistened, it remains wet for a long time, and there is a high probability of rotting first of the root, then of the above-ground part. This is especially dangerous during the dormant period of the ficus, when all growth processes, including regeneration, slow down.

How to propagate at home

Ficus Robusta cuttings quickly take root and begin to grow rapidly. Aerial roots can also give life to “descendants”.

By layering

Air layering is carried out following the scheme:

1. Cut off several leaves with a sharp knife at the site of layer formation.
2. Wash the cut areas with water at room temperature from a spray bottle several times until the juice (“milk”) stops secreting.
3. Make neat circular cuts at a distance of 2-3 cm from each other.
4. Carefully clean the bark between the cuts.
5. Sprinkle the surface of the trunk with a root formation stimulator.
6. Wrap with sphagnum (moss), previously soaked in water and wrung out. Layer thickness – 6 cm.
7. Wrap the moss in plastic film, tightly securing the ends with nylon thread to retain moisture.
8. After the roots have sprouted around the moss, the shoot is cut below the level of the root zone, the film and sphagnum are removed, then the new Robusta is transplanted into a permanent pot.

Important! To reproduce, the “mother” plant must be in a phase of intensive growth.

Cuttings

The simplest and most common method is cuttings:

1. The shoot is cut below the top into two or three leaves along an oblique line. The cut on the plant is washed and disinfected with a special solution.
2. The cuttings are placed in the soil (can be in a mini-greenhouse) or in a container with water, where a root growth stimulator is added according to the instructions on the package.
3. After the roots appear and their intensive growth, the ficus is transplanted into a permanent container with soil, providing a good drainage layer.

Trimming

The rapid growth of ficus must be restrained by regularly cutting off the top. This measure helps to form a beautiful crown and rejuvenate the plant.

The procedure is carried out in early March, when the growing season begins. Rules:

• shoots are removed at a height of 3 to 5 leaf blades;
• thin branches are cut straight, thicker stems - at an angle;
• cut areas are treated with crushed activated carbon.

When removing shoots, stumps should not be left, so as not to provoke the development of fungal diseases.

If the ficus is not pruned, it will very quickly grow to the ceiling.

Difficulties in growing

The most common mistakes of novice gardeners:

1. Yellowed leaves, their constant falling. Reasons: draft, lack of moisture, improper lighting.

2. Brownish spots on leaves. Reason: excess moisture. It is necessary to reduce watering, or better yet, stop completely, wait until the soil dries 2-3 cm deep.

3. The bush suddenly dropped its leaves: stress. Sudden change in temperature, drying out followed by watering with cold water. It may be necessary to restore the plant by cuttings if shoot growth has not stopped.
4. Spider mite. Reason: very dry air. Spray the plant with a special product and first isolate it from other indoor flowers.

Transfer

Replanting should be done as the flower grows, when the roots are visible on the surface of the soil. Rules:

• The next pot should be 2-4 cm larger in diameter than the previous container.
• Young ficus are replanted annually, flowers over 4 years old - once every 2 years.
• The root collar does not go deep into the soil.

Attention! Ficus purchased in a store must be replanted after a few days, when the plant acclimatizes to the new place.

Folk signs and superstitions

The exotic appearance and ability to purify the air from accumulated phenolic and benzene compounds contributed to the appearance of “supernatural abilities” in the indoor ficus:

• cleansing the aura of the home from negative energies;
• protection from evil spirits;
• maintaining financial balance in the house;
• balancing the temper of the owners.

Did you know? Suspension bridges are woven from the aerial roots of giant elastic ficus trees in Indonesia.
Proper care and maintenance contribute to the emergence of a new family member: Robusta will thank you for your care with clean air, a feeling of warmth and comfort in the house.