Ficus is one of the most popular indoor plants. However, few people know that in nature these plants look like ordinary trees. This fully applies to the sacred ficus . It will be discussed further.
Ficus in nature
Ficus sacred is also called Eden or religious. This plant belongs to the mulberry family and in natural conditions can reach 30 meters in height. This is a tree with a wide crown. Its branches are quite powerful, covered with large leaves. They have original outlines. The length reaches 22 cm. The leaves have a straight or slightly wavy edge, a wide heart-shaped base and a very elongated tip.
The inflorescences of this plant are axillary, paired, smooth. At first, they are distinguished by a light green color, and later you can already see a dark purple hue.
Very often, a ficus of this species begins its life as an epiphyte. It is fixed on other plants or in cracks in buildings. When the roots, which were previously located in the air, reach the ground and penetrate the soil, they turn into a trunk.
With high humidity, droplets of water can be observed on the ends of the leaves, the impression is that the tree is “crying”.
The Legend of Ficus Eden
Sacred Eden received its name from an ancient legend. According to her, Prince Siddhartha Gautama meditated while sitting under this tree. He was able to comprehend the meaning of life, and also reached the highest enlightenment. This man began to be called Buddha.
Another legend says that in the shadow of this ficus the god Vishnu was also born. That is why for many hundreds of years this plant has been necessarily planted near Buddhist temples. It is considered a symbol of good luck and prosperity. Pilgrims from different countries come to these trees, tie its branches with multi-colored ribbons, accompanying in such a rite their prayers for luck, prosperity and health.
Conditions of detention
Among flower growers, due to the unpretentiousness and ease of cultivation, sacred ficus is very popular. Home care is pretty simple. The plant requires bright diffused lighting, but it also tolerates partial shade. It is preferable to keep it on windows that overlook the west or east side.
With a lack of light, it can dump foliage. Ficus is a heat-loving plant, prefers a temperature of at least + 22º in the summer and + 15º in the cold period.
In winter, peace for the plant is optional. The room temperature may be the same throughout the year. The ficus of this species does not tolerate the flow of heated air, which abundantly depart from the batteries. Also, the plant does not like drafts, temperature changes. Reacts to these inconveniences by dropping leaves.
High humidity is not a prerequisite for the growth of ficus. If there is too dry air in the room, you will need to use special humidifiers or equip a decorative artificial pond. The plant also reacts poorly to insufficient water in the environment. It drops foliage.
The plant needs loose fertile soil. You can buy in a specialized store a ready-made mixture of primers for ficus. It is also easy to prepare the land yourself by mixing peat, turf and leafy soil with sand in equal parts (coarse fraction). At the bottom of the container for planting, it is necessary to create good drainage, which prevents stagnation of water.
Transplant, pruning
Correct transplantation requires ficus sacred Eden. Home care implies its frequent transplantation, at least once or twice a year for young plants. This is due to their rapid growth. Within 12 months, the young seedling stretches up to two meters in height. Transplanting adult large specimens is very difficult, so they have this procedure limited to changing the surface layer of the earth.
To reduce the growth of ficus and form a beautiful crown in it, resort to regular pruning. Perform the procedure before the start of the growing season. You can also use the wireframes to give young elastic shoots any growth direction.
Disease
The description of the adult plant of ficus sacred Eden speaks of its aesthetic appearance. However, this requires careful care. As soon as signs of damage are noticed, you need to immediately treat the plant with special insecticidal agents.
Spraying should be carried out strictly following the instructions for the chemical preparation and observing all safety rules. Ficus diseases are mainly associated with improper care, non-compliance with temperature conditions, humidity conditions, irrigation rules and soil requirements.
The plant responds to negative factors by dropping foliage. But we must remember that they can fall off at this ficus themselves when they reach the age of two or three, which is quite natural for this species.
Breeding
The easiest way to grow ficus is sacred Eden from seeds . To do this, peat and sand are poured equally into the tank, mix them and moisten. Ficus has very small seeds. They are pre-mixed with sand and distributed over the surface of the soil and slightly pressed into it.
Top is covered with polyethylene or glass (if there are few seeds, you can cover them with a glass jar). From time to time, this coating is removed for several minutes, for example, when crops are watered.
The seeds of the sacred ficus planted in the ground are covered and placed in a bright warm place. The ambient temperature should be at least 25 ° C, but without access to direct sunlight. The soil must be constantly moistened, but not flooded. It is recommended to irrigate it from the spray with settled water.
The first sprouts appear after about a week. And after 7 days you can remove the coating. When a leaf appears on the seedlings, they need to be planted in small pots filled with soil suitable for ficus. For better growth, it is recommended to create additional lighting for young plants with a special lamp.
Large tree-shaped ficuses can also be propagated by abduction of air shoots. With this method, not only get a new fairly large plant, but also the maternal instance is rejuvenated.
At a height of about 55 cm shoots, leaves are removed. Leave about 13 cm of a completely bare trunk. Under the site on which one of the branches previously grew, you need to remove the bark. This place is treated with a solution to stimulate root growth, covered with sphagnum and wrapped with plastic wrap.
In 1.5-2 months, new roots will appear on this site. After this, shoots with roots are cut off, and this place is sprinkled with activated charcoal. Young plantlets are planted in a pot with a drainage layer and soil suitable for ficus.
Top dressing
Ficus sacred should be fertilized twice a month, alternating mineral and organic fertilizers. Bait should contain a lot of nitrogen and potassium. This contributes to the harmonious development of the plant.
Reviews
Ficus has long been considered a symbol of stability and home comfort. They have an aesthetic appearance, can fit into any interior. Sacred ficus is an interesting and unusual plant. It is characterized by unpretentiousness, endurance, ease of care. If all the rules are followed, it rarely suffers from diseases and pests. For these qualities, it is very much appreciated among flower growers as a spectacular decoration of a modern residential and office space.
Having considered the features of the sacred ficus, everyone will be able to properly grow it at home or in the office.