Ficus Benjamin belongs to the Mulberry family. Homeland - South Asia, Philippines, Australia.
Description
Ficus Benjamin grows both in the wild and at home. In the first case, it reaches a height of 8-10 m, when grown indoors 1.5-2 m. The plant has a dark-colored trunk with strokes. Its branches fall down. The leaves are rounded, with elongated edges, 4-8 cm long, 1.5-4 cm wide, compacted, glossy. Their tone is from white and light green to dark. Ficus Benjamin has inflorescences in the form of a ball or pear, with a diameter of 2 cm. The Bastophages are pollinated, without which the former simply do not ripen. From inflorescences receive planting material.
Varieties for home growing
Ficus Benjamin has a variety of varieties. Differences between them in leaf color and care rules.
| Grade | Foliage | Care Feature |
| Daniel | 6 cm of a dark green tone. | Unpretentious. |
| Exotic | 6 cm of green color. | Able to bear the lack of lighting. |
| Curly | 3-5 cm curved. Part or all of a sheet of white. | Grows slowly, loves brighter places. Needs sun protection. |
| Fantasy | 6 cm green or dark green. | Unpretentious, able to bear the lack of lighting. |
| Monica | 6 cm green, corrugated at the edges. | Picky. |
| Golden Monica | 6 cm corrugated at the edges. Light golden green with dark green strokes in the center. | Sustainable variety. |
| Naomi | 5-6 cm, round with pointed ends, slightly corrugated at the edges. | Unpretentious variety, rapid growth. |
| Naomi Gold | Light green tones, have dark strokes. | Needs protection from sunlight. |
| Midnight Lady | 6 cm dark green, with corrugated leaves at the edges. | Unpretentious. |
| Natasha | Small-leaved species. | The average development of growth. |
Home Care
Ficus Benjamin is whimsical, but subject to the rules of care will grow very well.
Lighting, temperature, watering, top dressing
| Care Options | Winter autumn | Spring Summer |
| Location | Bright, warm places. With a decrease in temperature, warming of the roots. | Well-lit, insulated places protected from sunlight. |
| Temperature | At least + 15 ° C. When warming the roots, it can transfer less than + 10 ° C. | + 20 ... + 25 ° C. |
| Lighting | The light is bright, additional lighting (if the sun's rays do not fall). | Bright light, but diffused. |
| Humidity | Spraying leaves, sometimes rinsing in the shower. | Regular spraying with boiled warm water. |
| Watering | Reduction (at lower temperatures). | Moderate after the earth dries. |
| Top dressing | In September (last numbers) it stops. It is prohibited in winter. | Once a month. |
Soil, transplant, capacity
The soil should be slightly acidic, intermediate, drained. You can do it yourself, for this you will need:
- leafy turf;
- sand;
- peat.
The ratio is 1: 2: 1.
A transplant is made once in the early spring (for young seedlings). Each time the pot needs to be taken a few centimeters more than the previous one. It is better to choose platikovy or ceramic.
Adult Benjamin ficus needs to be transplanted once every 3 years, when the roots occupy a whole container.
Breeding
Benjamin's ficus is propagated by seeds, cuttings, aerial layering.
- Sowing of seeds occurs in the spring, when the inflorescences completely changed their shape, size, color. The soil with seeds is closed with cellophane, removed to a lit, insulated place for 1 month. After the sprouts are planted in different pots.
- Not all species of ficus breed by air lay, but Benjamin is one of them. To do this, choose a woody branch or trunk and make an annular cut of the bark without affecting the wood. The naked part is wrapped in wet sphagnum (peat moss). This design is wrapped with a film, the edges are fixed with wire or tape. When the roots become visible through the film, it is removed, and the resulting seedling is cut (necessarily below the roots). Such a plant is planted as usual, and the cut place on the mother tree is treated with garden var or ground coal.
- Cuttings are cut from an adult plant, while the base of the future seedling should be semi-woody (not green, but flexible). On the stem should be from 4 to 6 leaves. Cuttings are cut 15-20 cm long, dipped in warm water for 2 hours (so that white juice comes out), then rinsed and dipped in purified boiled water. Charcoal is added (to prevent decay). As soon as the roots appear, the stalk is transplanted under cellophane. So that the flower gets used to room temperature, the latter is gradually removed.
The formation of ficus Benjamin
The tree is growing rapidly and needs to be shaped. If the ficus grows on the windowsill, then it needs to be rotated 90 degrees every 2 weeks.
Lateral shoots are cut off while the kidney is inactive. The slice is moistened and covered with charcoal. Pinch a small bush (i.e. remove the apical buds and those located at the ends of the shoots).
Diseases and Pests
Ficus, like many trees, is attacked by insects: scale insects, mealybug, thrips. In order to eliminate scabies, Fitoferm, Actelikt, Aktara are used. The mealybug is collected by hand.
Mistakes in care and correction
| Manifestation | Cause | Correction |
| The pallor of the foliage. | Little light. | Put in a well-lit place. |
| Pale and lethargic leaves. | Excessive watering. | Do not water or transplant into another pot. |
| Discard foliage. | In autumn, this is the norm. If the leaves fall heavily, then the flower is most likely standing in a draft or the temperature is too high for it. | Remove to another place, adjust the temperature. |
Signs about Ficus Benjamin, its benefits
The Slavs believed that ficus has a bad effect on humans. In the families where he grew up, chaos reigned constantly, people quarreled, sorted out relationships for no reason. Girls could not get married. But there is an opposite opinion, for example, in Thailand, this is a sacred tree that brings goodness, strengthens family relationships, brings good luck and happiness.
In fact, Benjamin's ficus can be harmful only to those who are allergic to this tree. It secretes milky juice - latex, which, if it comes in contact with sensitive skin, can cause asthma. But the benefits of the plant can not be overlooked, it perfectly cleans the air, kills viruses and bacteria.
