Ficus Ginseng is a miniature plant culture that is distinguished by unusual roots and a spreading crown. This gardener is loved by many gardeners due to the fact that it has good immunity to seasonal diseases, and also impresses with its vitality. Ficus withstands strong gusts of wind, excessively wet weather. Caring for it at home will not bring any trouble.
What does ficus ginseng look like?
Ficus Ginseng, also known as ficus Ginseng or Microcarp, is part of the Mulberry family. The plant is presented in the form of an evergreen tree, which reaches a height of 25 meters. Distinctive features of the culture are a spreading bright green crown, a powerful and thick trunk, hanging aerial roots.
Ficus ginseng potted
Common varieties
In the field of indoor floriculture, the following varieties of ficus are most common:
- Ficus Rubber-bearing;
- Ficus Lyriform;
- Ficus dwarf;
- Ficus Mountain.
Important!Many gardeners grow ficus Ushkovidny and Bengal in summer cottages.
Healing properties
In addition to its beautiful appearance, the culture is known for its healing properties. Inflorescence leaves are used to treat benign tumors and skin diseases. Decoctions based on the bark or foliage of the tree also help to cope with diseases of the stomach and lungs.
Appearance story
Ficus Microcarpa came to Russia from Indonesia and Taiwan. The best oriental breeders worked on its breeding. The plant is considered mainly tropical and subtropical. However, due to the unpretentiousness of the care, the tree began to be grown in many corners of the Earth, including in Russia.
Ficus Microcarp Ginseng - home care
In order for the tree to grow and not undergo the development of diseases, it is necessary to provide him with decent growing conditions. All rules are presented below. If they are not observed, the ficus will grow, but you should not expect great decorativeness from it.
Temperature and lighting
Ficus Ginseng is considered a thermophilic crop. therefore, growing it in the north of the country will be problematic. In the summer, the optimal temperature for plant growth is considered indicators from +18 to +25 degrees Celsius. In winter, the minimum threshold for the development of culture is at least +15 degrees.
The plant adapts to natural and artificial lighting. For the full development of ficus, moderate light is needed, otherwise the leaves can be scorched. Gardeners recommend exhibiting a pot of wood in the western part of the house, where there is a partial shade.
Attention! If the plant is regularly exposed to direct sunlight, its leaves may fall.
Watering and spraying
A tree likes moderate watering. In winter, Ginseng ficus should be watered no more than 1 time per week. With a greater flow of water, its root system may begin to rot.
In summer, the frequency of procedures is increased to 2-3 times a week. It is worth remembering that the culture needs to be watered with warm filtered water.
Due to the fact that the culture in the natural environment sprouts in tropical countries, its foliage needs constant hydration. In Russia, it can be done artificially by spraying ficus leaves with plain water through a spray bottle. The procedure is carried out every day, they try to do it in the evening.
Ficus Ginseng loves moderate humidity, so her indoor rate should be above 60%.
Soil and top dressing
The plant develops well in fertile soil equipped with organic fertilizers. It is recommended to equip the soil 2-3 times a month with coarse sand, peat mix, wood ash.
You need to actively fertilize the tree in the summer, during the flowering period. Top dressing is applied 2-3 times a month. Gardeners can alternate the application of organic fertilizers with mineral fertilizers.
Winter Care Features
The difference in winter care is only to reduce watering procedures and top dressing by 2 times. During cold weather, the plant can also not be pruned.
Given that the plant is mainly grown in pots, it is not necessary to cover it from the cold. If the container with ficus was taken out to the garden, then at the beginning of autumn it is simply brought into the house.
When and how it blooms
At home, ficus ginseng color is infrequent. Even less often, fruits appear on its branches. This is due to artificial growing conditions. For full flowering, wasp must be pollinated by ficus.
- Types of flowers
Ficus flowers are small in size. They grow in small clusters on the branches of plant crops. A little later, the flowers turn into fruits (siconia), which in their appearance are similar to large berries.
- Flower shapes
Inflorescences have a rounded shape with a spherical receptacle.
- Flowering period
The period of active vegetation of the crop falls in late spring.
Important! You can see small flowers on the branches from May to August.
- Changes in flowering care
Ginseng ficus care at home during flowering varies slightly. In summer and spring, the plant needs to be watered more actively - up to 3 times a week. In addition, you will need to loosen the soil for better oxygen supply to the roots and pruning dried shoots.
Pruning
In order for the crown of the plant to be branched, it must be periodically trimmed by 4-5 cm.
How ficus ginseng propagates
Ficus Ginseng propagates in several ways: germinating seed material, cuttings, aerial layering.
Culture propagation
- Seed germination
In this case, the seeds of the culture are sprinkled with a peat mixture with a small amount of sphagnum, after which they are covered with a film. Seed material is watered until the first seedlings appear, and then transplanted into a pot.
- Rooting cuttings
In spring, a branch up to 15 cm long is cut from an adult plant, it is placed in warm water for a couple of hours, and then planted in a container with soil mixed with peat mix. The plant culture is covered with a film and watered 1-2 times a week. When the first leaves appear on the branches, the Ginseng ficus is transplanted into a larger container.
- Air lay
In this case, the bark is cut in a circle from a tree trunk. The exposed areas are covered with sphagnum, spread a film on top. The resulting design is constantly moistened. After some time, new processes will appear at the cut sites, which can be cut and transplanted into a separate container.
- Other options
Sometimes gardeners propagate the culture by root cuttings. The step-by-step process is similar to the usual cuttings, however, the cut off shoot is planted to a deeper distance, falling asleep whole, and the soil itself is mixed with peat and sand. Further, the sprout is looked after according to the above scheme.
Transfer
It is necessary to transplant ficus as it grows. Young culture is transplanted into larger pots every year. Mature trees can be replanted less often - 2 times in 3 years.
Important! In order for the plant to keep the shape of the foliage, in the process, gardeners recommend pruning it by 5-6 cm.
Possible problems in growing and disease
Despite the fact that ficus ginseng is considered an unpretentious crop, gardeners may encounter some problems in the process of growing it. For example, with pallor and dry leaves, dropping buds, the appearance of pests.
- Discards buds and leaves
If the foliage and flowers from the branches of the tree began to fall, this can signal a sharp temperature drop or excessive lighting. To get rid of the problem, you need to transfer the ficus to the shadow side.
- Leaves turn pale
A change in the color of the foliage indicates a glut of the plant with moisture. Pallor may also develop due to a lack of minerals.
- The tips dry on the leaves
The dryness of the leaves can be indicated by reduced humidity in the room, as well as the lack of timely spraying. A similar symptom also occurs with a glut of mineral components.
- Lower leaves fall off
Falling leaves indicates the plant is oversaturated with moisture, as well as the absence of top dressing.
Dry Ficus Leaf Tips
Pests
During flowering, the culture is often attacked by aphids, spider mites. Insects appear on the branches of a tree with a decrease in its immunity. This can occur with a sharp change in temperature indoors. If the owner of the ficus noticed parasites, you should immediately treat the plant with chemical insecticides, following the instructions on the package.
Gardeners may encounter problems such as rotting of leaves, the appearance of spots and white dots on them, slow growth, lack of flowering. All this speaks of adverse growing conditions, lack of moisture, mineral components, untimely pruning and transplanting.
Signs and superstitions
Many peoples treat ficus differently. The Chinese consider this plant a symbol of a strong family. In many cities in China, newlyweds are given this tree for wedding for family well-being. In Thailand, ficus is considered a healing and magical inflorescence that helps cleanse a person’s aura and rid him of many diseases. But on the territory of Russia, many are convinced that this culture is characterized by negative energy and attracts unhappiness in the house where it grows.
Various superstitions are associated with the plant.
Important! Many Slavs believe that ficuses, standing in pots at home, adversely affect the loving relationship of men and women.
Ficus Ginseng is an evergreen plant that is distinguished by strong immunity and vitality. Despite the fact that the culture is subtropical, it is actively grown artificially in countries with a temperate climate. In order for the culture to bloom in the spring-summer period, it is necessary to water it, feed it and transplant it into larger containers in a timely manner.
