Ficus pumila is an evergreen ornamental indoor plant. It differs widely due to its unpretentiousness.
What does ficus cumila look like and to which family it belongs
Ficus pumila is a dwarf plant belonging to the mulberry family. It is characterized by small size, the presence of rapidly growing, thin stems. Leaf plates have an oval shape, saturated with a bright green color.
The following, most common varieties are distinguished:
- Sunny - is distinguished by a border of whitish creams, framing sheet plates. Ficus Sunny - home care is the simplest, which explains the great popularity of this variety.
- Dorte - there is no border on the leaves of this plant. Its distinctive feature is white specks located on the entire surface of the leaf plates and chaotic lime blotches.
- White Sunny - famous for unusual leaflets decorated with a light border reminiscent of a dashed line.
Ficus pumila grown in pots or planters
Regardless of the particular variety, ficus pumila is characterized by the following healing properties:
- increased oxygen production;
- purification of air from dust, harmful impurities and compounds;
- creating a favorable microclimate.
Additional Information! In traditional medicine, products made on the basis of this plant are used to treat joint pathologies and hemorrhoidal disease.
The birthplace of Pumila is Southeast Asia. Dwarf ficus came to European countries thanks to Karl Thunberg, a biologist from Sweden, who collects various flora samples for further study and propagation under artificial conditions.
Features of home care
Ficus cumila - home care is simple and does not take much time. To make the plant feel comfortable and pleasing to the eye, it is necessary to provide it with the proper temperature, watering and lighting.
Temperature
The optimal temperature regime for this plant varies in the range from +18 to +25 ℃. In winter, the temperature is recommended to be reduced to 12-14 ℃ above zero.
Lighting
Dwarf ficus is considered a fairly shade-tolerant plant. However, the most comfortable pumila will feel in diffused sunlight.
Important! Lack of light can adversely affect the decorative properties of the plant - a change in the color of leaf platinum, falling leaves. To compensate for the lack of ultraviolet lighting, you can use fluorescent lamps for these purposes.
Watering
Ficus pumila needs regular watering. It is strictly forbidden to allow the soil to dry out. This is due to the poorly developed root system of the plant, which does not allow it to get the remaining moisture from the bottom of the pot.
On a note! For irrigation use purified water, preferably warm or at room temperature.
Spraying
Spraying dwarf ficus is necessary in those cases when the indicators of air humidity in the house are insufficient. For these purposes, warm water is collected in the sprayer, after which each leaf platinum of the plant is carefully processed. This procedure is carried out several times during the week.
In addition to fertilizing the plant, the correct microclimate is important
Humidity
Injection plants are characterized by the ability to quickly evaporate moisture. It is especially important to maintain optimal air humidity indicators when growing ficus on a vertical support, because otherwise its root system will not be able to gain a foothold. Dry air increases the likelihood of damage by a spider mite.
Priming
An ideal option for growing dwarf ficus is a substrate for ornamental plants with neutral acidity or universal soil, which can be purchased in specialized stores.
Interesting information! You can prepare the soil yourself by combining sand, compost, peat and garden soil in a ratio of 2: 1, then mix thoroughly until a homogeneous mass is obtained.
Top dressing
For this plant, an excess of fertilizers is considered more dangerous than their deficit. Fertilizing in spring and summer is recommended 2 times during the month. In winter and autumn, it will be enough to fertilize the ficus cumila once a month.
It’s not at all difficult to care for dwarf ficus, and with sufficient care, it will delight the owners with bright foliage and a lush crown.
Features of winter care (at rest)
Autumn and winter months - the resting period of ficus pumila. At this time, it is recommended to lower the air temperature and reduce the number of fertilizers. Water the plant should also be less than 1 time for 2-3 days (depending on the state of the soil). Adequate lighting should be maintained in the winter. Since the daylight hours are significantly reduced at this time of the year, artificial lighting will be required.
When and how it blooms
Ficus cumila at home does not bloom. Under natural conditions, forms siconia - a kind of inflorescence, from which later yellow fruits are formed. The flowering period is in the summer months.
Pruning
Dwarf ficus tolerates pruning very well. This procedure is recommended to carry out in order to correct the crown, giving it a beautiful shape. Cut the plant in late February or early March.
How ficus cumila breeds
Ficus cumila - a plant that reproduces exclusively in a vegetative way, namely, by rooting cuttings.
For these purposes, cuttings are used that remain when trimming the crown of the pumila. They must be placed in a container of water or a moistened substrate. When the plant has roots, it can be transplanted into a regular flowerpot.
What does a dwarf ficus stalk look like
Additional Information! Propagation by seed germination is possible only in open soil or in greenhouse conditions, where dwarf ficus bears fruit.
Transfer
A transplant of dwarf ficuses is recommended in the spring. Experts advise doing this every year, since the root system of this plant quickly absorbs nutrients from the soil.
Adult ficuses (from 5 years and older) should not be disturbed by frequent transplants, it will be enough to manipulate 1 time for 2-3 years.
On the bottom of the pot, drainage is surely laid out, then specially prepared soil. The roots of the plant are carefully immersed in the soil. Upon completion of the transplant, it is recommended to water the plant with warm water.
Possible problems in growing and disease
Like other indoor plants, ficus pumila can be sick and attacked by various pests. It is important to know how the disease manifests itself and what needs to be done to protect pumila from extremely unfavorable consequences and even death.
Discards buds and leaves
Falling of leaf blades and drying out of shoots - often indicate insufficient soil moisture. You can help the plant by simply increasing the frequency of watering. If the leaves first turn yellow and only then fall off, then the reason lies in the decay of the root system. This problem can provoke regular flooding of the plant, drafts, lack of lighting and low air temperature.
Leaves turn pale
The blanching of the leaf blades of ficus cumyl, in most cases, is due to insufficient lighting. You can solve the problem by increasing the duration of daylight hours by using artificial light bulbs.
Pumila leaves turn pale with a lack of light
The tips dry on the leaves
In most cases, the drying tips of dwarf ficus leaf plates occur when there is insufficient air humidity. The plant can be helped daily by spraying it with warm water. This procedure is carried out 2-3 times throughout the day.
Lower leaves fall off
Falling of the lower leaves may be due to too frequent watering, lack of lighting and heat in the room. Special treatment is not required, it is enough to eliminate the provoking factors.
Pests
Ficus pumila affects mainly the spider mite. The treatment consists in daily wiping the plant's leaf plates with hot water (about +40 ℃).
Spider mite on ficus leaves
It's important to know! Prevention of infection is sufficient humidification of the air in the room.
Other problems
When growing dwarf ficus, you may encounter the following problems:
- A drooping crown - a problem arises amid a lack of lighting and low temperature conditions. Help the plant recover by eliminating negative factors.
- The appearance of brown spots on the leaf plates indicates an excess of fertilizer. For a while, it is recommended to abandon the use of dressings.
- The disappearance of white spots in variegated varieties indicates a lack of lighting. The use of artificial light bulbs is recommended.
Additional Information! One of the most serious problems is the drying out of the soil, leading to leaf falling and drying of the shoots. Moreover, the shoots die off forever, and leaf plates, with proper care, can still be restored.
Ficus is a beautiful and unpretentious houseplant in the care. In addition to decorative functions, dwarf ficus purifies the air, saturating it with oxygen. It is enough to pay only a little attention to this plant in order to enjoy its beauty and useful properties throughout the whole year.
