Ficus rubber (Elastica): preparation, planting and replanting a rubber plant, rules for pruning, care and propagation by cuttings at home

Features and characteristics of the rubber-bearing ficus Elastica

In countries with temperate and cold climates, rubber ficus is grown as an ornamental houseplant. Its thick white juice contains about 20% rubber.

All varieties of elastic ficus have a number of common features:

plant leaves are dense and leathery, with pointed tips;
the shape of the leaves is round, oval and elongated;
in nature, Elastica ficuses grow up to 30-40 m; in a greenhouse and apartment, the size of the tree is limited by the height of the ceiling.

There are several types of rubber ficus. Our popular brands are Decora, Black Prince, Robusta, Melany, Abidjan. The color of the leaves of the plant varies from dark to deep green. Very beautiful trees with variegated, red-green, light green and white leaves - Belize, Brazil, Tineke, Schriveriana.

Important! Ficus - spurge. The sap of the plant is poisonous to domestic animals. Contact of this liquid with human skin may cause an allergic reaction.

Types of ficus

There are many types of ficus. The most majestic is the rubber one. This is an evergreen plant-tree up to 2.5 meters in height with leathery shiny leaves with a sharp tip, with young shoots appearing weekly and aerial roots-supports. It got its name from the white milky juice from which real rubber is extracted in the places where it grows. When the juice hardens, it turns into a rubbery mass. Therefore, among flower growers, the flower has another name - elastic.

If we talk about a plant as a person, the rubber ficus is a comrade who knows his worth, doing what he considers necessary. It can grow at home, or it can spend the whole summer outside. It tolerates drought, but you should not forget to water it. He loves cleanliness, so he wipes the dust off his leaves: they are large, oval, 35 centimeters long, 10-20 wide.

The color of the leaves (pure green, mottled, tricolor) depends on the variety. The variegated ones are a little more picky, they don’t like waterlogging, they want more light.

Landing

Choose in advance the place where the pot with the plant will stand. All types of ficus react negatively to moving from one room to another. Plants do not like changes in light, temperature conditions and air humidity.

If any of the environmental parameters change, then the ficus Elastica may slow down its growth. Sometimes the tree stops growing altogether for a long time. For planting, you need a stable pot that can comfortably accommodate the root system.

What soil is suitable?

The plant is well suited to ready-made soil for decorative deciduous species. There are also special mixtures for ficus on sale.

Many gardeners make their own soil. To do this, take turf and garden soil, peat and sand in a ratio of 1:1:1:0.5. This mixture is suitable for ficus plants of any age.

Other gardeners believe that the composition of the soil should vary depending on the age of the plants:

For seedlings propagated by cuttings, mix peat, leaf, turf soil and river sand in equal quantities.
For young ficuses, take soil from under coniferous trees, peat and sand in a ratio of 1:1:0.5.
For mature plants, prepare a mixture of humus, soil from under coniferous trees, garden soil, turf soil, peat and sand in a ratio of 1:1:1:1:1:0.5.

Important! Drainage must be placed at the bottom of the pot; crushed stone is well suited for this. The thickness of the layer is 3–6 cm. There should be holes in the bottom to remove excess moisture and supply oxygen.

When to plant?

It is best to plant in early spring, when daylight hours last long enough. But if necessary, transplantation is done at any time of the year. This need arises when the plant is accidentally injured. Or if it has grown significantly during the summer season.

Home care

In order for the Ficus Elastic to grow actively and not get sick, it is necessary to create conditions close to its natural habitat. Flower growers select the optimal parameters for watering, fertilizing, lighting, temperature and humidity in the room. To make the plant look beautiful, pruning is done and the crown is artificially formed.

Watering

A ficus that receives enough water has dense and bright leaves, and elastic trunks and branches. To ensure optimal hydration, it is important to adhere to the following rules:

In summer, the plant is watered once a week, in extreme heat - twice a week.
In winter, it is enough to water the ficus once every 10-15 days.
The water should be settled or boiled, at room temperature.
To increase air humidity, it is recommended to spray water mist around the plant. Since in tropical forests ficuses are surrounded by air saturated with moisture.
Once a week, the leaves should be sprayed with water or wiped with a damp cloth. For this procedure, it is better to take boiled water. Otherwise, spots may remain on the leaves.
Additionally, the plant is washed in the shower once a month. The pot with soil is covered with plastic wrap; it cannot be filled.

Ficus has very thick roots. Therefore, in porous, breathable soil they do not dry out for a long time. Also, a large amount of water is contained in thick stems and dense leaves. The soil should dry out by 2-2.5 cm, and only after that the next watering is carried out.

What and how to feed?

Rubber plants are fed twice a month, from March to October. In winter, the growth of the tree slows down, so the plant is not fertilized.

Suitable for feeding:

mineral fertilizers containing potassium, nitrogen and phosphorus;
cow dung solution;
fertilizers with microelements.

The drugs are diluted according to the instructions. Mullein is mixed with water in a ratio of 1:10. The soil is moistened before fertilizing.

Trimming, pinching and shaping

A large and tall bush takes up a lot of space. To limit the growth of ficus and form the required volume and height of the plant, pinch the tops and side shoots.

Pruning is done with high-quality sharp pruning shears. A cut branch can be rooted by combining pruning and propagation. After removing the top, side shoots actively grow. They contribute to the formation of a voluminous bush-like tree.

Attention! Ficus that has stopped growing should not be pruned. This can lead to the death of the plant.

Lighting

Ficus trees grow right on the streets and in parks. But when grown at home, these plants require special care:

Elastica feels best in diffused sunlight: in the shade of translucent and fabric curtains, in the back of the room.
Ficus perfectly tolerates the sliding rays of the rising and setting sun.
The plant should not be left under the scorching midday rays.
In winter, the lack of light is compensated by wall lamps and ceiling chandeliers.

Important! Lighting requirements for different types of ficus are different. This question needs to be clarified in specialized literature or from professional flower growers.

Temperature and humidity

In summer, the comfortable temperature for ficus is 18-24°C. In winter, the plant feels good at 14-16°C.

If the air in the room is dry, the ficus will hurt, a brown border will appear on the leaves, and the tips will curl and dry out. To humidify the air in winter, you can place a wide container of water near the battery.

When is a transplant required?

If the pot is small and the ficus is large, then the roots process almost all the soil and occupy its volume. The leaves of this plant are thin and have a lilac tint. The stems become thinner and lose their hardness.

There are different opinions regarding elastic ficus transplantation. Some gardeners write that the plant is moved to a new container when it stops growing. Other hobbyists advise regularly updating the soil and increasing the volume of the pot.

The new vessel should be higher and wider than the previous one (for young ficuses - by 2-3 cm, for mature ones with stable growth - by 5-6 cm). The height of the pot is a third or a quarter of the length of the trunk.

The frequency of replanting depends on the age of the plant, as follows:

young rubber plants require annual replanting;
mature trees are moved to a new vessel every 2-3 years;
old plants do not need to be replanted; it is enough to change the top layer of soil in the pot (3–4 cm).

Ficus trees are transplanted only by transshipment. It's better to do this in the spring. The whole butt with soil is taken out of the pot and transferred to a spacious container, adding peat soil. The trunk neck cannot be buried. After transplantation, growth accelerates. Sometimes up to 4–5 new leaves grow in a month.

Attention! If the roots are very long, when replanting it is better not to bend them, but to cut them.

Caring for young ficus trees

A young plant requires special care in the first two months, as during this period it gains strength and becomes a full-fledged independent ficus. It is important to adhere to the following rules when caring for young elastics:

Choose a place with good lighting but not direct sunlight. This will allow the small ficus to grow and gain strength, maintaining the shape of the leaves and strengthening the stem. If there is too much light, it will stretch upward, and the leaves will not be able to fully bloom and, most likely, will dry out.

Ficus care
Depending on the time of year, you need to maintain the temperature: in winter – 15-18°C, and in summer – 25-28°C.
Avoid drafts, they are harmful to the developing sprout.
Proper watering is the key to a beautiful and healthy plant. Young elastic needs to be moistened every 3-5 days, depending on the ambient temperature.
Important!
Do not overdo it, so as not to flood it, stick to the watering regime, since dry soil will not allow the young sprout to develop fully. It is also important to wipe the leaves or spray them with a spray bottle.
Feeding of young ficus in the active growth phase should be introduced from the second week from the day of planting in the soil and should be done every 10-14 days; it will give strength to the roots of the plant and also help the development of new leaves. A universal fertilizer for deciduous plants is suitable for this purpose.

Diseases and pests

Rubber ficus plants are often infected by various fungi. You can try to treat infected plants, but most often the diseases develop rapidly, and control measures do not help.

The main types of fungi that appear on ficus trees:

Botrytis (or gray mold) is a disease that occurs in conditions of excess humidity. The leaves become covered with a dusty gray coating and spots. They need to be cut off and special preparations used.
Sooty fungus is a black coating on the leaves. It develops in the excrement of insect pests. For treatment, foliage and stems are irrigated with fungicide.
Powdery mildew appears as white spots. Severely affected leaves are cut off, the rest are washed with a solution of copper sulfate.
Rhizoctonia, pythium and late blight fungi settle on roots and trunks. It is almost impossible to cure a diseased flower. It will have to be destroyed. The pot cannot be reused.
Anthracosis (or rust) appears as brown spots that grow quickly. After which the leaf dies. The affected areas are cut off and the plant is treated with fungicidal preparations.

In conditions of high humidity and lack of ventilation, pests settle on ficus trees. Most often these are mealybugs, whitefly butterflies, scale insects, spider mites, aphids, and thrips. To get rid of insects, chemicals and folk remedies (soap and tobacco solutions) are effective.

The nematode attacks the roots and releases toxic substances. A diseased ficus is difficult to cure. The plant is removed from the pot and the roots are soaked in water with an insecticide.

Possible problems and methods for solving them

The rubber-bearing species is rarely susceptible to disease and is not particularly demanding on living conditions, but still the plant can also suffer if it is not cared for properly or pests appear. Common problems when caring for elastic:

Incorrect watering, which leads to drying out or, conversely, waterlogging of the elastic. If it dries out, the watering regime should be normalized, and the plant will recover. If it was flooded and the roots began to rot, then you can try to save the flower by replanting it in new soil and removing the damaged roots.
Yellowing of leaves due to excess light or excessive proximity of heating devices to the flower. You just need to move the ficus to another place - and it will regenerate on its own.

Yellowing of leaves
Ficus leaves can also turn yellow due to excess fertilizer; to remove them, it is enough to water the flower generously several times and reduce the dose of the drugs used in the future.
Elastic develops poorly and takes on an unhealthy appearance if there is an excess of salts in the soil. The problem is solved with the help of a transplant.

Ficus can also suffer from insects; it is advisable to detect their attack on the plant at an early stage and get rid of them. Signs of ficus damage by pests manifest themselves in different ways:

aphids cover the leaves with sticky clumps;
as a result of a scale insect attack, brown-white tubercles appear on the leaves;
spider mites can be noticed by the appearance of a thin cobweb enveloping both the trunk and leaves;
Mealybugs are characterized by the appearance of fluffy white fibers and sticky liquid on the leaves and stem.

To rid elastic from pests, you need to carefully treat it with special chemicals that are sold in flower shops. You can also use traditional methods of struggle:

laundry soap;
toothpaste;
garlic;
tobacco;
nettle;
calendula;
elder;
sagebrush.

You need to prepare an aqueous solution from the above plants and products and thoroughly rinse the ficus with it to get rid of insects. The procedure is effective at the initial stage of infection and requires repetition several times to achieve results.

Crown formation

Pruning to form the crown is carried out in the middle or end of February. To work, you need pruning shears or a sharp knife, as well as alcohol to disinfect the tool.

Crown formation includes trimming the tops and side shoots. The stems are shortened by 5–20 cm, removing leaves and several internodes. A fungicide is applied to the cuts to prevent fungal diseases and the wounds are sprinkled with pounded activated carbon.

Attention! A few days before the crown is formed, fertilizers are applied to the ground.

Methods for propagating rubber plants

In the natural environment, rubber-bearing ficuses reproduce by seeds, as well as by aerial and adventitious roots. Often a seed germinates, anchored in the folds of the bark of a tree of another species. That is, it behaves like an epiphatic plant.

At home, Elastica is propagated in three ways:

cuttings;
bends;
leaves.

Cuttings

A cutting 15-17 cm long is cut from a healthy tree. It is important that the stem has internodes and 1-3 small leaves. Wash the cut and place the cutting in a jar of water.

An activated carbon tablet is added there and the cutting is covered with a plastic bag. The jar should not be placed in the sun.

After 2-3 weeks, roots appear and the ficus is placed in the soil. The cuttings can also be rooted in crushed vermiculite or sphagnum moss.

Air outlets

Select the apical shoot. Stepping back 2 cm from the internode, make a notch, cutting off the bark and tissue. The wound is powdered with a root formation stimulator.

Sphagnum moss is soaked in water, applied to the cut and secured with plastic wrap. For greater strength, the protective material is tied with two cords, below and above the wound. The packaging should allow for watering.

Important! Moss must always be kept moist. After a month, the branch is cut below the polyethylene and the film is removed. Strong and healthy roots appear in sphagnum. Then the ficus is planted in a pot.

Leaves

A short stalk with a leaf is cut from the stem. Place it in water for half an hour to allow the milky juice to drain. Then plant it in a pot to a depth of 3 cm (to the base of the leaf petiole).

To create optimal conditions, put a plastic bag on the seedling. With the help of which the temperature in the greenhouse is maintained at 25–28°C. After 2–3 weeks, the first roots appear.

Reproduction of rubber ficus

Rubber-bearing ficus is quite easy to propagate at home. To do this, you can use the leaves of an adult specimen, layering or cuttings cut from an existing plant (Figure 6).

Each method has its own characteristics and work algorithm, so we will consider the main stages of each type of reproduction in more detail.

Cuttings

This method is one of the simplest and most reliable ways to obtain a young plant. To do this, you need to cut a sufficient number of stem or apical cuttings 10-15 cm long. The cut of the cutting is made oblique, and all leaves are removed from the branch itself, except for the top few. Next, you need to hold the cutting under running water until the juice stops oozing from the cut.

Figure 6. Step-by-step instructions for plant propagation

After this, the cuttings are placed in water for rooting, and the leaves remaining on the branch must be rolled into a tube and tied with an elastic band to reduce moisture evaporation. But it is much better to root the cuttings in the ground, covering them with a bag or film on top.

Leaf

This method of reproduction is considered popular absolutely undeservedly. If you cut a leaf of a plant and put it in water, roots will certainly appear on it, but this propagation process will end.

Even if you transplant a leaf with roots into a pot and provide it with ideal care, shoots will still not appear, and the entire pot will simply be filled with roots.

By layering

Varieties of rubber-bearing ficus with variegated leaves are easily propagated by air layering. To do this, you need to make a cut in the trunk (depth - no more than a third of the thickness of the trunk) and insert a match into it to prevent the edges from closing.

Next, this part of the trunk is wrapped in damp moss and film, and secured with tape. When you see that roots begin to form under the film, cut off the shoots below the roots and replant them in the ground.

Signs and superstitions

There are many completely opposite superstitions and signs regarding ficus. Some people believe that this plant should be placed in the bedroom in order to get pregnant. And also that this flower absorbs negative energy and improves relationships between family members. Ficus will bring love, prosperity, luck and financial stability to the house.

But not everyone loves ficus trees. Some people believe that these plants allegedly contribute to scandals and discord. Ficus spoils relationships with men, preventing them from growing up to marriage, and is considered a “husband-driver.”

The large leaves of Ficus Elastica emit a large amount of oxygen throughout the daylight hours. This plant kills bacteria and makes the air cleaner.

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Growing problems:

Yellowing of the foliage indicates that the plant has been overwatered and the roots have begun to rot. In this case, the ficus needs to be turned out and the condition of the root system checked, damaged roots cut off, and the substrate replaced;
Growth stops if the ficus lacks nutrients, sunlight or the pot is too small;
The lower leaves fly away - this is a natural process;
The plant sheds its leaves due to lack of lighting, exposure to cold drafts, sudden changes in temperature, and too frequent or infrequent watering.