Ficus microcarp is an amazing, unusual plant. This is a mini-tree of a mulberry variety, the cultivation of which uses the Japanese bonsai technique.
What does the ficus microcarp look like, to which family it belongs
Microcarpa belongs to the Mulberry family. The flower is notable for its bare trunk and root system. The roots are massive, rise up, intricately spinning.
Description of appearance:
- Height - from 2 to 3 m.
- Leaves - oval, curved at the end, located on short petioles. The color of the foliage is dark green, the length of the leaf plates is from 5 to 10 cm, the width is from 3 to 5 cm.
- The trunk is brown, in dense bark.
- Fruits - small yellow berries, which, when fully ripe, acquire a burgundy hue.
Microcarp - the king among the ficuses
Additional Information! In nature, ficus reaches a height of 20 m. It is an epiphyte that grows on other trees.
Common varieties
The type of microcarp includes the following varieties:
- Westland - length of leaf plates 11 cm, width - 5 cm.
- Green Gem - a variety with a very dense crown.
- Variegata - leaf plates painted in colorful colors.
- Moklam - small sheet plates of dark green color, rounded in shape.
Varieties of ficus were bred by specialists through long-term selection.
Healing properties
At home, ficus helps purify the air of carbon compounds - phenol, formaldehyde and benzene. A positive effect on the flower and human energy. The tree improves overall well-being, reducing the incidence of viral and infectious diseases, normalizing the functioning of the central nervous system.
Briefly about the history of the appearance
The birthplace of ficus is Japan, the northern regions of Australia, and the southeastern regions of China. In Japan, ficus from the VI century began to be used to create bonsai trees. There is no data on when and how it was introduced to Europe.
On the basis of microcarps you can create a real work of garden art
Microcarpa ficus - home care
It’s easy to take care of the plant. You just need to adhere to the standard rules for growing a flower.
Temperature
Optimum temperature range + 25 ... +30 ° C.
Attention! Not only the crown of the tree, but also its root system needs heat. It is not recommended to put a pot with ficus on the floor if it is cold, or on a windowsill.
Lighting
The plant does not like bright light and strong shadow. The ideal place is partial shade. It is recommended to put a container with ficus on the east or west side, slightly away from the window.
Watering
Water the tree as needed, allowing the top layer of soil to dry. From frequent and plentiful watering, the root system can rot.
Spraying
The frequency of spraying depends on the temperature and humidity in the room. The drier the air, the more the plant needs moisture.
Humidity
The humidity level should be 60-70%.
Priming
For a flower, it is recommended to buy special soil intended for growing ficuses or palm trees. You can make the soil yourself by mixing clay, dive ground and sand in equal parts.
Ficus will serve as a wonderful addition to any interior.
Top dressing
Fertilizers are used from May to October. It is recommended to use store dressings for ficuses. They are made 2 times a month, adding to water for irrigation.
Features of winter care, rest period
Rest at the ficus begins in the second half of November and lasts until the end of April, the first of May. The tree must be kept at room temperature. As additional lighting, phytolamps are used. Watering in winter is moderate. If the air is dry due to central heating, the plant is sprayed 1-2 times a week.
Attention! Do not allow indoor air to cool to temperatures below +15 ° C.
When and how it blooms
Microcarp home ficuses bloom in rare cases. The flowers are small, not having aesthetic significance, collected from several inflorescences with a diameter of not more than 1 cm. The flowers are unusual, outwardly similar to berries - siconia.
Microcarpus has unusual flowers, like the tree itself
Flowering period and care at this time
Ficus blooms in July - September. At this time, you need to increase the frequency of watering and spraying, as well as to regularly fertilize.
Pruning
Trimming ficus is necessary to form a beautiful crown and to rejuvenate the plant. This is done in the spring. Plant pruning rules:
- upper buds are removed, which stimulates the active growth of lateral shoots;
- the main shoot is cut at a height of 15 cm.
Periodically, regardless of the time of the year, sanitary removal of damaged or poorly developing shoots is carried out.
How Ficus Microcarp reproduces
Microcarp propagation is carried out by cuttings, seeds and air layers.
Seed germination
Seeds are pre-soaked in a growth promoter. They are planted in nutrient land, consisting of sphagnum moss and peat.
The seed container is covered with plastic wrap. Diffuse lighting and regular watering are provided. As soon as the first shoots appear, the film is removed. Sprouts are planted in a permanent place so that the lower leaf plates are recessed into the ground.
Pruning is a must for flower care
Additional Information! It is very difficult to propagate ficus seeds, because the probability of emergence is small, and seedlings develop very slowly.
Rooting cuttings
Cuttings are the preferred method of propagation of ficus. Procedure:
- Shoots are cut off. You need to choose strong, woody branches. They are cut into pieces up to 15 cm long, the cut is done at an angle.
- The lower leaf plates are removed.
- The slice is wiped from the juice, processed with a growth stimulator.
- Shoots are planted in the ground and covered with a film.
- They are regularly watered.
Instead of soil, the seed can be lowered into water with the addition of crushed activated carbon and periodically change the liquid. The roots will begin to appear after about 6 weeks.
Air lay
Algorithm of actions:
- To retreat from the top of the branch 70 cm, make 2 cuts at a distance of 4 cm.
- Insert matches into slices to prevent the bark from growing together.
- Close cuts with wet sphagnum moss.
- Cover the place with a film, making several punctures in it for oxygen access.
- Moisten the moss periodically with a syringe.
After 30-40 days, when the first roots appear through the moss, the film is removed. The branch is cut under the roots and planted in the ground.
Other options
The plant can also propagate by the root cuttings method.
Attention! This procedure must be carried out before a flower transplant. The branch needs to be cut, planted in the ground, cover the container with film. Every day, polyethylene must be removed for 30-40 minutes so that the earth breathes. As the soil dries, it needs to be watered.
Rooting occurs after about 3-3.5 months. As soon as 3-4 leaf plates appear on the handle, you can transplant it to a permanent place.
Transfer
The sequence of actions when planting a ficus in a new container:
- Water the flower abundantly.
- Carefully remove it from the old flowerpot.
- Put expanded clay for drainage and a layer of sand in a new pot.
- Dip the ficus in the container, cover the voids with earth and tamp a little.
The capacity for ficus should be wide and shallow
Possible problems with growing and disease
Caring for a microcarp is not difficult, but some difficulties in growing ficus can occur:
- The flower drops buds and leaves. This is a sign of a lack of minerals. The plant needs to be fed and provided with plentiful, diffused lighting.
- The leaves turn pale. This happens when there is a lack of lighting.
- The tips dry on the leaves. So the plant reports a lack of moisture or its excessive amount, lack of fertilizer.
- The lower leaves fall off. This is a sign of rotting of the root system.
Pests
On the ficus, aphids, mealybugs or scale insects may appear. To get rid of insects, the plant needs to be put under a shower, after covering the earth with a film, and then treated with insecticides.
Other problems
The following problems may occur due to improper care:
- The appearance of gray spots on the leaf plates indicates stagnation of water and decay of the root system.
- The twisting of the plates is due to a burn from sunlight.
To restore the plant, you need to remove the damaged parts and adjust the care for it.
Signs and superstitions
The Slavs have always been negative about the presence of ficuses in the living rooms, believing that they have a bad effect on humans. Other peoples consider ficus a tree that cleanses the aura and protects from evil spirits.
Microcarp is an unusual ficus grown using the bonsai technique. Caring for him is simple. In captivity, ficus blooms in rare cases, but even if this happens, flowering does not carry decorative value.
