Once upon a time, the opinion about indoor ficus was twofold. Some considered it a sign of philistinism. Others are the keeper of the home. Indoor ficus is a small tree. This plant is often called rubbery because of the milk sap that contains rubber.
East Asia is the birthplace of the order of fucus plants. In the wild, ficus grows to gigantic proportions; it is bred on plantations for the extraction of rubber for industrial purposes. Indoor is an ornamental plant with wide glossy dark green leaves. The leaves are elastic to the touch.
Toy flower
Unfortunately, most types of domesticated ficus do not flower. Blooming ficus can be seen only in the botanical garden, and even then, if you're lucky. Rarely, but still flowering species include lyre ficus, Benjamin Ficus, Bengal and dwarf. These plants have truly lovely flowers that feel like a toy. Very resilient buds and as hard as varnished petals delight with grace and laconicism. The flower has nothing superfluous: large cupped petals have a color transition from a dark core to a light, almost white rim.
Most often, the bud is yellow, but the flowers are from bright orange to light yellow and milky with a contrasting middle, which in some species is smooth, like a bead, and in some it is covered with small villi.
Ficus blooms only in ideal conditions. Throwing away the bud, it seems to measure for a week, sometimes two, after which - usually at night - it dismisses the flower. The opened flower bowl lasts no more than 3-4 days, after which all the petals fall off at once. However, enthusiastic flower growers assure that this plant with its varnished leaves can decorate the interior of any apartment without even blooming.
Breeding
Ficus care is simple, but regular. First of all, you need to find a place where the plant will be comfortable, that is, with good lighting, but without direct sunlight and the formation of drafts.
There is an unshakable rule in caring for a ficus: the higher the temperature in the room, the more light the flower needs. If possible, in the summer you can take it out to the loggia and put it in a shaded place.
Another rule of proper care is the timely watering of the plant. In summer, the soil in the pot should not be allowed to crack between waterings, and not to be flooded with water in winter. The plant is thermophilic. Therefore, you can only water it with warm water. It is very useful to wash the ficus with a shower, after covering the soil with a film. After a shower, he is allowed to dry in the bathroom, and only then is he put in place. This is done so that the bush does not get overcooled and does not begin to shed its leaves.
Ficus is propagated at home by cuttings. For this, young shoots that are not yet lignified with two or three nodes of future shoots are suitable.
As the young ficus grows, it is transplanted with soil replacement. In old plants, only the topsoil is renewed. In the spring, to form the crown of the ficus, the elongated shoots are cut off.
