Growing and reproduction of ficus lyre

Ficuses are rightfully considered one of the most popular houseplants. In nature, they grow in the form of trees and semi-shrubs, are distinguished by their endurance and unpretentiousness. Home cultures are gentler. They do not like too bright lighting, do not tolerate drafts and waterlogging of the soil. Lyre ficus is a typical representative of its species. It is valued for its bright green leathery leaves resembling a lyre, and is used for landscaping residential premises, offices, and shopping centers.

Description of the plant

The homeland of the lyre ficus (Ficus lurata) is the African tropics, where these plants of the mulberry family grow in the form of evergreen trees, reaching a height of 15 m.Ficus lyre differs from its other counterparts not only in the height of the tree, but also in beautiful leaves with a wavy edge and light veins on a dark background. The leaves are very much like a lyre or a violin in shape. It is because of this similarity that the plant received the name "lyre".

In nature, ficus is found both on the open edges of the forest, and in dense tropical thickets, where the plant has to fight for sunlight. In the latter case, the ficus grows in an epiphytic form: having originated in the crown of another plant, it throws out aerial roots, after a while it takes root and then grows as an independent tree.

A home-grown ficus is a tree up to 2.5 m tall. The rough, erect trunk is covered with gray-brown bark. The leaves are hard, dark green, slightly wrinkled, reaching a length of 50 cm. The flowers of the ficus are small and inconspicuous, but the houseplant almost never blooms.

Care and conditions of detention

The requirements for caring for lyre ficus are not much different from the rules for growing other types of plants of the mulberry family. In order for the flower to constantly delight with its rich greenery and not shed its leaves, it is necessary to create conditions close to natural.

• Lighting

Lyre ficus does not tolerate prolonged exposure to ultraviolet rays, so it is better to put a flower pot on the west or east window. If this is not possible, the tree will need to be shaded or moved away from the window. In case of insufficient lighting, the branches of the plant stretch out, leaves fall, growth slows down.

The optimal lighting option is diffused light during the day, in the morning before 11:00 and in the evening after 17:00 - direct rays. In order for the crown to develop symmetrically, it is necessary to turn the tree 90 ° around its axis once a week.

• Temperature

To grow ficus, you need a warm room, where the air temperature is kept in the range from + 20 ° C to + 30 ° C and only for a short time drops below + 15 ° C. It is very important to fulfill these requirements, since the flower is sensitive to sudden changes in temperature, does not like the cold, and even with slight hypothermia, it loses its decorative appearance. A capricious plant will not like cold soil, so you should not place flowerpots on blown window sills.

With a slight difference between day and night temperatures (6-8 degrees), ficus develops large leaves. If the air temperature in the room rises above 35 ° C, the plant falls into a state of stagnation, its growth and development stop.

• Air humidity

The plant, whose predecessors bathed in tropical rains, is very fond of humid air. Therefore, from time to time they arrange a shower for the ficus, wipe the leaves with a damp sponge and maintain normal humidity in the room.This is especially true during the heating season, when the air is dried out by radiators. The plant should be sprayed with soft, chlorine-free water, otherwise the leaves of the ficus will be covered with white stains and the plant will lose its attractiveness.

• Watering

Ficus lyre is watered without any schedule, as soon as the upper part of the earthen coma dries. In the summer season, the soil in the pot must not be allowed to dry completely, and in winter, stagnant moisture can destroy the plant. For irrigation, it is better to use soft filtered water, since the roots of the plant very poorly tolerate chemical impurities, in particular chlorine. Half an hour after watering, the water drained into the pan through the hole in the bottom of the pot must be drained.

• Top dressing

From the beginning of March to the end of September, lyre ficus needs additional feeding. During this period, the plant develops intensively - it will need a lot of nutrients. Liquid are used as top dressing. fertilizers for indoor plants, only the dose indicated in the instructions must be halved. You can feed the flower once every two weeks.

Important!

If fertilizer accidentally gets on the leaves, it must be removed immediately with a damp swab, otherwise a chemical burn is possible.

Plant transplant

Young specimens under 4 years old must be replanted every year. Transplanting adult plants is carried out as needed, when the root system fills the entire pot. The beginning of spring is the most appropriate time for this procedure.

To prepare the soil mixture, take an equal amount of peat, sod land and sand. You can add some quality humus.

The new pot should be 20% larger in volume than the old one. In addition, when choosing a new container for a flower, the height of the plant must be taken into account. If the tree is tall, it can turn the pot over.

To ensure good drainage, expanded clay or pebbles are poured into the bottom of the flowerpot. In an adult ficus, those parts of the roots that have reached the bottom of the pot and began to grow up are cut off. In addition, all rotten and damaged roots are removed.

Important!

When transplanting ficus, more than 1/3 of all roots should not be removed.

The plant is transplanted by the transshipment method, trying not to damage the root system remaining after pruning.

Pruning and shaping the crown

The ficus is unique in that it only grows upward. After a few years, instead of a lush flower with beautiful leaves, a tall, erect plant is obtained. Not every grower will like this look.

In order for the ficus to throw out the side shoots, you need to periodically prune. To do this, cut off the top of a plant that has reached a height of 70 cm. The cut is made over one of the internodes. As a result of this operation, the formation of lateral shoots begins, and the cut cutting can be rooted and planted in a pot next to the mother plant.

Important!

Ficus pruning should be carried out with gloves, since the released milky juice, when it gets on open areas of the body, can cause severe skin irritation.

Thick branches are cut obliquely, thin branches - with a straight cut. All work on pruning the plant should be carried out with a sharp and disinfected tool. To do this, a knife or razor must be treated with an alcohol solution. The juice that has emerged at the cut must be removed.

To cause the growth of side shoots, it is not always possible to limit yourself to pruning. There are several more ways to form a lyre ficus.

• If the plant is undersized, the crown is not cut off, but pinched. After the operation, one sprout appears from this point.
• You can achieve the appearance of lateral shoots by bending the top of the head to the soil surface and securing it in this position. When new shoots appear from the upper bud, the stem of the plant can be returned to its original position.
• The process of formation of additional shoots can be started by piercing the trunk with a needle.The immersion depth of the needle should be about a third of the barrel thickness.

Ficus pruning and crown formation usually does not cause great difficulties, the main thing is to adhere to the recommendations of experienced florists and carefully perform all the manipulations.

Reproduction of lyre ficus

Lyre ficus can be propagated by air layers or seeds. The first method is more effective and simpler, therefore it is used more often than the second.

Breeding material is taken from a growing central stem or side shoot with a diameter of 0.4 to 1.5 cm. The stem should be green or slightly lignified.

To get quality planting material, follow simple instructions.

1. Choose a suitable shoot 15 to 25 cm long.
2. The growth point and two leaves are left on the shoot. The rest of the foliage is cut off, exposing the stem by 10 cm.
3. Determine the leaf node in the center of the exposed area.
4. A notch 1–2 mm deep is made under the knot so as to destroy the integumentary tissue.
5. The incision site is moistened with pre-boiled and cooled water.
6. The incision is treated with any growth stimulant (Kornevin, Heteroauxin).
7. The place of the notch is wrapped with sphagnum moss and a film, which is fixed with a wire.

As soon as the process of root formation is over, the shoot is cut off and planted in a separate container. The time required for the formation of a new root system depends on the growing conditions and development of the plant itself.

Reproduction of ficus by seeds is difficult and troublesome, it takes a lot of time and patience. This method is mainly used by breeders to obtain new varieties of plants. For germination, seeds need sunlight, so they are not buried in the ground, but scattered over the surface and slightly pressed. At a temperature of + 25 ° C, sprouts appear in three weeks.

Diseases and pests

Ficus lyre is susceptible to fungal diseases, the occurrence of which occurs due to improper care and non-compliance with watering standards. The disease is characterized by the appearance of brown or black spots on the leaf plates. You can use fungicides to fight fungi.

Mites and mealybugs are the most common pests that parasitize ficus lyre. The fight against these insects is complicated by the scaly structure of the stem and leaves. When treating with insecticides, it is necessary to thoroughly moisten the inside of the leaf plate to completely remove parasites.

So, lyre ficus is a beautiful evergreen that can decorate not only a living room or a veranda, but also an office, a greenhouse, and a trading floor. If you create optimal growing conditions for the ficus, it will be able to decorate the room for many years.