The interior decoration will be done on numerous occasions with lush plants that have large green leaves. One of the most used plants for this is the robust ficus. It is a plant widely used indoors, not only for its huge, deep green leaves, but it is also one of the easiest to care for and has a fairly rapid growth.
Therefore, we are going to dedicate this article to tell you everything you need to know about the characteristics and care of the Robust ficus.
Key features
They were the perfect type of plant for all those people who are forgetful or who do not spend a lot of time at home but want to neglect the decoration. Provides visual height and fills the entire space with color without overcrowding it. It is one of the most robust plants with large green leaves, one of the most sought after for interior decoration. If you are one of these people who is looking for something to decorate the interior and you want it to be easy to care for, it is better to use the Ficus robusta.
Before knowing what the main cares are, let’s see what are some of its most notable characteristics. It is a plant native to the tropical forest of Asia. It can be found in both China, India and Indonesia naturally. It is known as the rubber tree, rubber plant, and ficus elastica. All these nicknames are due to the fact that its stem begins to excrete a milky sage when it is cut that is reminiscent of that of the real rubber tree. This sap can be irritating to some people, so you have to be careful.
It can reach a height of up to six feet, although indoors, if it is placed in a pot, they barely reach two meters in height. One of the characteristics for which homes are highly revered and used is because it is a purifying plant. This means that it has the ability to filter environmental toxins such as formaldehyde, benzene and others. Once we know its characteristics, we will go on to know what the main care it needs is.
Care robust ficus
We are going to divide what are the main care of the robust ficus attending to the minimum care and requirements.
Irrigation
As long as it meets its two main needs: irrigation and lighting, it is a very hardy plant. Contrary to what many people might think from appearance and origin, the ficus hardly needs watering. This means that it can withstand drought well, and care must be taken that the substrate is dry before watering. If it is watered too much, it can affect the roots that can rot. The leaves are a good indicator: if you water too much, the older leaves (located at the bottom of the stem) will turn yellow and begin to fall.
One way to avoid this is to water from below. This can be done by placing the plant pots in a wide tray or container and covering the bottom third of the pots with water. Leave it for a few hours so it can absorb all the water it needs. Then take it out and let the excess water run for a few more hours. This technique is also applicable to succulents and other species.
Location and temperature
It is a plant that does not like sudden changes, that is why it is important to achieve it in your space, because you know that the space will become happy and meet its requirements. The location you choose for the tree should allow it to absorb a lot of light, but absorb light indirectly. It comes from a warm area, so you will prefer to live in a place with these characteristics. It is true that it can adapt to places with a little less light than indicated, but it will grow slowly, it will lengthen and it will have almost no leaves. Remember, always rotate the pot from time to time so that it grows evenly.
The temperature should be quite high, between 16 and 24 ° C. Avoid frost, because you don’t like them at all and they can have a negative impact. It is not resistant to frost, so you can have it at home in winter, but pay attention to its humidity level, since heating will reduce its humidity.
It doesn’t require you to spray it with water, but if you do it once in a while, it will appreciate it. Under normal conditions, Ficus is not too demanding with environmental humidity, as it is a plant capable of regulating it. For this reason it is wonderful for those who suffer from seasonal allergies and dryness.because it can increase the humidity of the spaces; so you can group it with other plants to offer them its emotional and environmental support.
Maintenance of robust ficus
Ficus robusta does not require high levels of substrate. General purpose fertilizer is enough, if you finish it off with some organic compost that’s even better. It is important that you pay attention to the drainage system of the pot. The plant is susceptible to root rot, so a good substrate must be accompanied by a pebble bottom or similar to facilitate rapid and efficient drainage.
You can fertilize the banyan tree with a liquid fully diluted balanced universal fertilizer. Use in spring and reuse in summer. Avoid using too much, as it can burn the plants.
Another part of the care with respect to maintenance is pruning. The branches that grow must be pruned to control the size and shape of the tree as it develops. If the location is a bright place, it will grow quite fastso it is important that you pay attention so that it does not grow too long and not very leafy. You have to cut the upper branches to stimulate the growth of new leaves.
Being a plant with a lot of vertical growth, You may need a stake so you can control the weight of the branches well.
I hope that with this information you can learn more about the Ficus robusta and its care.
