Flower lovers are trying to decorate their homes with various plants. One of these plants is the ficus robusta. It will not only become a good decoration in your home, but also complement the interior of the office. We will tell you how to care for the ficus, its methods of reproduction and the difficulties that may arise during its cultivation.
Ficus Robusta: general information
This type of ficus can be safely called the most unpretentious plant, which is perfect for novice florists. Caring for him does not take much trouble.
Familiarize yourself with the most popular types of ficus, in particular with lyre, rubber, ficus myocarp, Melanie and Benjamin, and also learn how to reproduce ficus at home.
Appearance and photo
This flower is a member of the ficus family. Evergreen crown will not leave indifferent any grower. Most of all, it is remarkable for its large leaves. They have an oval shape with pointed tips pointing down.
The color of the leaves has a dark green color. In the middle of the shoot is the central vein, the color of which can vary from red to dark green. 
The hardwood plate has a smooth edge. The leaves are arranged in series along the entire trunk, which is green.
If you touch the surface of the leaves, it seems that they are made of plastic with a wax coating. The length of the leaf is approximately 20-25 cm, and its width is 15 cm. However, in some plants the leaf can reach sizes of 45x20 cm.
Did you know? In Feng Shuya, a room flower Robusta is a symbol of cleaning the aura and protecting it from the negative and evil spirits of the living room.
Robusta can also bloom. However, the sizes of inflorescences and fruits are insignificant compared to the size of the flower (only 1 cm in diameter), so it is very difficult to consider them.
Homeland and distribution
Ficus robusta is very common in northeastern regions of India, as well as southern regions of China, Indonesia, Nepal, Burma, Buran and Malaysia.
The length of some representatives of the species can reach 60 meters in height. However, the average height of this tree is 30-40 meters, and the diameter of the trunk reaches 2 meters. 
In nature, the stem of a plant has many branches and can form aerial roots.
Conditions for growing ficus Robusta
Although this plant is considered unpretentious, it is necessary to pay attention to the conditions under which it is best to grow a flower.
Temperature, watering and humidity
The optimal conditions for growing a flower is the usual room temperature. If the temperature is outside the range of 18-25 degrees, then the leaves of the plant begin to fall off.
When the temperature rises above 25 degrees, the foliage begins to fade and sag.
Important! Selecting the optimal place for the ficus Robusta, you must remember that the plant does not tolerate drafts.
Also, do not put a flower next to the battery, since the hot air coming from it will accelerate the evaporation of moisture from the leaves, and the plant will get burned.
In spring and autumn, the plant can be rearranged from the room to the balcony, the plant tolerates such changes quite well. And in the summertime it can be taken out even on the street, the main thing is to choose a place with an optimal level of lighting. 
One of the most important conditions for proper care of the flower of this family is to maintain the optimum humidity, which should not be less than 50%.
In winter, when the humidity in the room rarely exceeds 30-40%, it is recommended to use a humidifier or to spray a plant. If you regularly spray the ficus, the flower will always delight you with a beautiful green crown.
Read more about the rules of watering ficus.
Optimal lighting
This flower is not particularly capricious in lighting, and it tolerates both a darkened window and a window with a northern orientation. The lack of light is easily compensated by artificial lighting.
This feature of the ficus allows you to put the pot even in the depths of the room.
However, this plant does not tolerate direct sunlight - such an effect can lead to foliage or burns. 
Soil composition
For good growth is suitable light soil with neutral acidity. It is better to buy special substances for ficuses or universal soil, which can be bought at any flower shop.
It will be useful for you to learn how to pick up the soil for ficus.
In order to penetrate the air well, you can add a small amount of sand.
The bottom layer in the pot is recommended to lay drainage. This will protect the soil from stagnant moisture and, accordingly, from rotting of the root system. Before irrigation, it is recommended to loosen the topsoil regularly. It provides good air and moisture permeability.
Ficus Robusta: home care
Like any other plant, robusta needs proper watering and bait, pruning and transplanting.
Watering and feeding
Although the flower loves abundant watering, however, it is not recommended to flood it, since an excessive water level can cause the roots to rot and sour the soil.
Important! Regularly after watering, when the plant has absorbed the required amount of moisture, it is necessary to drain the remaining water from the pan. This will protect the flower from the formation of mold and the development of various diseases associated with its presence.
The optimal irrigation regime is once every 3 days in the summer and once every 5 days in winter.
Before the next watering is recommended to allow the soil to dry. If the ficus was repeatedly poured, then it can only be saved by transplant. 
Ficus Robusta needs regular fertilizer during the period of active growth (from March to November). In this regard, every 2 weeks it is necessary to feed the flower with complex fertilizer ("Ideal", "Palma", "Humisol"), which can be bought at any flower shop.
This feed contributes to the good development of the flower crown. You can also use foliar feeding.
Cropping and crown formation
Under normal conditions, this plant is allowed to grow freely. However, to create the desired shape of the crown ficus can be cut or pinch. If you want your flower to shoot side shoots, then you can pinch the tip of the main shoot.
This will provide an incentive for the development of lateral branches, although it is very difficult to predict how the plant will develop.
You may be interested to learn how to form the crown of rubber-rubber plant ficus.
Cut off the shoots can be used for further reproduction. The optimal period for pruning is February-early March, when the plant enters a stage of active growth. To form a crown of a certain shape, pruning should be done 7 cm above the desired place (leaf or branch).
Thin branches must be cut at a right angle, and an oblique cut is used to trim the trunk. It should be noted that pruning the main shoot will stop the development of the flower stem.
Experts recommend using a knife blade that has been previously disinfected for trimming ficus. 
This can be done with the help of fire (having heated the blade) or alcohol solution. After performing this procedure, it is imperative to remove the released juice.
This is due to the fact that the “milk” that the flower emits has a poisonous composition, and getting it on the skin or mucous membranes can lead to unpleasant consequences. You can remove it with a wet sponge.
Did you know? The most famous representative of ficuses is figs, which, by the way, is a sacred tree for Muslims.
For the formation of the crown can also be used bending the top and fixing it in the desired position or piercing the new branches to a depth of 1/3.
Plant transplant
Ficus Robusta is a fast-growing flower, especially in the early years. In this regard, the plant needs an annual transplant into a larger pot, and it is better to produce it in spring or early summer.
Video: how to transplant ficus Robusta For adult plants, when transplantation is hampered by the size of the ficus, you can get by replacing the top layer of soil. With such a replacement, care is important so as not to damage the root system.
Read more about how to pick up the pot, and transplant ficus at home.
How multiply ficus
For reproduction of this flower there are several options:
- cuttings;
- shoots of leaves;
- seeds;
- horizontal and air layering.
The simplest method is reproduction by cuttings, which are obtained after pruning. To form the root system, the cuttings are placed in water and, after 3-4 weeks, transplanted into the ground. 
Reproduction by cutting method However, it is possible to immediately shoot the sprout into the ground and cover it with a can or a cut bottle, which will create favorable conditions for the development of roots.
Diseases, pests, growing difficulties
Ficus Robusta has good immunity, which protects it from various pests. However, in some cases, it can be affected by a spider mite or shield.
Read more about diseases of ficus, how to deal with spider mites and shields on indoor plants, as well as what fungicides are used in indoor plant growing.
It is easy to remove these pests, for this purpose it is enough to wipe the leaves several times a week with a damp sponge. With such processing, it is necessary to wipe the reverse side of the leaf well, where the tick or shield is often hidden. 
Diseases of this flower are most often associated with improper care and can cause yellowing and abscission of leaves. Therefore, it is necessary to revise your approach to care.
If you notice that your pet sheds leaves, or it has turned yellow, then perhaps it is exposed to a draft or requires additional watering.
Brown spots that appeared on the foliage, says that the flower is poured. Also, excess moisture can cause rotting of the root system, which will be accompanied by an unpleasant smell.
Did you know? In Central Africa and Latin America, foliage of the plant of the ficus family is used to build canopies and roofs.A sharp drop in the leaves indicates that the ficus is under stress and requires urgent resuscitation. Do not forget about the dry air, which can also cause falling of the crown.
To protect the plant, it is necessary to produce some preventive methods. For example, immediately after the purchase of such a handsome man, it is necessary to put him in quarantine (that is, to put him in a place distant from other plants), which will last for three weeks.
Once a week to inspect the plant, and analyze the health of ficus. And to complete such an inspection is better by soap treatment of the leaves, which will serve as a preventive measure against various pests. 
Ficus Robusta is an unpretentious flower that well complements the interior of any room. Great as a gift for a beginner florist. But still his unpretentiousness does not mean that he does not need care and attention. Proper care will allow you to enjoy this handsome for a long time.
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