Ficus refers to the plants of the mulberry family. In nature, there are up to one thousand of its varieties, growing mostly in the tropics or subtropics. The plant is both evergreen and deciduous. It depends on the zone of its growth. Ficus, growing in the humid tropics, does not know what a frost or drought is. Therefore, it remains green all year round. And figs living in areas where there are cold and droughty periods, discard the leaves at an unfavorable time. This allows plants to reduce the need for moisture.
Ficus grows and at home. Previously, the ficus of rubber-bearing was very popular: a tall plant with large oval leaves. His name he received because of the milky juice, located in all parts of the plant. Now more and more popular is the room ficus of Benjamin : an elegant branchy tree with green or mottled leaves.
Indoor ficuses - plants are rather capricious, so often the florists have a question: why do the leaves fall at the ficus? It is only natural if the leaves of the plant fall during the renovation process. But if in autumn or even in winter the leaves of the ficus turn yellow and fall off, then it is necessary to evaluate the conditions in which the plant is located.
The reasons why ficus dumps leaves
The reasons why the ficus turns yellow and discards leaves may be several:
- Moving a plant to a new premise after purchase, or simply rearranging the pot elsewhere;
- the flower is in a cold or draft;
- transplanting the ficus into a new container;
- poor lighting or dry air;
- excess watering;
- presence of pests.
Prevention of leaf discard with ficus
What to do in the event that the ficus loses the leaves? In order for the ficus to grow and develop well, it must be kept in a bright place without drafts. The optimum temperature in the room should be 18-20 ° C. If the pot with the plant is on a cold window sill, place a felt or foam under it.
Water this houseplant should be moderate, without pouring and only after the earthenware in the pot completely dried up. If the ground remains wet the next day, check if there is any water in the pan. Water the ficus less often. But if the soil in the pot is heavy and waterlogged, then the plant needs to be transplanted into a new substrate.
In case of insufficient lighting, it is necessary to install a special illumination from fluorescent lamps.
In winter, in rooms with central heating, the air is very dry. Therefore, if you notice that the leaves of the ficus are showered, you should regularly spray it or install a humidifier.
In order to help the ficus quickly acquire new leaves, you can use special anti-stress sprayers, for example, Epin. For one glass of water, you need to take 2 drops of solution and spray the plant once a week, and at night, as the solution quickly deteriorates under the influence of light. Spray the ficus for a week, then break for a week, and if necessary, repeat the course again.
If you find pests on the plant , and while the leaves of the ficus fly around, be sure to conduct treatment with chemicals.
It can happen that all of the above measures do not help, and the ficus still leaves the leaves. In this case, it does not hurt to check the state of its roots. To do this, the bush of the ficus is carefully removed from the pot and examined by its root system. If there are soft, rotten roots, either dry or wrinkled, they should be cut to a healthy tissue. Sliced powdered wood or activated charcoal. Transplant the plant into a slightly smaller pot, completely replacing the entire earth.
Do not worry if your ficus has discarded all the leaves. If you provide him with proper care and take measures to restore it, even a completely naked tree can grow new leaves.