Ficus Benjamina
It’s a shame less and less are buying these and opting for the Ficus Lyrata.
Benjamina have the best tree shape out of them all. It seems most want that tree shape but go for the Lyrata due to a fad.
I havent posted mine for a while, so here it is (Below). ZIf you have one, let’s see yours!
20” pot w/5.1.1 mix. Trimmed multiple times per year to keep it at 7 feet tall.
Got it for $20 at Lowe’s 3 years ago:
Current:
Comments (29)
tropicbreezent
5 years agoUser
5 years agoRelated Discussions
Triggers for Ficus Benjamina fruit-bearing
Comments (25)Thanks! And tropic, yes ive heard of that. the tree has equally put as much if not more energy into leaf production as well. it likely was stressed, but im sure is easing up. when i took the cutting, it was maybe 6” and and from the original tree that never fruited once. this one has been doing this for a few years now. i used to pick them off, but there are too many. im just going to let it do what it wants. also glad to see they still havent fixed this mobile app. i havrnt been around in a couple years....See MoreFicus benjamina (& most other commonly grown tropical Ficus)
Comments (64)@JMJ 4Life Really sorry to learn about your tree. I assume some part of the root mass is fused, so the soil/root mass remains intact like so: If the answer is yes, unpot the plant and set the root/soil mass on a stack of newspapers, rags, old towels, dry sponges - something that will PULL excess water from the soil. Allow it to rest on the wicking material for an hour or two before returning it to the pot it fits. Use a wooden "tell" to "tell" you when it's time to water, because with no water loss from foliage, the plant will require very little water. Using a 'tell' Over-watering saps vitality and is one of the most common plant assassins, so learning to avoid it is worth the small effort. Plants make and store their own energy source – photosynthate - (sugar/glucose). Functioning roots need energy to drive their metabolic processes, and in order to get it, they use oxygen to burn (oxidize) their food. From this, we can see that terrestrial plants need plenty of air (oxygen) in the soil to drive root function. Many off-the-shelf soils hold too much water and not enough air to support the kind of root health most growers would like to see; and, a healthy root system is a prerequisite to a healthy plant. Watering in small sips in order to avoid over-watering leads to a residual build-up of dissolved solids (salts) in the soil from tapwater and fertilizer solutions - which limits a plant's ability to absorb water – so watering in sips simply moves us to the other horn of a dilemma and creates another problem that requires resolution. Better, would be to simply adopt a soil that drains well enough to allow watering to beyond the saturation point, so we're flushing the soil of accumulating dissolved solids whenever we water; this, w/o the plant being forced to pay a tax in the form of reduced vitality, due to prolong periods of soil saturation. Sometimes, though, that's not a course we can immediately steer, which makes controlling how often we water a very important factor. In many cases, we can judge whether or not a planting needs watering by hefting the pot. This is especially true if the pot is made from light material, like plastic, but doesn't work (as) well when the pot is made from heavier material, like clay, or when the size/weight of the pot precludes grabbing it with one hand to judge its weight and gauge the need for water. Fingers stuck an inch or two into the soil work ok for shallow pots, but not for deep pots. Deep pots might have 3 or more inches of soil that feels totally dry, while the lower several inches of the soil is 100% saturated. Obviously, the lack of oxygen in the root zone situation can wreak havoc with root health and cause the loss of a very notable measure of your plant's potential. Inexpensive watering meters don't even measure moisture levels, they measure electrical conductivity. Clean the tip and insert it into a cup of distilled water and witness the fact it reads 'DRY'. One of the most reliable methods of checking a planting's need for water is using a 'tell' (more reliable than a 'moisture meter'. You can use a bamboo skewer in a pinch, but a wooden dowel rod of about 5/16” (75-85mm) works better. They usually come 48” (120cm) long and can usually be cut in half or in several pieces, depending on how deep your pots are. Sharpen both ends of each tell in a pencil sharpener and slightly blunt the tip so it's about the diameter of the head on a straight pin. Push the wooden tell deep into the soil. Don't worry, it won't harm the root system. If the plant is quite root-bound, you might need to try several places until you find one where you can push it all the way to the pot's bottom. Leave it a few seconds, then withdraw it and inspect the tip for moisture. For most plantings, withhold water until the tell's tip comes out nearly dry. If you see signs of wilting, adjust the interval between waterings so drought stress isn't a recurring issue. Al...See MoreFicus benjamina 'White Spot' Problem
Comments (27)OMG - having just noticed this condition, I.e. observation, while cleaning and trimming my 12’ ficus, that was also dropping leaves, I have to say, 1) I’m glad I didn’t try to do anything about it, other than knocking off the waxy globs, before I consulted the “internet” meaning, you guys ... 2) my husband and I are laughing our heads off reading this thread - hysterical debate - thanks for the laugh ... 3) sorry Ficus, no way you’ll be pollinating anything anytime soon! ... on a more instructive note, I’ll just say that my ficus has always been very hardy and not very fussy. However, I had moved it to a less sunny spot to accommodate our Christmas Tree. It didn’t seem to care for that location, so it had started dropping some leaves, causing me to search for extraneous clues, and finding the white globs ... I am happy yo report it is now back in its original sunny spot, has been trimmed and had leaves spritzed and cleaned. I’m sure will be a happy camper once again, very soon! Fondest regards to everyone and their ficus trees!...See MoreHelp me save this 40 year old ficus benjamina!
Comments (9)Interesting and useful advice indeed for the little "story" about my 20-ish year old hibiscus. I don't repot, per se, as I like the pot mine is in, but I lift, root trim, and replace some soil when I can and if needed (I confess to sometimes dumping the old stuff back with the trimmed roots to rot back in, but that's not recommended, but you do what you have to do when you start this and find out you don't have enough soil to replace what you just knocked off; it works if it has to). It works well enough. And I feed regularly-- sometimes organically (rarely solid and often liquid), plus sometimes synthetics in that one, plus flush the pot occasionally in the sink or outdoors in summer to remove built-up salt (not particularly critical for hibiscus, but helpful a few times a year for many plants, and it gives me a chance to clean the drip tray and pot base). Before the counter-factual argument starts: Yes, I acknowledge that reusing soil is not recommended. I said that. Yes, I'm aware of how decay works. And yes, it does work in pots, as bacteria and fungi are active in them. No, I don't do solids every time. I said that. Top trimming, as well (and not mentioned in most of the above posts) can help keep your plant in tip-top shape. I cut back the hibiscus regularly to keep it shaped properly, and keep the growth fresh and at the height where I like it, as well as keep the blooms near eye level as opposed to near the ceiling. Otherwise, it would regrettably lose all its lower leaves. Check any good ficus guide for cutting back; as it's probably currently fully root bound and not very happy, it won't need that until well after other issues are taken care of first, but it's something to consider....See MoreDave
5 years ago
Tiffany, purpleinopp Z8b Opp, AL
5 years agoBeautiful, Dave! I always enjoy seeing this tree. :+)
There does seem to be a pervasive FLF fad afoot. I don't have room for that at all. If a person prefers that look, a benjamina wouldn't be much of a substitute, but for anyone who just wants a small tree in their home, it's definitely a winner!
I wonder how a plant fad gets traction? I wish I had enough stores close enough to visit to know what is "usually" for sale anymore... but not enough to move back to anywhere with tons of traffic.
Jurasico, I would love to see your trees! I have one started from a cutting (that is now 7-8 individuals from my continuing to prop more of it) that was passed along as F. microcarpa, but it looks so similar to benjamina. I guess the difference in the foliage is that there's no sharp point, less distinct middle groove, & these leaves are maybe a little more wide. Is that what others see too? Since it's never dropped any leaves, it must not be benjamina. LOL! I cut off all of the leaves a few months ago to see & "edit" its' trunk, which is being turned into what I hope will be one of the most unusual trunks of all time with curls, loops, knots, not very apparent in this pic behind so many leaves. This pic is a couple months old. This pot has since been moved to where it can get more even & dappled light since the top was not getting enough, falling into shadows after only about 30 mins after sunrise.
gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
5 years agotropicbreezent
5 years agoTiffany, purpleinopp Z8b Opp, AL
5 years agoDave
5 years agotropicbreezent
5 years agoDave
5 years ago
petrushka (7b)
5 years agoDave
5 years agoI too have an Alii. It was a 4” cutting with only a couple leaves when I took it three years back. It’s becoming its own tree now.
Also below I have a Benjamina cutting I took from my main tree a couple years back.
On both, Ive trimmed off side branches and worked them into more of a tree shape.
Fall 2015:
Today:
Summer 2016:
Today:
Dave
5 years agopetrushka (7b)
5 years agolast modified: 5 years agoDave!
your F. benjamina are in admirable shape - the best i 've ever seen anywhere, except straight from nursery :). you're taking great care of them!
i've had mine since roughly '94-95. it was a small bushy plant in 6" pot. mixed plain and variegated forms. i continued to grow them together, but plain is much stronger and overwhelms the variegated branches. it's sev branches together originally.
it's always indoors in part-sun. you can see that the top is all green.
i've been fusing weak variegated branches together slowly to lift them up, they are very spindly otherwise. so it's like a variegated 'skirt' under the plain green :).
it's currently in my biggest 13" pot sunk into a ceramic pot for stability (with proper hole of course). i've started doing a serious work on it: chopped to main trunks all the plain branches after air-layering several to start a new pot. it's now 1/3 of it's size - all green on top gone.
the air-layered trunks (3 fused ones, air-layered separately) have been planted. a little droopy, but ok for now. i expect some leaf loss :O..
pruned variegated branches too and in a couple of weeks am going to split the pot up, pulling out all plain trunks .
all the roots are mixed up of course. hopefully there will be some roots left after butchery and i will plant them separately finally. pics to follow ...
Dave thanked petrushka (7b)Dave
5 years agoDave
5 years ago
Sage TX 9a
5 years ago
I love my little Ficus benjamina "Little Gold Angel", which is a yellow-cream variegated dwarf cultivar. It's currently on the front porch getting full southeast morning sun and a little full evening sun. Prior to that, it lived in a southeast window getting sun through open blinds with 2 6500K supplemental lights shining on it. In the year-plus that I've had it, it has always been 12 inches tall. It doesn't get taller, its trunks and roots just keep getting fatter.
It's on the front porch now, taking the 100+ heat and 110+ heat indices like a champ and gradually filling in its poor naked middle where it lost so many leaves to scale (I think) and thrip damage. I've never pruned it, apart from pinching off some dead bits and blasting it with a water hose to clear out the dead and weak leaves. I probably will end up pinching more tips to force back-budding. I just wanted to see how much it would do on its own first.
I think the Ficus lyrata craze is due to just about every interior design magazine jumping on the bandwagon, combined with some misleading marketing claiming fiddle leaf figs are easier than they are. It's annoying. I know some people really hate how benjaminas drop leaves (toddler & cat grief, choking robot vacuums, the mess), but microcarpa and alii are both lovely alternatives. I'm curious, now that pilea peperomides has reached full saturation, which way the home decor mags will jump next.Dave thanked Sage TX 9aDave
5 years agolast modified: 5 years agoDave
5 years agolast modified: 5 years agoAlso, this site is really annoying to post on. I keep trying to start a thread and it stalls out here.
I also don’t like the whole picking to cross post. It just clogs up the forum.
Ugh this site used to be a lot better.
I’ve tried to start a thread three times today with no luck. I give up.
petrushka (7b)
5 years ago
Amynoacids (z6 MI)
5 years agothis was a freebie headed for the garbage. I decided to split it into smaller pots to practice some bonsai shaping/training techniques. Little did I know what the rootball was like:
I sawed for HOURS with that little hand saw. I got it split in half to go in two pots, and then one single trunk in a small pot. I'll have to borrow a chainsaw next year. I couldn't uncurl my fingers by the end of the repot. Ficus: 1/ Amy: 0
Dave
5 years agopetrushka (7b)
5 years agoTiffany, purpleinopp Z8b Opp, AL
5 years agoAmynoacids (z6 MI)
5 years agoTiffany, I thought so too! There was almost no dirt, only woody roots.
Dave, yes, roots were kept wet. I had it setting in a bin lid with the hose trickling on it. When I would take it out to work on it, my dog was under the impression that it was a kiddie pool just for him. Comic relief while i killed my forearm muscles. All three sections are doing well in full sun outdoors.
Dave
5 years agolast modified: 5 years agoSage TX 9a
5 years ago
tropicofcancer (6b SW-PA)
5 years agoI have several of several varieties of ficus. In benjamina category I do not have the original weeping variety but others. Here is a pic of F. benjamina "Too little" with a small dwarf variegated "Nina".
The "Too little" went through a massive haircut and this is what resulted:
I prefer short and stout plants as you can see. If I get a chance I can post some of the other plants.
Dave thanked tropicofcancer (6b SW-PA)
tropicbreezent