Ficus Elastica Shivereana

• Description

• The Ficus elastica shivereana is a classy rare and unique variety of the ficus family. The foliage is light green with pinky - orange flecks. . A spectacular indoor pot plant or outdoor canopy tree. Cutting the tops off will cause side branching which easily enables a staggered bushy look when grown as an indoor specimen.

• Environment

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• Ficus plant needs a moderate amount of light but not in full sun with moderate watering. . For indoor plants, care should be taken not to over water, otherwise leaf drop and possibly root rot will occur. Allow the soil to dry between watering. Light levels, watering and humidity should be kept as constant as possible to avoid leaf drop.

• Feed all Ficus houseplants when they are actively growing with a well balanced plant food diluted to 1/2 the recommended strength. Never feed a Ficus Tree in the winter.

• Avoid placing a Ficus Tree near an air conditioner, heater, or any cold drafts from windows and doors

• Landscape Uses

• It is an excellent plant for garden rockery settings, desert type landscapes, patios and botanical gardens

• Planting And Care

• Sunlight

• Keep the plant indirect bright sunlight.

• Place the ficus near a window in a room that gets bright morning sunlight.

• Soil

• The soil should be well drained and fertile for growing ficus plant

• Watering

• Water the plant when the topsoil (1-2 inch) in pot feels dry to touch.

• Do not overwater the plant.

• Water thoroughly in the summer and reduce watering in winter and rainy season.

• Application of Fertilizer

• During the main growing season feed the plant with organic fertilizer once a month.

• Loosen the topsoil without disturbing the roots of the plant so it can uptake the nutrients and moisture easily.

• Re-potting

• When a plant outgrows in current pot, re-pot with fresh potting soil and some fertilizer.

• Do the re-potting late evening and keep the plant in shady area for 2 to 3 days and then move the plant in its suitable climatic condition.

• Plant Protection

• Remove dead, infected or damaged plant parts and discard them away from the plants.

• For any insect attack or disease, you can use Neem oil, Eucalyptus oil or Citrus oil spray for primary treatment. Donts

• Do not apply water on plant leaves.

• Do not overwater the plant especially when pot does not have drainage holes.
  

• Cultivation and Uses

• Ficus elastica is grown around the world as an ornamental plant ornamental plant, outside in frost-free climates (though it also tolerates light frosts) from the tropical to the Mediterranean and inside in colder climates as a houseplant. Although it is grown in Hawaii, the species of fig wasp required to allow it to spread naturally is not present there.

• Most cultivated plants are produced by vegetative propagation. This can be done by cuttings or by layering.

• All parts of the plant contain an abundant milky white latex, which has been tested for use in the manufacture of rubber, but without economic and technical results; commercial rubber is actually produced from the sap of the Hevea brasiliensis.

• In cultivation, it prefers bright sunlight but not hot temperatures. It has a high tolerance for drought, but prefers humidity and thrives in wet, tropical conditions. Ornamental hybirds(such as Robusta) have been derived from Ficus elastica with broader, stiffer and more upright leaves than the wild form. Many such hybrids exist, often with variegated leaves.

• Latex

• Ficus elastica yields a milky white latex, a chemical compound separate from its sap and carried and stored in different cells. This latex was formerly used to make rubber but it should not be confused with the Pará rubber tree (Hevea brasiliensis), the main commercial source of latex for rubber making. Just as with Hevea brasiliensis, the latex of Ficus elastica is an irritant to the eyes and skin and is toxic if taken internally.