My sister got this for me for my birthday, It does not have a name on it. The stones on the bottom of it are all glued to it, this begs the question does it get any bigger and how does it grow or does it even grow at all... I though it was like a mini fig tree or something. I will include 2 pics of it...if you need more please let me know.
Thanks for any information anyone can give.
Char
And the 2nd one...
Thanks,
Char
Is it possibly a Ficus/Weeping Fig aka ficus benjamina?
Char
Not benjamina. Search Ficus retusa (aka ginseng Ficus, laurel fig, banyan fig) & compare pics. I think you'll agree it's retusa.
First - remove the glued on stones & give the plant more light than it's been getting (if possible). Internodes on yours are long, indicating a need for brighter light. It should be waking from a winter rest now, so water well & allow to dry down between waterings. The caudex-like roots are good water storage organs. It likes to be outdoors whenever temps are above 55*. Lower temps can retard the plant's ability to carry on photosyntheses, & recovery from chill is slow, often taking many days to return to normal. A soluble tomato fertilizer (or something with a low first # (N) is a good choice for this plant. Soil (when you repot) should be well aerated & fast draining - bonsai soil is best choice you could make. Scale, mites, and mealies would be the most common unwanted visitors. If you progress to the point that you'd like to try root-pruning so you can keep it in a small (bonsai) pot, you should know that this plant is one of the few Ficus that does not tolerate major root work well. Never remove more than 25% of the roots and allow several month's recovery before doing any pruning of the top after root work.
Al
Al,
So wish I'd seen your post prior to switching out a Walmart Bonsai Ficus to another pot. Thought I'd help it out by giving the roots a "trim" and freeing it from its glued rock prison. Not so...it had to have been the trim b/c it went in much better soil etc. & now the caudex-like roots are looking really bad. Makes me sad...luckily the boxwood that I did the same to is fairing much better. Live and learn...
Chantell
Do you have your box outside? It will be appreciative if you do, as temps allow.
Al
thanks everyone for letting me know what I had....not that i was not excited before about getting a plant, but now i am really excited....I just love getting plants.....My mom also got me a nice ole plant it is a Bromeliad with a nice pink bloom on it...She got it at lowes cause she said she did not think i had one....i laughed and said " Well I said i dont have one that big, but i do have one" hehheeh she said you little stinker...I said I will love it like it was my first....
Gosh i just love b-days, cause everyone gets me plants :o)
Char
Well...shoot!
Wish I'd have known it was your b.day - Hope it was a happy one!
You'll just be receiving my gift late, I guess! ( lol!)
Al,
Nah, it's inside...brought it to work...maybe I should bring it home for weekends so it can go outside? ;)
Chantell
All plants want to be outside whenever you let them, so summering outdoors will really give them a boost. The bright light & better o/a vitality (as a result of being outdoors) also help plants store energy for the next winter - indoors or out. The extra energy, along with better vitality, also helps plants fight insects & bio-pathogens.
I didn't realize it was at work, though. If you put it out while going back & forth, you'll need to avoid full sun. The pigment chlorophyll is natures sunscreen for plants, & it needs time to build up in the cuticle. It won't have time with only a 2 day sunny stay & then 5 in low light. Even shade is better than indoor light, though.
Al
