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Ficus Elastica - 3 Trees in One Pot
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Posted by wgbennett83 KY (My Page) on Mon, Mar 2, 09 at 16:28
| Hello,
I purchased a Burgundy Ficus Elastica from Home Depot two weeks ago, and there are three trees in one 10 inch pot. Would these trees grow better if I planted them each in their own pot? I assume they sell them like this so they look fuller?
Also, the leaves are very green, not burgundy. I've read that this is from less than optimal light conditions. In medium light conditions, how long should it take for the leaves to start turning burgundy?
Thanks in advance,
Will Bennett |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Ficus Elastica - 3 Trees in One Pot
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| It's possible that the plant was tagged as 'Burgundy' but is actually a different variety. Any 'Burgundy' being sold should already be dark (they might turn green in low light, but that would take a long time, I think, and Home Depot doesn't keep plants around that long: if they're not selling, they're discounted or pitched, not left to hang around and turn green). It could be worse: at least you're fairly certain it's a rubber plant. At Lowe's, I've seen aralias (Polyscias) tagged as false aralias (Dizygotheca) and vice versa. As for dividing the plant, yes, they'd probably grow better individually, but they wouldn't be very full-looking plants, especially not once they start dropping lower leaves. It's not easy to get them to branch indoors. |
RE: Ficus Elastica - 3 Trees in One Pot
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| If I split them up and put them outside in the summer, should they fill out? |
RE: Ficus Elastica - 3 Trees in One Pot
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- Posted by tapla z5b-6a MI (My Page) on
Mon, Mar 2, 09 at 19:35
| I would wait until summer (you don't mention where you live in your user info, so it's difficult to guess at the best time) and the trees are growing robustly to split them and prune off the growing tips. The tip pruning will force back-budding, and the more robustly the tree is growing, the greater the degree of back-budding. You can keep the tree its fullest by providing bright light/good air movement, and pruning back every branch to two leaves once it has produced 4 or 5 leaves on that branch. The more favorable the cultural conditions you can supply, the more prolific will be the back-budding after appropriate pruning - and the fuller the tree. Al |
RE: Ficus Elastica - 3 Trees in One Pot
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| Al, Thanks for the reply. I live in Owensboro, KY. I'll post a picure of the tress when I get home tomorrow. Right now, I'm posing from my phone. Would you wait until summer to repot them, even if you weren't going to split them? They seem divided rather well, but I guess their roots will have to be cut apart? Regards,
Will |
RE: Ficus Elastica - 3 Trees in One Pot
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- Posted by tapla z5b-6a MI (My Page) on
Mon, Mar 2, 09 at 22:12
| Yes. Ficus is best repotted in the month prior to it's most robust growth. Get the plants outdoors when temps are reliably above 55* & let them gain some strength. It's soo much better to work on trees that are full of vitality than those stressed from just coming off a long winter indoors. Recovery time is fractionated, too. Don't worry about cutting the roots apart. First, the trees are very vigorous - genetically; and second, young trees like yours have a very high % of dynamic mass (living tissue) which gives them very strong recuperative powers. Al |
RE: Ficus Elastica - 3 Trees in One Pot
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| Al, What exactly is the month prior to its most robust growth? TIA,
Will |
RE: Ficus Elastica - 3 Trees in One Pot
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- Posted by tapla z5b-6a MI (My Page) on
Tue, Mar 3, 09 at 9:09
| In KY, your tree will (if it's healthy) build/retain optimum energy reserves and add the most biomass during Jul and Aug. Mid - late Jun is the best time to undertake anything radical (like root pruning or hard pruning of the canopy). I often repot all my tropicals over the 4th of Jul holiday. Al |
RE: Ficus Elastica - 3 Trees in One Pot
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| Al, Thanks for all of the info. I'm going to try and display a picture of the trees. I see people doing it all the time here, but I don't know if you just embed HTML? Thats what I'm going to try....
 It worked as a link, but not simply as an IMG tag? Thanks again,
Will |
Here is a link that might be useful: Ficus elastica
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