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Ficus

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Alice

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Ficus
« on: October 20, 2012, 05:10:08 PM »
To return to the topic of a shade tree, there is a wonderful specimen of what I am pretty sure is a Ficus elastica in a garden near us. It is completely umbrella-shaped and would provide enough shade for a number of tables underneath. I will try to post a photo as soon as possible.
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Amateur gardener who has gardened in north London and now gardens part of the year on the Cycladic island of Paros. Conditions: coastal, windy, annual rainfall 350mm, temp 0-35 degrees C.
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ritamax

  • Full Member
Ficus
« Reply #1 on: October 20, 2012, 08:06:18 PM »
I am warning everyone who considers growing ficus trees. I have two of them from the previous owner, 3-4 meters high, well established trees with huge roots. They litter so much, as they drop leaves all the time and grow extremely vigorously, so there is always plenty of leaf material for them to drop.
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Hobbygardener (MGS member) with a rooftop garden in Basel and a garden on heavy clay with sand 600m from seaside in Costa Blanca South (precipitation 300mm), learning to garden waterwise
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MikeHardman

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    • www.mikehardman.com
Ficus
« Reply #2 on: October 21, 2012, 10:28:20 PM »
By way of exemplifying the vigour of Ficus roots, see my post of 7oct11 -
http://www.mgsforum.org/smf/index.php?topic=36.0
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Mike
Geologist by Uni training, IT consultant, Referee for Viola for Botanical Society of the British Isles, commissioned author and photographer on Viola for RHS (Enc. of Perennials, The Garden, The Plantsman).
I garden near Polis, Cyprus, 100m alt., on marl, but have gardened mainly in S.England

Alice

  • Hero Member
Ficus
« Reply #3 on: October 23, 2012, 05:52:55 PM »
Here are three specimens of what I think is Ficus elastica.
They look wonderful shade trees. I don't know about any problems with the roots or if these particular ones drop many leaves. Bougainvillea is a bit of a nuisance for dropping litter but who would be without it?
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Amateur gardener who has gardened in north London and now gardens part of the year on the Cycladic island of Paros. Conditions: coastal, windy, annual rainfall 350mm, temp 0-35 degrees C.
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ritamax

  • Full Member
Ficus
« Reply #4 on: October 29, 2012, 06:11:18 PM »
Bougainvillea doesn't drop anything compared to focus. I have elastica as well. They are prone to mealybugs as well and need water and a lot of pruning. Probably everyone has to make their own mistakes...
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Hobbygardener (MGS member) with a rooftop garden in Basel and a garden on heavy clay with sand 600m from seaside in Costa Blanca South (precipitation 300mm), learning to garden waterwise

pamela

  • Sr. Member
Ficus
« Reply #5 on: November 02, 2012, 10:34:54 PM »
From afar that Ficus looks more like F. macrophylla than F.elastica
« Last Edit: November 03, 2012, 07:12:18 PM by pamela »
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Jávea, Costa Blanca, Spain
Min temp 5c max temp 38c  Rainfall 550 mm 

"Who passes by sees the leaves;
 Who asks, sees the roots."
     - Charcoal Seller, Madagascar

Alice

  • Hero Member
Ficus
« Reply #6 on: November 03, 2012, 09:05:01 AM »
Thank you, Pamela.
Could well be Ficus macrophylla.
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Amateur gardener who has gardened in north London and now gardens part of the year on the Cycladic island of Paros. Conditions: coastal, windy, annual rainfall 350mm, temp 0-35 degrees C.
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oron peri

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Ficus
« Reply #7 on: November 03, 2012, 09:14:20 AM »
I think leaves are much too big to be F. macrophylla,
would go for F. elastica.
By the way if, it would have been F. macrophylla, the trunk would look different and many air roots would start growing from the upper branches.
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Garden Designer, Bulb man, Botanical tours guide.
Living and gardening in Tivon, Lower Galilee region, North Israel.
Min temp 5c Max 42c, around 450mm rain.

Alice

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Ficus
« Reply #8 on: November 03, 2012, 02:01:36 PM »
The expert has spoken!
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Amateur gardener who has gardened in north London and now gardens part of the year on the Cycladic island of Paros. Conditions: coastal, windy, annual rainfall 350mm, temp 0-35 degrees C.
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John

  • Hero Member
Re: Ficus carica Ice Crystal
« Reply #9 on: November 10, 2012, 02:42:32 PM »
On the subject of Ficus. I love this one, F. carica 'Ice Crystal'. It reminds me of some of the wild types I have seen in Crete over the years.
« Last Edit: December 06, 2012, 10:38:43 AM by Alisdair »
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John
Horticulturist, photographer, author, garden designer and plant breeder; MGS member and RHS committee member. I garden at home in SW London and also at work in South London.
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John

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Re: Ficus carica Ice Crystal
« Reply #10 on: November 10, 2012, 07:36:10 PM »
Out of interest has anyone grown this and does it actually produce quality fruit or is it grown purely for its ornamental leaves?
« Last Edit: December 06, 2012, 10:39:29 AM by Alisdair »
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John
Horticulturist, photographer, author, garden designer and plant breeder; MGS member and RHS committee member. I garden at home in SW London and also at work in South London.
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ritamax

  • Full Member
Ficus
« Reply #11 on: November 11, 2012, 05:34:40 PM »
Oron, as you seem to very knowledgeable about ficus, could you tell which specimens these two in the photos are? And about the aerial roots: I see that many people cut the aerial roots as they don't like them hanging down, but isn't that bad for the tree? I had to cut some of them off, as the ficus keeps growing long branches down and in the inside and builds then messy clumps with aerial roots and if I don't cut them off, the mealy bugs can take over. I have had good results by pruning back all the branches inside in order to get air in the tree and spraying with neem oil. Also covering the roots with weed membrane and stone chippings keeps the moisture better in the soil and the leaves are more fleshy and darker green. Watering regularly seems to be important, otherwise the leaves begin to drop.
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Hobbygardener (MGS member) with a rooftop garden in Basel and a garden on heavy clay with sand 600m from seaside in Costa Blanca South (precipitation 300mm), learning to garden waterwise
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Alisdair

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Ficus
« Reply #12 on: December 06, 2012, 10:34:10 AM »
Ficus macrophylla is widely planted as a shade tree in South Australia and Victoria (and no doubt elsewhere in Australia). We saw some magnificent old specimens there, including one planted in the 1850s at Government House in Melbourne. The Governor told us that although its voracious roots had always been a problem, it was worth it for the magnificence of the tree. The top picture below shows another fine one of much the same age we saw in Di and James Wark's lovely garden in the Barossa Valley - as they said, "even though the bathroom has been rebuilt twice as a result of root damage, it remains the jewel of our garden".
The second picture shows part of the splendid avenue of this tree in Adelaide Botanic Garden, and the third a Solandra grandiflora climbing into one of the avenue trees.
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Alisdair Aird
Gardens in SE England (Sussex); also coastal Southern Greece, and (in a very small way) South West France; MGS member (and former president); vice chairman RHS Lily Group, past chairman Cyclamen Society
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Alisdair

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Re: Ficus
« Reply #13 on: December 06, 2012, 10:57:08 AM »
To see Alice's photos of Ficus retusa click here.
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Alisdair Aird
Gardens in SE England (Sussex); also coastal Southern Greece, and (in a very small way) South West France; MGS member (and former president); vice chairman RHS Lily Group, past chairman Cyclamen Society
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