A Detailed Guide to Growing the Rubber Plant: Master the Latest Care Techniques
The money banyan is also known as the round-leaf rubber plant, Indian rubber tree, and so on. It is an evergreen large tree of the genus Ficus in the mulberry family, with extremely high ornamental and cultivation value. Medium and large potted plants are used for decoration, and it is widely applied in greenery decoration for hotel courtyards, theater foyers, large shopping mall entrances, offices, and other places. In the home, it can be placed by the living room wall, in a corner, or on either side of the sofa. Now let us take a look together at the cultivation methods and precautions for the money banyan!
Growth Habits of the Money Banyan
The money banyan likes a warm and humid environment and needs plenty of sunlight. It is relatively cold-tolerant and also shade-tolerant, and the soil should be fertile with good drainage. The winter temperature should not be lower than 5°C. Because the money banyan grows relatively quickly, it needs repotting every spring, with added fertile soil, and pruning and shaping. During the growing period, fertilize once every half month, and avoid strong direct sunlight. In summer, when temperatures are high, water more, and mist the leaves frequently. In winter, it should be placed indoors in a heated room, but never place the pot too close to a radiator. In summer, when the temperature exceeds 30°C, it can be moved to a well-ventilated room on the north side.
Propagation Methods for the Money Banyan
1. Cuttings: The most suitable season for taking money banyan cuttings is spring. One-year-old terminal or side branches can be used, generally with 2 to 3 leaves. To prevent the white sap from flowing out, after cutting the shoot it should be dipped in plant ash or coated with paint, then inserted into sand, vermiculite, or perlite. It can also be rooted in water. Keep the temperature at 25 to 30°C, and roots will form in about 3 weeks.
2. Layering: To propagate the money banyan by layering, first peel off a ring of bark from the stem, then wrap it with sphagnum moss or peat soil and keep it moist. After roots form in 3 to 4 weeks, cut it away from the parent plant and plant it separately. For potting soil, a mix of 1 part peat soil, 1 part garden soil, and 1 part river sand can be used, with cake fertilizer and similar materials applied as a base fertilizer.
Cultivation Methods for the Money Banyan
1. Light: The money banyan is a subtropical plant and likes a sunny, well-ventilated, warm, and humid environment. It is drought-tolerant and tolerant of partial shade. Generally, it should be placed in a well-ventilated spot with good light transmission, and there should be a certain amount of air humidity. If sunlight is insufficient, ventilation is poor, and there is no certain amount of air humidity, the plant may turn yellow and dry out, leading to pest and disease problems, and eventually death.
2. Watering: The money banyan should be watered according to the wetness or dryness of its soil, keeping the soil moist. Water until water seeps out of the drainage holes at the bottom of the pot, but do not give only a half watering. After watering once, wait until the soil surface turns pale and the top layer of soil is dry, then water a second time. Never wait until the entire pot of soil is dry before watering. In hot seasons, frequently mist the leaves or the surrounding environment to lower the temperature and increase air humidity. Water less often in winter and spring, and more often in summer and autumn.
3. Fertilizing: Fertilizing the money banyan can be done together with watering, for example in summer using soaked liquid of cake fertilizer (sesame paste residue), organic fertilizer, and so on. In summer, if the money banyan is placed outdoors, it can receive rain and dew, and there is no need to worry about the acidity or alkalinity of the water. In winter, more attention is needed, because tap water is weakly alkaline. Generally, after every 2 to 4 waterings with tap water, it is better to use a diluted soak of orange peel once.
Precautions for the Money Banyan
1. The money banyan likes a warm and humid environment and a well-ventilated environment. It needs plenty of sunlight, is relatively cold-tolerant, and is also shade-tolerant. The soil should be fertile with good drainage, and the winter temperature should not be lower than 5°C.
2. The money banyan grows relatively quickly. Every spring it needs repotting, with added fertile soil, as well as pruning and shaping. In summer, when temperatures are high, water more, and mist the leaves frequently. During the growing period, fertilize once every half month.
3. In summer, when the temperature exceeds 30°C, the money banyan can be moved to a well-ventilated room on the north side.
4. In autumn and winter, the money banyan may drop leaves in some places. This is normal, and in the following spring it will still sprout and grow new leaves.