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#59352 Jun 6th, 2007 at 09:52 AM
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Chelle Offline OP
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I was checking the House Plants page and didn't see anything on shefflera or ficus trees. Does anyone have a complete care guide that is available, something that covers summer and winter?

My plants have just suffered from lack of care and I'd love to restore them to glory. My sheff has lots of new growth now that it is outside, but it suffers during the winter. My ficus is doing ok, but I'd love to see it thrive.

Funny story: The best looking part of my sheff was actually attacked by my husband and his weedeater. It was on the deck and he swung the weedeater wide and totally mutilated on branch of the sheff. Within a few weeks it was thriving with new growth. Maybe I should have let him take a wack at the whole thing?

Chelle #59723 Jun 6th, 2007 at 07:35 PM
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do you know the specific varieties of the two plants? if not, could you post pics?


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Joclyn #60649 Jun 7th, 2007 at 08:01 PM
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[Linked Image]

There is my scheff. I just got a great care document on ficus trees, but I'll be right back with a pic of my sad little tree,too.

Chelle #60658 Jun 7th, 2007 at 08:07 PM
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Actually, in that picture my Scheff doesn't look so bad. From straight on, though, she doesn't look so regal. I already pruned back some of her lanky branches and stressed a couple of others. Not sure if that was a good thing or not...


And here is my sad little ficus boy.
[Linked Image]

Chelle #60673 Jun 7th, 2007 at 08:23 PM
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ficus benjamina, aka "weeping fig"

it likes bright light to full sun, be careful moving it around, if it is in an area that has a "shady side" turn it regularly (once a week or so) to keep it "even" don't wait to long to turn it, it will drop it's leaves in spite.

it will also drop it's leaves at any thought of stress, too wet, too dry, too dark... about the only thing that doesn't make it drop leaves is being in full sun. and yes, they do fine in full sun... just move it gradually so it doesn't get sunburnt.

i water mine when it starts to get dry, but isn't dried out. they will tolerate wet feet.

hardy outside to about 40*

#60764 Jun 7th, 2007 at 10:37 PM
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the scheff DOES look pretty good!! trimming it back will cause it to bush out so you did okay.

well draining soil and let it dry out a bit before watering again. bright indirect light. if you put it right in front of a window, there should be some kind of curtain or blinds to block/filter the strong sunlight. it'll be fine if you put it off to the side of a window or, directly across the room from a window that gets a lot of sun.

i don't have that kind of ficus, so i'm no help there.

edit: the scheff will drop leaves on occassion...especially if it gets too dry for too long.

they will actually get quite tall over time...you can keep the leggyness under control when they're this size...after a while, there's no way to avoid the stalk developing into a real trunk. i've only just gotten one myself (it's about the same size, maybe a little smaller, than yours. and it replaces the miniature one that i'd had for a while that the cat got to).

someone who lives by where i work has a couple that are more 'tree-like' they're obviously much older - they're 3-4 feet tall now and the trunks are a couple inches in diameter. they put them outside in the summer and i've watched their growth over the years...they've not quite doubled in size in the 7 years i've been watching them. i never see the owner...wish i did cuz i'd love to know exactly what they are doing...


Last edited by joclyn; Jun 7th, 2007 at 10:45 PM. Reason: forgot something

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Chelle #96153 Jul 24th, 2007 at 07:18 AM
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Here is mine [Linked Image]
I have two plants of it

Joclyn #96606 Jul 24th, 2007 at 06:23 PM
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Here is my two [Linked Image]
oh and my cat tiger had to get in the pic
here it is with out tiger [Linked Image]

bettyboop1948 #97037 Jul 25th, 2007 at 12:59 PM
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I Bonsai sheffleras mine is 4yrs old and no taller than a ink pen.I knew they grew big ,but wow those look great.

littlelizard #98944 Jul 28th, 2007 at 01:31 PM
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TY I would like to see pic of ur's Yes I
had one and a friend had the other kind so I,
ask her if i could clip off of her so thats
what I did so far both doing find

bettyboop1948 #99018 Jul 28th, 2007 at 05:02 PM
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My Scheff is huge (wish I knew how to post pictures in here) At this point it stands almost 5ft tall. I have it out side with alot of my other plants. I've found that this plant is one of the most maintenance free plants I have ever owned. Just for kicks I bought a small one recently and Im going to try to grow it to the point where it's as tall as the one I now have. Good luck with yours.

D #99086 Jul 28th, 2007 at 06:21 PM
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Can anyone tell me the species I need in order to get the figs for making preserves? My grandmother and great aunt had huge trees outside when I was growing up and made the best preserves with it. I have been wanting to make some myself, but can't find any in woods this year. I know their are open end and closed end, I would like a closed end variety if possible. Thanks. All of your ficus' look great, Good luck.

Uni


I am blonde please forgive me, Lol.
D #99401 Jul 29th, 2007 at 04:15 AM
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Originally Posted by D
My Scheff is huge (wish I knew how to post pictures in here) At this point it stands almost 5ft tall. I have it out side with alot of my other plants. I've found that this plant is one of the most maintenance free plants I have ever owned. Just for kicks I bought a small one recently and Im going to try to grow it to the point where it's as tall as the one I now have. Good luck with yours.


I am 5ft'10in, and my scheff is as tall as me!

It has grown 18inches in the last 15 months, and most of that growing happened during the summer months last year when I had it outside. My mom never put it out when it was warm when she had it, and it grew a lot slower. I didn't put it out this year, because I was afraid I wouldn't be able to get it back in the house at the end of the season, lol.

I also have a corn stalk plant that was my mom's. It started growing like crazy too after being out last year, so I left it in as well. It's about 3in. taller than the scheff now, and my parrot sits in it! grin

I'll take a picture later and post them once I get the camera battreries charged up, and if I don't forget. :)

Unigirl #99675 Jul 29th, 2007 at 02:22 PM
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Originally Posted by Unigirl
Can anyone tell me the species I need in order to get the figs for making preserves? My grandmother and great aunt had huge trees outside when I was growing up and made the best preserves with it. I have been wanting to make some myself, but can't find any in woods this year. I know their are open end and closed end, I would like a closed end variety if possible. Thanks. All of your ficus' look great, Good luck.

Uni
uni, you don't want a schefflera at all. you are wanting a fig (ficus). usually preserves are made out of either brown turkey figs or green -i don't remember the variety- figs. in florida, the turkey figs are the ones we used. they grow taller than the house top, and get about 10 feet around, and the figs themselves are up to an inch and a half.

Chelle #100346 Jul 30th, 2007 at 06:58 PM
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Hey D look what i picked up at wally world today now I have three kinds
[Linked Image]
I really like this one but it also has some other plant in there too

bettyboop1948 #101589 Aug 2nd, 2007 at 12:07 AM
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I have a picture of my Bonsai shefflera on the Bonsai post.

littlelizard #102036 Aug 2nd, 2007 at 10:47 PM
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I almost did forget this, lol. I wish I would've gotten a chance to keep this trimmed down or something, but it was already a "tree" when I got it, so I didn't have much choice. I just hope it stops growing. :)

[Linked Image]

SamJam #102109 Aug 3rd, 2007 at 07:22 AM
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that's beautiful!


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