Ficus benjamina: diseases and treatment

ficus benjamina diseases

If you have a Ficus benjamina, diseases are one of the issues that most concerns you. And it is not for less because, if you do not realize them, your plant can end up dying.

For this reason, on this occasion, we are going to focus on what are the diseases that can attack your Ficus, how they appear (the symptoms) and also the possible treatments that you can carry out. Go for it?

Diseases of a Ficus benjamina

Diseases of a Ficus benjamina

We cannot say that the Ficus benjamina is a very "delicate" plantbecause it really isn't. But it is true that, throughout his life, he can face some enfermedades and pests to be aware of. The most common and usual are the following:

Red spider

The red spider is one of the most common pests in many plants, which They appear especially in spring and summer, and more specifically in those climates where there is hardly any humidity, that is, it is dry heat.

The main characteristic of the red spider is that it weaves a small silk web on the plant, of a reddish brown color. At first, you might think that nothing is wrong, that taking it off is enough. But the problem is that this silk negatively affects the plant because it "sucks" its energy and makes it weaker and weaker.

In addition, the spider also "stings" the leaves, and it does so so that little yellow dots appear that also weaken it, causing them to grow and, finally, the leaves fall.

How to detect it? It's easy with those yellow leaves and, if you have good eyesight, with the cobweb. Another warning, especially if it is a very active Ficus, is that the new leaves are dull and as if it were fading.

Remedies? Fortunately there are ways to get rid of the red spider. The only thing you have to do is spray the ficus daily because this will create a humid environment that it does not like. You can also apply some insecticide.

Aphids

Let's go with another of the usual pests in plants, and with which you have to be very careful because if it is not treated in time it can be deadly for the plant.

As you know, aphids feed on plant sap. The problem is that they leave a molasses in that area, which is something that the ants cannot resist, thus causing the bold fungus to develop.

How to detect them? It's easy, look on the underside of the leaves and If you see small black dots that you can remove and that move, it means that you have aphids.

Remedies? There are, although the most effective is the clean the sheets (one by one and both on the front and the back) with a mixture of water and potassium soap. If it is a larger pest, you will need a miticide because the above alone will not work.

ficus benjamina care

neck gall

Although this Ficus benjamina disease is not very common, Due to the fact that it is deadly for the plant, it must be taken into account.

It is caused by a fungus that creates small tumors in the roots. At first you might think that it is not visible, but the problem is that it develops those parts in a very short time in such a way that they go outside and you notice it as a thickening of the neck.

It normally appears due to excessive moisture in the soil. In other words, you have overdone the irrigation and the land is very flooded and has been like this for a long time.

Remedies? Unfortunately there is not. If your Ficus benjamina has this problem, it is best to discard the tree or do nothing And let him take what he has to put up with. Of course, be careful not to put any plants around it to avoid contagion.

Anthracnose

Another of the fungi that can put the health of your Ficus benjamina at risk is this. you will notice that Rust-colored spots appear on the tips and gradually go inward. Also on the stems, where they will appear as convoluted and wrinkled knots.

Remedies? The The only remedy known to work is to cut out the parts that are affected. (always disinfecting the scissors or saws before and after each cut to avoid infecting it) and burn them. Then, you have to apply a broad-spectrum fungicide and wait to see how it reacts and if it is possible to slow down or completely extinguish the fungus.

Ficus benjamina: diseases that the leaves warn you about

Ficus benjamina: diseases that the leaves warn you about

One of the most characteristic aspects of the Ficus benjamina are its leaves. And these can be an alert system to know if your tree is healthy or not. In fact, in some cases, the change in color of the leaves may be related to a disease or pest.

There are three situations for which the leaves of a Ficus benjamina can alert you. They are:

  • Yellow sheets. As we have seen before, they are a red spider warning, but they can also appear due to excess water in the soil or due to a lack of nutrients (usually iron). So if the land is checked to see if an emergency transplant is necessary, and some specific iron fertilizer is added, it could be solved.
  • Black sheets. They also appear with a fungus, such as anthracnose, but it is a symptom of exposure to low temperatures. It is as if it freezes and the leaves turn black (and if you touch them they are like paper, they fall apart). There is not much solution but to remove all of them and wait for new ones to grow back.
  • Leaves with dry tips. It is a clear indication that there is a lot of wind around them (and in some cases also a temperature that is too high, which burns the leaves). The easiest solution is to change its location. We can't say that the leaves will return to normal, but at least the new ones won't have that problem.

There are many more diseases of the Ficus benjamina, but they are much less likely that you will encounter them and that is why we have focused on the ones that you do have the most chance of facing. To avoid them, nothing like giving them the ficus benjamina care What else do you need, especially when it comes to irrigation and location?

Have you ever had a sick ficus?


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