Identification: Help? It's an indoor tropical plant!

Discussion in 'Indoor and Greenhouse Plants' started by DiscoverEcology, Sep 10, 2008.

  1. DiscoverEcology

    DiscoverEcology Member

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    Please help me identify this so I can get fixed whatever it is I am doing wrong.

    The tag just says tropical plant, no name. It says likes indirect sunlight, about 70-80 degrees, and in winter direct light.

    It says water when dry to the touch, saturate, then do not let it sit undrained.

    If I can identify it I can nurse it.

    Thank you.
     

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  2. edleigh7

    edleigh7 Well-Known Member

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    Hmm looks to me to be some type of Ficus perhaps. But I am just guessing lol

    Ed
     
  3. skunkyjoe

    skunkyjoe Active Member

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    Ficus lyrata , fiddleleaf fig .
     
  4. DiscoverEcology

    DiscoverEcology Member

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    Thank you very much.

    Ahhhhhhh....that's better.
     
    Last edited: Sep 11, 2008
  5. DiscoverEcology

    DiscoverEcology Member

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    Any idea what's wrong with it?
     
  6. Cereusly Steve

    Cereusly Steve Active Member

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    There doesn't appear to be anything wrong with it.

    That's the way it grows.
     
  7. togata57

    togata57 Generous Contributor 10 Years

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    What---it grows with brown leaf edges?--- Maybe a little dry. How's the pot and soil situation? Perhaps the plant needs a new and larger home. DiscoverEcology, describe to us your ficus trouble!
     
  8. Cereusly Steve

    Cereusly Steve Active Member

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    The two leaves with brown edges appear to have been physically damaged in transit and not as a result of growing conditions. If you trim off the dead parts, the plant will bleed white sap. So, it is best to carefully remove the dead brown parts by hand without cutting the leaves.
     
    Last edited: Sep 16, 2008
  9. togata57

    togata57 Generous Contributor 10 Years

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    So...there IS something wrong with it. Damage, namely.
    And, that final "it"...antecedent, please. "White sap", or "dead parts"?
     
  10. Cereusly Steve

    Cereusly Steve Active Member

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    Exactly who's plant is this and who is asking the questions?

    Unless you intend to go to DE's house and take care of their plant, let them ask the questions.
     
  11. joclyn

    joclyn Rising Contributor

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    a forum is a place for discussion. ANYONE may join in, if they so desire.

    the more feedback/observations/comments the more we ALL learn.

    please clarify your statement about 'it' - the original poster probably hasn't asked since the question has as already been posed by another reader.

    why do you insist on being rude to people???? it REALLY negates the few postive/helpful posts that you do make.
     
  12. togata57

    togata57 Generous Contributor 10 Years

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    Thank you, Joclyn. Steve is not alone in his passion for accuracy and detail: however, he fails to perceive that quality in other forum members. Steve possesses a wealth of information. I would like him to share this with us.
    So, back to an earlier question: how about it, DiscoverEcology? What do you perceive as the ficus' trouble? What size pot is it in, and what moisture level is maintained within?
     
  13. Cereusly Steve

    Cereusly Steve Active Member

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    I have already answered the question.

    Second guessing and sniping are the real traits of rudeness. This is not supposed to be a debate forum.

    A long time ago I actually did interior plantscaping for a living. It was interesting to say the least. I have since moved on to better things. Everybody thinks they are are an expert on taking care of plants, especially those who have absolutely no training nor experience at all about how to do it and those who know nothing about the plants. I have learned to give away only so much info. Most don't appreciate it anyway.

    Let the asker be the one to be asking the questions and that should be good enough. All else is just purple haze at the toga party.
     
  14. togata57

    togata57 Generous Contributor 10 Years

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    Proper masterpiece, Steve. Qui s'excuse, s'accuse.
     
  15. DiscoverEcology

    DiscoverEcology Member

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    Hello,

    I was without power for 4 days this week from IKE so I couldn't even see all these helpful responses! Thank you!

    I got the plant about a month ago, and it looked just like the photo shows. The brown spots and leaves was my concern. I am watering it's plastic base once a week in the bathtub, letting it drain overnight before putting it back in the planter.

    I even took it outside for a half day in indirect sunlight just to make sure it's getting some. Still brown edges appearing on leaves. It's still a healthy plant though. I just need to get knowledge to know what kind of care pattern it likes. I am not familiar with plants other than to know I like them. And they sort of seem to like me.

    As I just got it, I don't know if it needs repotted. I could certainly do that. My thoughts are I might shock it even more to do that now (by moving it to a new environment, to my home from the florist, and to repot it.) The pot size is a small wicker, about maybe one foot in diameter, and one foot deep.

    Hey Steve, don't mind them. Just ask away because I am really grateful for all of your dialogue about this situation. I really do need help, and from one such as you. To everybody else, I also am entirely grateful you took the time to respond to my plea for help!

    Back to the plant in question. It's leaves are shriveling and falling off, but I understand this is normal attrition for this plant. The rest of the leaves are nice and green. It may need fed.

    THANK U

    P.S. Should I actually peel by hand the brown edges off the leaves? I am not sure I quite understand.
     
    Last edited: Sep 20, 2008
  16. joclyn

    joclyn Rising Contributor

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    the above is sniping and rude. no one elses comments were.

    no one was trying to second-guess, either. only looking for more information and/or throwing out ideas in an effort to help the original poster.

    don't EVER assume anything about anyone's experience steve. you'll find that you're wrong on most occassions when you do that!

    as for the fig, my initial response to seeing it, was that it was probably in a bit of a stressed situation and/or the watering may have been frequent. since that info had already been asked for, i waited for the original posters response before replying as to the condition of the plant.

    de, since you'd had it only a short time before posting, it would definitely be in a transitional state. by that i mean that it is still getting used to its new home. some plants adjust very quickly and others can go into severe shock when any of their growing conditions change.

    your fig is kind of in the middle of the range. plus, it may have been over or under watered at the store and that's not going to make transition any easier.

    i agree with the observation about removing the browned tips of the leaves - just gently knock them off. avoid bending the still-green part as it WILL exude sap that can be irritating!

    if the tips browned up after you took it home, then it may be a stress-reaction or it could also just be the normal growth pattern - lower leaves will die off as they age and as new growth appears at the top.

    it could also be due to your water. if it's extremely hard and/or there is a lot of chlorine in it, using straight from the tap may cause the leaf tips to brown up. also, using straight from the tap may be too cold - which will shock the roots and that can cause leaf damage. i always let my water sit overnight - to let the excess chlorine dissipate as well as to have the water at room temp before i put it in the plant. using hot water mixed with cold isn't a solution to the temp factor either - the hot water may have too much junk in it due to coming from an older heater - and rusty water is definitely not good for plants :)

    from your description of the container, it shouldn't need watering more than every 10 days or so. you most probably overwatering and that would be the main cause of the browning problem (could also cause root-rot, too).

    it should be kept in fairly bright light all day and some direct light for a good part of the day. if it was in really low-light conditions when you got it and you moved it directly to a very high-light spot without easing it into it, then then that could cause the leaf tips to brown up, too.

    it doesn't like to get too cold - so, if it is close to an a/c vent, that could also be a cause of the brown leaves. although it likes warmer temps, i wouldn't think a location directly in front of a heat vent would be good for it (could be too hot; especially when the air first comes on).

    sorry!! there are, obviously, many things that could cause the problem with the leaves - only you can determine which one, or more, conditions are to blame.

    you didn't show the current pot. from your description, it may need re-potting. if you see roots coming out of the bottom drainage holes, then i'd say it would definitely need repotting.

    you'll want to give it another inch to two inches in diameter and the depth for that size container will usually be a bit deeper; which would be okay.

    i wouldn't be concerned about repotting right away - even if it does need it. it's been moved and needs to get adjusted to the new conditions first. and it needs to get situated from whatever is causing the browning tips on the leaves.

    i usually wait about 6-7 weeks) before repotting new plants so that they can get past whatever shock they're in from being moved from the store to my house. unless they're in the completely wrong type of soil and keeping them in it will do more damage in that time period.

    what is the soil that it's in? it should be in a well-draining soil that stays a little bit on the moist side. i use a mix of cactus soil, orchid mix and regular plain potting soil. the orchid mix - which is bark pieces - provides good drainage and aeration. you can use perlite or aquarium soil (bits of ceramic) instead though. fertilizer can be used once a month during active growth period and then once every couple/three months during the low-growth period (which we are just starting to get into).

    i wouldn't fertilize until it's recovered from the current situation, though. fertilizing a stressed plant does more damage than good.

    if it's currently in solid peat, then, YES, repot it right away.
     
  17. joclyn

    joclyn Rising Contributor

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    oh, i forgot...

    i'm sorry you had to deal with ike! who'd have thought it would make it's way so far north? that was a really intense system!! you must be on the western side of pennsy...here on the eastern side we didn't have anything from it - not even a shower.
     
    Last edited: Sep 22, 2008
  18. Cereusly Steve

    Cereusly Steve Active Member

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    Well, isn't that special?

    The purple one need to find her happy place in sunny Philadelphia!

    I know we have never met.
     
  19. DiscoverEcology

    DiscoverEcology Member

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    Hello,

    First of all I invited Cereusly Steve back to explain things more indepth to me. So he is here by invitation now, in fairness.

    Thank you joclyn for your reply. Very informative and helpful. Exactly what I was looking for, actually.

    I may be overwatering it by dampening it in it's little plastic pot weekly. It's just a black plastic bucket-shape thing with holes in the bottom for draining. It is just like most plants that come from the florist are in. But I always feel it before I water it and make sure it is dry. And it seems to be 2 or 3 days after I water it becomes bone dry again.

    I will water it a little less and see what happens. I am really inexperienced in plant care so I appreciate all this. I watered it today and put in outside in indirect sunlight for about three hours. I was afraid to put it in direct sunlight not being certain if I would burn or dry it out. Direct sunlight occasionally for the next few weeks before the weather breaks may not hurt.

    My water has chlorine. I will start letting the water sit or use filtered water and see if that helps. It helps my digestion so I wouldn't be surprised if it helps. When the plant was given to me it was pretty green, and within two days started browning and spotting on the leaves. That's why I thought it was dying. I had not watered it yet. It's still pretty green so I am not as worried as I was when I first posted this thread.

    Hurricane IKE was a bummer. Four days with no electricity, computer, refrigerator, cell phone charger, lights, tv, alarm, etc... Very peaceful though. It was pretty easy to go to bed early. Nothing else to do!

    I will not repot now. Thank you agAIN.

    Jim D
     

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