Ficus Tree Diseases

Ficus trees are decorative indoor plants that every gardening enthusiasts prefer to have at least more than one at home. Despite their lustrous foliage, drooping branches and attractive canopy shape, one of the ficus tree facts is that they require minimal maintenance as compared to other houseplants. So, people who have a hectic schedule can even grow and maintain wonderful ficus trees. Among the several species of fig genera, Ficus benjamina (or weeping fig), Ficus elastica (rubber tree) and Ficus benjamina (fiddle leafed fig) are most popular.

Similar to any other plant, ficus trees are susceptible to various problems. The most common complaints are leaves turning yellow, leaf drop and root rot. These ficus tree problems develop basically due to over watering of the plants and exposure to cold temperatures for a prolonged period. Since these evergreen trees are native to tropical climates, they require optimum light, high temperature and humidity for healthy growth. If any of these factors went wrong, then you will notice signs of ficus tree diseases.

Diseases of Ficus Trees

Speaking about diseases of ficus trees, they usually develop due to unfavorable growing conditions. Low temperature (below 60 degrees Fahrenheit) and excess watering are major causes for ficus tree diseases. Effective tips for maintaining healthy ficus trees are, using a pathogen free planting soil, container and disease free plantlets. Whether you have regular sized ficus tree or bonsai form, you can refer the following information for identification and timely control of ficus tree diseases:

Crown Gall
Crown gall, as the name signifies, causes swollen areas on the leaves (in the major veins), stems and at times, roots. Swollen areas may also form near the stem cuttings. It is caused by the bacterium called, Agrobacterium tumefaciens. Over a period of time, the swollen areas turn hard and corky. Destroy the affected plant parts to prevent spreading. Using copper containing plant sprays is an effective method for treating this condition.

Leaf Spot
Black spots of very small size, usually develop on the back of the ficus leaves. This is nothing but ficus leaf spot caused by Cercospora species. Under very heavy infestation, the leaves turn yellow and eventually fall off. Pluck the diseased foliage and collect fallen leaves (if any) to prevent further spreading of the disease. To kill any existing fungus, spray the trees with proper fungicide.

Leaf and Stem Spot
Spotting in the leaves and stems can also be caused due to anthracnose infestations. The spots may appear rusty in color and at times, oozing of sap occur from the stem spots. Gently remove the affected leaves, making sure that you are not spreading the fungus to other parts of the tree. Then, you can spray the trees with appropriate concentration of fungicide solution.

Leaf Infection
In ficus trees, leaf infection by Xanthomonas campestris, is manifested as tiny water soaked areas. If not treated in the early infestation stages, the affected areas will enlarge and turn brown. In some cases, a yellowish border surrounds the leaf patches. The diseased leaves fall within a few days after infection. Apply bactericides in proper concentration to control this ficus tree disease.

For further information on growing ficus tree indoors, read on:

• Ficus Tree Care
• Indoor Gardening

In addition to the above ficus tree diseases, check for occurrence of pests like scales, mealy bugs and centipedes. In case of infestations by mealy bugs and scale, you may notice oozing of the plant sap. Spray the ficus trees with correct horticultural solutions to kill the pests. If left untreated, these can lead to death of the ficus trees. The logic to prevent ficus pest and diseases is to regulate the growing factors in such a way that they meet the native environmental condition.