Ficus Shivereana Propagation
I chop and prop my own ficus shivereana in this step by step propagation guide with pictures.
See also: our Ficus Shivereana Care article for a full guide to caring for this plant, as well as Rubber Plant Propagation.
How To Propagate Ficus Shivereana In Water
Time needed: 1 day
Step by step how to propagate ficus shivereana in water
- Take the cuttings
Use sharp scissors and take a cutting with one or two leaves, and the node (the section of stem the leaves grow from)
- Leave the cuttings for 24 hours
Wait a day for the cuts to callous over so that water cannot get inside the wound.
- Put the cuttings in water.
Put the cuttings in a jar of tap water. Use a filter jug to fitler the water if you live in a ‘hard water’ area. Make sure the nodes are under the water, but the leaves are not as they can rot.
- Keep the water topped up
The cuttings can take a really long time to root. My ficus shivereanas take months to root, so be patient. If the water turns cloudy it is a sign of rot, so change the water and remove any rotting leaves from it.
- Wait for it to root
Keep it in indirect sunlight. It can take a month to start rooting and 3 months for roots to establish as they are slow growing. When you have a few roots you can move it to soil, or you can keep it in water on going but it will grow slower than in soil.
How To Propagate Ficus Shivereana In Soil
I use soil when propagating ficus shivereana, I water propagate it first (see our section above) and then after two or three months once the roots are showing I move it to soil. I keep it humid with a bag over the plant (but leaving some small air holes to avoid rot). When it starts to grow leaves from the top of the plant you can treat it as a juvenile.
How To Propagate Ficus Shivereana – Other Methods
I have used sphagnum moss and leca too – I water prop the cuttings for a few months first, then move them to the medium. Consider using fertilizer for these methods, as the plant is so slow goring you really do want to add nutrients. Make sure you use very well diluted ones to start with to avoid fertilizer burn especially if using leca – use a dedicated semi-hydroponic feed.
Ficus Shivereana Propagation – frequently asked questions
They tend to grow very slowly and propagate very slowly too. You can water propagate them for 3 months or so before their roots are big enough to pot on.
Further Reading
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