Ficus Alii is a beautiful perennial ornamental fig and can be a terrific addition to your houseplant collection. This plant is known for its deep green and bushy foliage. The long, narrow, and willowy leaves give it a classy look. The glossy gaze on the greenery makes it more eye-catching. With its growth, the Ficus Alii may divulge a very thick trunk with pronounced beautiful variegation, giving it a palm-like appearance.
This striking plant is called Banana Leaf Fig due to its lean verdures. Other names of the plant are Ficus Maclellandii and Ficus Binnendiijkii. The plant makes a bold statement in any bright room. The Ficus Alii is originally from Malaysia and India.
The Alii ficus is an elegant indoor tree admired for its slender, cascading foliage. With elongated leaves up to 10 inches long this fig variety brings a touch of the tropics into any living space. However caring for an Alii ficus requires an understanding of proper harvesting techniques and timing to keep it thriving. This guide covers when and how to prune your Alii ficus for optimal health and beauty.
Overview of the Alii Ficus
The Alii ficus is a cultivar of the species Ficus maclellandii which grows wild across tropical Southeast Asia. It was first commercially cultivated in Hawaii in the 1980s where it got its name meaning “royalty.”
Unlike its temperamental cousin the fiddle leaf fig, the Alii ficus is more forgiving and adaptable to a range of light and humidity levels. Its elegant pendant leaves and naturally branching shape make it a graceful addition to any room.
When to Harvest Your Alii Ficus
Timing is key when harvesting your Alii ficus. Pruning during active growth periods in spring and summer allows the plant to recover quickly. Avoid trimming in fall and winter when it’s dormant.
Spring and Summer
The ideal time for pruning is during spring and summer when sunlight and warmth spur rapid growth. Trimming back overgrown stems and shaping the canopy in these months gives the Alii ficus energy to generate new foliage.
Fall and Winter
Hold off any major pruning in fall and winter when light and temperatures drop. The plantneeds stored resources to withstand colder months. Pruning in dormancy stresses the Alii ficus and may cause leaf drop.
Techniques for Pruning Your Alii Ficus
Use the following methods to maintain your Alii ficus’ health and enhance its natural shape:
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Remove dead leaves – Pick off any crispy, yellowed leaves to improve air circulation and prevent disease spread. Don’t strip off too many at once.
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Trim overgrown stems – Use clean, sharp pruners to cut back wayward stems. Aim for balanced symmetry.
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Thin interior branches – Selectively remove stems deep inside the canopy to allow light penetration and air flow.
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Shape the canopy – Carefully prune back the top and sides to create a full, rounded profile. Don’t shear into a blunt, rounded ball.
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Clean pruning cuts – Seal any large pruning wounds with paste to prevent infection. Make cuts just above leaf nodes.
Tips for Healthy Regrowth After Pruning
Follow these tips after pruning your Alii ficus to encourage vigorous regrowth:
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Increase light exposure to stimulate new growth after significant pruning.
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Mist leaves daily for humidity and provide plenty of water.
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Apply houseplant fertilizer every 2-4 weeks during spring and summer.
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Rotate the plant occasionally for even sun exposure and regrowth.
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Monitor for pests like mealybugs that may attack stressed plants.
Signs It’s Time to Prune Your Alii Ficus
Watch for these cues that your Alii ficus needs pruning:
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Stems becoming excessively long and sparse.
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Lower leaves dropping due to lack of light.
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Interior leaves turning yellow from poor air circulation.
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Top heavy, uneven growth needing reshaping.
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Damaged stems that should be removed.
Problems to Avoid When Pruning
Prevent stressing your Alii ficus by avoiding:
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Removing too much foliage at once, leaving few growth nodes.
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Untimely pruning in fall and winter months when dormant.
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Lack of bright, indirect light after extensive pruning.
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Insufficient watering and humidity following pruning.
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Exposure to cold drafts right after trimming off leaves.
Pruning your Alii ficus using proper techniques and timing is crucial to maintaining its health. Focus on pruning in spring and summer during active growth. Remove dead leaves, thin congested branches, and shape the canopy, taking care not to overprune. With the right harvest approach, your Alii ficus will continue growing into a beautiful, flourishing indoor tree.
Soil requirements for Ficus Alii
The Ficus Alii isn’t too picky about the potting mix; however, ensuring a well-draining, nutrient-rich, aerated soil will do wonders. The soil shall not get waterlogged, and the container shall have adequate drainage holes. This plant is happy in the potting soil that maintains a PH between 6.0 to 6.5.
Our optimally formulated soil mix is ideal for Ficus plants and will provide all the necessary soil features to boost your Ficus Alii health.
The Banana Fig needs regular feeding for its healthy growth; therefore, it is recommended to fertilize the plant once a month. Use our balanced all-purpose liquid fertilizer in the growing season, summer and spring. This plant doesn’t like being fertilized in the colder winter and fall months. Ficus Alii is sensitive to boron; consequently, avoid a fertilizer with chemical boron.
Repotting Amstel King plant
The Ficus Alii likes to be root bound and needs repotting every after 2 to 3 years. When the roots start to bulge out from the pot, it’s the ideal time to repot your Ficus Alii and the perfect season is spring.
- Before repotting, take a next-sized container having drainage holes in it.
- Hydrate the plant 24 hours before transplant to reduce relocation shock.
- Take the plant out of the pot and inspect the soil and roots for diseases and pests.
- In case of pests and root rot, remove the affected areas before moving the plant to a new container.
After transplanting the plant into a new planter, water it thoroughly and place it in a bright, ventilated space.
The propagation of Ficus Alii is possible at home, but it can be a bit difficult for beginners. However, the plant can be propagated through stem cuttings and air layering. Both methods are equally successful.
- Select a healthy plant branch with a couple of leaves.
- Cut that branch using a sharp knife or scissors. The branch should be 4 to 6 inches long.
- Dip the cutting end in a rooting hormone and plant it in a container with fresh soil.
- Keep it in a bright location with indirect sunlight and water it thoroughly. The new roots will emerge in a few weeks, and the plant’s growth will start.
Alternatively, the branch can be kept in water for root development. Keep the water jar in a humid place, such as the kitchen, and wait for the roots to come out. In 2 to 4 weeks, the cutting will grow roots and plant the cutting in a pot with preferred potting soil. Water the plant regularly and put it in a bright space for fast growth.
Giant Indoor Fig. How to grow a tree indoors.
FAQ
How do you take cuttings from a ficus tree?
How do you propagate Ficus alii in water?
How do I make my ficus Alii bushy?
How to bring Ficus Alii back to life?
How do you propagate a Ficus alii?
Here’s how you propagate a Ficus ‘Alii’: Select a piece of stem at least 5 inches in length, preferably with a few leaves. Most specimens of ‘Alii’ have multiple tops, so you can behead one of these to acquire your cutting. Use a clean pair of pruning scissors to separate the stem from the mother plant.
Are Ficus alii easy to care for?
The Ficus Alii is very easy to care for, and they require much less care than their cousins. Although it is not a finicky plant, if the Ficus Alii doesn’t get enough water, it will start to shed its leaves. Being that this is not a plant you will find in nature if you are interested in adding one to your collection you will need to plan ahead.
What is a Ficus binnendijkii ‘alii’?
Ficus Binnendijkii ‘Alii’ (Long Leafed Weeping Fig) boasts glossy long leaves with a canopy reminiscent of a willow tree. A newer culitvar, the Ficus Alii can be a bit finicky like its cousin Ficus Benjamina, you may need to adjust their care from time to time.
What is a Ficus alii?
The ficus alii, or ficus binnendijkii, is a very unique variety of fig tree that you probably better recognize as the ‘banana leaf ficus.’ This type of fig tree is a very popular indoor decorative tree that also has the ability to throw out quite a lot of clean, fresh oxygen.