When we talk about ficus, we are not talking about a particular plant, but from a family of plants which is huge and therefore has a lot of plant species that will have some peculiarities.
If the smallest species are around ten centimeters high like the ficus Bonsai for example, you should know that there are also trees in this family which can reach more than thirty meters!
So, obviously, to speak of a ficus without a guardian is a rather vague question. That is why we are going to talk here about plants that have a height that will reach a few meters, but no more.
For the largest species of the family, you should know that a ficus without a guardian is not recommended in the first months, or even years of growth, but that subsequently, you will be able to remove it.
Ficus - General information
There are a whole bunch of different ficus trees on the market, each with characteristics that will look better on some people than on others. This is why we invite you to discover them all in our article on this subject.
Yes, it is possible to maintain a ficus without a guardian
But as we said, if you are here, it is surely for an indoor ficus and it is for these that we will firstly focus on the fact of maintaining a ficus without a guardian. and the consequences.
The first thing to know is that yes, it is quite possible to maintain your ficus without a guardian! This is even more true when we are going to talk about small ficus trees that do not grow taller than a few tens of centimeters.
These generally manage to hold together well due to their small size and you will not need to put a stake in place during its growth. However, there are a few signs that you need one.
We are talking, for example, of a shoot that is starting to no longer be straight or if you see that the main structure of the ficus is bending. This may be the case after a pruning.
This size will then increase the number of leaves on your plant and therefore your weight. If generally, this does not pose a problem, it is still possible that this weight is too important.
In this case, yes a ficus without a guardian is a risk that it rains until it breaks. In this case, we do advise you to use it, at least temporarily to help it.
Don't panic if some stems grow down
Moreover, speaking of size, we can speak of a phenomenon which in general frightens a lot of new owners of certain species of Ficus such as Benjamina for example.
These ficuses are known to have stems that will naturally grow downward. This is completely normal and it is not due to the weight of the leaves. In this case, a ficus without a guardian is normal.
However, we take the liberty of making a parenthesis on this phenomenon in particular, because by browsing the specialized forums, you will be able to realize that it is a subject of concern which comes up often.
Again, as long as you don't see that the general structure of your ficus tree is struggling due to the weight, you can assume that you are going to be able to do without the guardian for it.
For some larger ficus trees, you can opt for the tutor
If until now we have been interested in the smallest ficus, you should know that there is also a happy medium between the small and the giants. These are generally between one and three meters in height.
However, inevitably, these ficuses are immediately more prone to weight problems. In this case, a ficus without a guardian can have problems and even break outright if you are not careful.
This does not mean that you will have to systematically have to put a tutor on these types of ficus. However, we ask you to pay a little more attention, because the risk is present.
A ficus without a guardian or with? It's up to you to judge on a case-by-case basis
In summary, a ficus without a stake is quite normal and most of the time, except for the trees in the early days, you will be able to do totally without any problem occurring.
However, ficuses are living plants that will grow and the goal will be to get them to make as many leaves as possible for aesthetic reasons. But these leaves inevitably carry weight.
However, it is this weight that could force you to put a tutor on your ficus trees. Therefore, we advise you to always take an eye on the growth of your plants and not to hesitate at the slightest problem that you remove.
Moreover, it is possible that these guardians are only temporary, the time for the plant to regain its strength. Anyway to the question of knowing if a ficus without a guardian is needed, as very often the answer is situational.
Our advice for buying your ficus
Ficuses are beautiful plants, and there are all kinds of them. Are you struggling to make your choice? No worries, we've made a selection for you.
