What are the characteristics of banyan trees?
The editor introduces the characteristics of banyan trees and the experience of green plant maintenance in terms of banyan tree morphological feature descriptions, followed by a comprehensive introduction.
Banyan trees may be familiar to many people, having learned about them in textbooks during childhood. Banyan trees may give the impression of strong trunks, long root systems, and aerial roots.
Song Dynasty poet Yang Wanli wrote in his poem "Banyan Tree": "Straight but not round, the axe spares its wood for fuel. Several trees together look like mushrooms, their hollow trunks always filled with fiber." This is a portrayal of the external characteristics of the banyan tree!
Banyan trees are easy to shape into bonsai, making them one of the more popular bonsai trees today!
Banyan trees belong to the Moraceae family, Ficus genus, and are trees that can tolerate flooding, with short-term flooding not causing root rot.
Banyan trees prefer a high temperature and humid environment, and can withstand temperatures over 40 degrees Celsius. They are subtropical trees and are not cold-tolerant, requiring temperatures above 5 degrees Celsius to survive the winter. Generally, they can be moved indoors to safely overwinter (in Henan's climate).
Banyan trees prefer slightly acidic soil, so when potting, it's necessary to acidify the soil manually. Decomposed organic matter such as dead leaves, deceased animals, sawdust, and straw are all acidic. Adding polystyrene or perlite granules can increase soil looseness.
Banyan trees tend to turn yellow leaves in alkaline soil, so if soil alkalization is detected, it's important to change the soil or add diluted vinegar solution to acidify the soil. However, the best solution is still changing the soil, as it takes 2-3 years for the soil to become alkaline.
Banyan trees also prefer water, and can be grown in soil or water. Therefore, it's important to keep the soil moist and water regularly. When potting, it's important to avoid waterlogging, as limited pot soil means limited root systems, and prolonged waterlogging can lead to root rot. Short-term flooding is not a problem, as banyan trees are quite tolerant to water.
What are the characteristics of banyan trees?
Banyan trees are light-loving plants, so simply placing the potted tree in the sunlight is sufficient. In natural conditions, banyan trees are directly exposed to light, so there is no need for shade in the summer. Generally, in natural conditions, banyan trees grow near water, so the environment they are in is moist. When potting, it's necessary to spray the leaves in the morning and evening in the summer to maintain a moist environment. This moist environment can also stimulate the tree to grow pendant roots in the air, increasing the tree's ornamental value.
Banyan trees also have good tolerance to poor soil and require controlled fertilization, as overly fertile soil can cause the tree to grow excessively. During the initial growth stage, light and frequent fertilization can promote rapid formation of the trunk.
If conditions are suitable, banyan trees grow quickly and require pruning every year if not for the initial growth stage.
Banyan trees have very developed and robust root systems, and the roots need to be pruned every 1-2 years when potting. Root pruning can be combined with soil replacement. Banyan trees can grow into a forest with a single trunk! So, those who like multi-trunk trees can cultivate one.
Banyan trees can be propagated by seeds or by cutting in May.
This article shares the characteristics of banyan trees and methods for describing banyan tree morphological features for reference.