what is happening here??

[catfish chapstick]

went to trim the roots of a ficus and found this. I don't know if it's normal but I have never seen it before. the roots have ball-like growths or galls or something. even the youngest roots have this. does anyone know what it is? should I burn the plant? it seemed healthy otherwise...

I did it to another ficus that I had cloned from this one and didn't see anything like this!

halp!

 

[bougie nights]

I think those are normal. I've seen them mainly on Ficus benjamina cultivars.

 

[catfish chapstick]

I think those are normal. I've seen them mainly on Ficus benjamina cultivars.

oh really? I was worried that it was a disease. it looks ugly as hell. I wanted to make a root-over-rock but I don't want it to have balls all over it!

I don't have much experience with ficus. only started growing them indoors last year. I much prefer outdoor deciduous.

 

[Beng]

Silverberry has white nodes like that on the roots. I think in it's case it may be the nitrogen fixing part of the roots. Never really knew what it was though.

 

[NewWorldBonsai]

I've never encountered this on a ficus so I'm too ignorant to give a definitive answer.

I can tell you however, it is either a carbohydrate storing tuber that some species (like boxwood or sword fern) will grow naturally. Or option two is that you have some nematodes. In which case you'd want to remove the inflamed areas, sterilize and change soil and keep it off the ground.

Wait for someone who you can correctly identify your situation, but my guess would be nematodes.

An example of nematodes.

 

[rockm]

My guess would be nematodes, too, but I haven't worked with ficus in a while. I don't remember seeing these kinds of lumps...

 

[catfish chapstick]

Wtf!!!

I think it is nematodes! Should I get rid of the plant? Can they spread? I don't want all my plants to get them!!!

 

[Poink88]

Another vote for nematodes.

Read these.

http://www.fao.org/docrep/V9978E/v9978e08.htm
http://www.plantanswers.com/nematode_control.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paecilomyces_lilacinus

 

[catfish chapstick]

So I can fumigate the soil? Idk if its worth doing that or not. So I still don't know if they can spread. This is the fist I have seen of them.

 

[Poink88]

Here is another...
http://www.gardenguides.com/90535-plant-nematodes.html
http://www.gardenguides.com/136251-kill-nematodes-houseplants.html?utm_source=popup&utm_medium=2

 

[NewWorldBonsai]

Do not throw away the ficus!

Nematodes are annoying but once you get them under control it shouldn't be a big problem with Ficus. They can spread but it's just a pest so treat it and you'll be fine.

The only thing you must (I would highly recommend) throw away is anything infected with a bacteria born gall. Unlike the nematodes that bury within the root to cause an inflammation the bacteria born gall will transfer to any seedlings and cause nasty tumor like growth. It will spread to all similar species and there is no treatment.

 

[catfish chapstick]

Do not throw away the ficus!

Nematodes are annoying but once you get them under control it shouldn't be a big problem with Ficus. They can spread but it's just a pest so treat it and you'll be fine.

The only thing you must (I would highly recommend) throw away is anything infected with a bacteria born gall. Unlike the nematodes that bury within the root to cause an inflammation the bacteria born gall will transfer to any seedlings and cause nasty tumor like growth. It will spread to all similar species and there is no treatment.

how will i know the difference?

 

[lennard]

Nematodes

I think it is nematodes! Should I get rid of the plant? Can they spread? I don't want all my plants to get them!!!

This quite is disturbing to me because I have a lot of different Ficus species and have never seen nematodes affecting them - a quick search on the net however confirms that it do happens!

If so you will have to destroy the mix also. Maybe cut of all the roots and wash the root area of the tree, even scrubbing it lightly and repot and grow it as a cutting in a new clean mix.

This will confirm nematodes or not when the tree has sprouted new roots.

Best of luck.

Lennard