One of the first spaces people decorate with plants is the living room. Having a few plants in your living room will add vibrancy and warmth to your home, purify the air, and, of course, make it more visually appealing and fun.
For decades, one of the most popular plants in living rooms has been the graceful fig or ficus tree with its glossy leaves and light gray trunk. Although it grows tall as a houseplant, it does well in large, eye-catching pots and containers.
There are more than 800 species of fig plants, including fruit-bearing fig trees, shrubs, and vines. Only a few are used as ornamental plants. The most popular of these is Ficus Benjamina, but Ficus lyrata and Ficus elastica are also very popular.
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They typically grow up to 10 feet tall indoors, but certain species can reach heights of 50 feet or more in the wild. The trunk of the Ficus Benjamina tree is sometimes twisted, braided, and made into a bonsai.
“If you give[figs]what they need, that's the closest you'll get to having an indoor tree,” says Barbara Pleasant, author of The Complete Houseplant Survival Manual. “With proper care, fig trees can live about 20 years.”
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Here's everything you need to know to care for a ficus tree, and everything you need to know about this popular (but somewhat finicky!) houseplant.
Fig tree botanical highlights
Botanical Name: Ficus benjamina Botanical Family: Moraceae Common Name: Benjamin Fig, Chinese Banyan, Indian Rubber Plant, Weeping Fig, Fig, Small Leaf Rubber Plant Plant Type: Perennial Grassland Locality: Asia and Australia Sun Exposure: Full sun to partial Shade Preferable soil type: Well-drained, well-ventilated Fertilizing season: April to September Size at maturity: 40-50 feet tall and 25-30 feet wide outdoors / 2-20 feet tall indoors 10 feet by 3 feet wide Flower color: white and yellow (outdoor plants bloom in spring/indoors do not bloom) Related varieties: Ficus pumila (creeping fig), Ficus microcarpa (green island ficus) , Ficus lyrata (fiddle leaf fig), Ficus alii (banana leaf fig), Ficus elastica (rubber plant), Ficus bengalensis (Ficus audrey) Hardiness zone: 10 to 12 (USDA) Useful information: Drafts; It is sensitive to environmental changes such as insufficient exposure to sunlight and over or under watering. Once you have determined where the plant will grow, do not move it.
How much light does my fig tree need?
Ficus trees, also known as “weeping figs,” are tropical plants that require lots of bright, indirect light. Place it near the brightest window (usually facing south or west) or provide supplemental light with a grow light. (These are our favorite grow lights.) Once installed, leave them alone. It's a little noisy and doesn't respond well to change. Fig trees drop their leaves and become cranky when light levels and temperatures change. Leaves may fall depending on the season, so be sure to have a dustpan handy.
How should I care for my fig tree?
New figs usually arrive in a black plastic pot with drainage holes. Just place it in a cute and decorative clay planter. There is no need to repot for several years.
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To water your ficus, simply soak it thoroughly, let it dry, and then water it again. If you water too much, the leaves will turn yellow and fall off. Once in the water, the green leaves will begin to fall. The way to tell if it's time to water is to tilt the pot and feel its weight. If it's really mild, Pleasant says, you should probably give them water to drink. You'll get the hang of it after a few weeks. After watering, be sure to empty the water that collects in the saucer under the pot. No plant likes wet feet.
To nourish your ficus tree, feed it with a liquid all-purpose fertilizer during the growing season from April to September. (Here's what the three main numbers about fertilizer mean.)
Keep this plant away from curious pets who like to nibble on houseplants, as the sticky sap can irritate their tummies, according to the ASCPA. Dust or spray the leaves from time to time with a damp cloth or a gentle spray from your shower head.
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Can I take my fig plant outdoors in the summer?
It's possible, but it's not the best idea, Pleasant says. First of all, it is a diva, so it can shed leaves. She can cook even in the hot sun, so you need to find a shady place.
Finally, you need to bring them indoors before nighttime temperatures drop into the 50s in the fall. That aside, spray them with neem oil about a week before bringing them in to get rid of hitchhikers like aphids, scales, mealybugs, and spider mites that may infest other indoor plants.
You can also expect them to drop their leaves again when they come indoors until they readjust to indoor light levels.
Are there any special problems with fig trees?
Be careful of scale insect infestation. These insects have a waxy appearance and may be seen attached to the leaf surface.
Read more: How to get rid of insects on indoor plants
There is a sticky substance on the table and floor called honeydew that is expelled from the scale during feeding. Try controlling minor infestations by wiping away these insects with a soft cloth soaked in warm, soapy water, Pleasant says. If that's too much trouble, treat with insecticidal soap or neem oil. Withdrew after 10 days.
fig tree for your home
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Chris is Country Living's Senior Food & Garden Editor, covering everything edible or growable. He has two children and lives in Birmingham, Alabama.
Arricca Elin SanSone writes about health and lifestyle topics such as prevention, country living, and Women's Day. She has a passion for gardening, baking, reading, and spending time with her loved ones and dogs.
