Ficus

Ficus plants range from large trees to woody shrubs and trailing vines. All grow best in medium to bright light, although they will tolerate low light for short periods. They grow well at normal room temperature. Allow the soil of tree and shrub forms to dry out between waterings. Ficus plants produce a sticky white latex sap when injured, giving them one of their common names, rubber plant. Edible figs are in the same genus, and these houseplants are also sometimes called figs.

Plant Type:

Indoor Plant

Plant Height:

1 to 12 feet tall

Plant Width:

1 to 10 feet wide

Special Features:

Flowers, Attractive Foliage, Drought Tolerant, Easy to Grow

Top Varieties

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Creeping fig

(Ficus pumila) is a vining plant with small leaves and aerial roots that will cling to a wall or moss pole. It is sometimes used to cover topiary forms. It requires higher humidity and more frequent watering than most ficuses.
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Fiddleleaf fig

(Ficus lyrata) can become a large tree with violin-shape leaves more than 1 foot long. The stiff, waxy leaves are medium green on top and gray green underneath.
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Mistletoe fig

(Ficus deltoidea) makes an interesting indoor shrub. It forms spreading branches covered with wedge-shape leaves and many small, inedible green figs that turn red in bright sun. It is sometimes listed as Ficus diversifolia.
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Narrow-leaf fig

(Ficus maclellandii 'Alii') is a tree-type ficus with long, narrow, pointed leaves that give it a bamboo appearance. It is sometimes called Alii fig or banana fig, and may be classified as Ficus binnendijkii.
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Rubber tree

(Ficus elastica), also called rubber plant, has stiff elliptical leaves, often tinged with maroon. Grow it as a multi-stemmed shrub or a branched tree.
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Starlight weeping fig

(Ficus benjamina 'Starlight') has the same arching plant form as regular weeping fig, but its leaves are ringed with a decorative white band. Variegation is most intense in bright light.
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Too Little weeping fig

(Ficus benjamina 'Too Little') is a semi-dwarf, slower grower than regular weeping fig. Individual leaves are smaller, and are rolled or curled, and distance between branches is less, resulting in a more compact tree.
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Variegated creeping fig

(Ficus pumila 'Variegata') is a small-leaved creeper with a narrow band of white on leaf edges. Like regular creeping fig, give it high humidity and keep its roots moist.
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Variegated Indian laurel fig

(Ficus microcarpa) is similar to weeping fig but has slightly larger and more leathery leaves. It is also less likely to drop leaves with changes in light levels or temperatures. The plant is sometimes classified as Ficus retusa nitida.
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Variegated rubber plant

(Ficus elastica 'Variegata') has tricolor leaves of creamy white, gray green and green with maroon overtones. Its coloration is most intense in bright light.
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Weeping fig

(Ficus benjamina) is the most widely grown ficus. Often, several are planted in the same pot and braided into a multiple trunk. Avoid moving the plant around once you find a good location for it; leaves drop readily in response to environmental changes.
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