Ficus Benjamina Exotica – Plant

Ficus benjamina, or Weeping Fig, originally found growing in Asia, India, and Austrlia, is part of the Moraceae family, and, in nature, produces a small fruit enjoyed by doves and pigeons.

It is the official tree of Bangkok. Today it is often planted in parks and outside large commercial buildings, quickly growing into impressive an tree. In recent years, a ficus benjamina has become an extremely popular indoor plant, replacing the Rubber tree as the most frequently purchased ficus variety.

For many years, a Ficus benjamina had the reputation of being a temperamental, high-light plant that easily dropped leaves if you just looked at it. Today, however, there are new, hardy varieties that grow in almost any location.

You can find ficus trees small enough to sit on a table or as large as 12ft. tall. The slender, pale brown, woody trunks can be straight, braided or twisted into a spiral. The thin, arching branches are covered in hundreds of 1”-3.5” glossy, leathery, pointed., oval to elliptical shaped leaves.

All parts of the plant contain a milky, slightly toxic, white sap that can be quite irritating if eaten or if it gets into an open cut.

Ficus house plants come in many forms and this particular tree, Ficus benjamina ‘Exotica’ has the most intricately woven, braided stem which forms a cylinder. The weeping fig provides great structural form and this one is architecturally pleasing. it Has lovely glossy deep green leaves What Makes it a real living work of art.

Temperature : Indoor ficus trees like temperatures between 65°-85°F (18.3°-29.4°C). Keep a ficus tree away from cold drafts, air conditioners, and heaters or it will lose leaves.

Lighting preference : Ficus trees, especially the Benjamina and Wintergreen varieties, need very bright indirect light. New varieties, called “Ficus of the Future”, can survive in medium and even low light. Examples of “Ficus of the Future” are the Monique with ruffled green leaves, the Midnight with dark green/black leaves, and the ficus Alli with elongated leaves. Direct sun burns the leaves of all ficus trees.

 Irrigation of water : Allow the top 25% of the soil to dry out before watering. Under-watering causes leaves to turn yellow. Green leaves to fall off and new growth turns black when a ficus is over-watered. Ficus trees grow better if you follow a consistent watering schedule.

 Humidity : Household humidity above 30% is best.

Fertilization and feeding :Fertilize monthly in the spring and summer, when the tree is actively growing, with a balanced plant food diluted to 1/2 the recommended strength.

 Soil : Use a rich, quick-draining potting soil that contains sand, peat moss, and a little bark.

Toxicity :A ficus is considered a slightly poisonous houseplant with a level #1 toxicity. Many people find the sap extremely irritating if it comes in contact with their skin.

 Pot Size : Ficus trees like to be a little root-bound in smaller containers. You can easily keep a 5′ ficus in a 10” pot. A pot that is too large encourages over-watering which leads to green leaves falling off.

Pruning : The best time to prune is in the late summer or early fall after a ficus tree has stopped growing for the year. You can prune dead or broken branches at any time during the year.

Diseases : Anthranose and leaf spot are the two main houseplant diseases that affect ficus trees. They usually appear as yellow spots that turn brown and the leaves drop of. The best way to treat these diseases is to keep the leaves dry, spry with Neem Oil, or use a commercial Fungicide.

 Air Purification : Ficus trees clean the air of formaldehyde and xylene.