Ficus benjamina, also known as Benjamin figs or weeping figs, are quite low maintenance once you find them in the right spot. Nevertheless, there are a few important things to keep in mind when it comes to watering and fertilising your weeping fig to prevent it from losing its leaves and to keep it happy and healthy.
| Common name | Benjamin Tree, Chinese Banyan, FigIndian Rubber Plant, Java Fig, Small-leaved Rubber Plant, Weeping Fig |
| Botanical name | Ficus benjamina |
| Family | Moraceae |
| Species | benjamina |
| Origin | Tropical & Subtropical Asia and Northern Australia |
| Life cycle | Woody |
| Plant type | Houseplant |
| Sunlight | Dappled Sunlight |
| Maintenance | High |
| Drainage | Very Dry |
| Growth rate | Medium |
| Spacing | 6 – ft. – 12 ft. |
| Height | 5 ft. – 30 ft. |
| Width | 5 ft. – 30 ft. |
| Flower color | Black |
| Leaf color | Green |
| Fruit color | Black |
| Stem color | Brown, Copper |
| Leaf benefit | Showy |
| Uses | Container |
I. Appearance and Characteristics
Ficus benjamina, commonly known as weeping fig, benjamin fig or ficus tree, and often sold in stores as just ficus, is a species of flowering plant in the family Moraceae, native to Asia and Australia. It is the official tree of Bangkok. The species is also naturalized in the West Indies and in the states of Florida and Arizona in the United States. It is one of the most common trees in Israeli cities and parks. In its native range, its small fruit are favored by some birds.
Ficus benjamina is a tree reaching 30 m (98 feet) tall in natural conditions, with gracefully drooping branchlets and glossy leaves 6–13 cm (2+3⁄8–5+1⁄8 inches), oval with an acuminate tip. The bark is light gray and smooth. The bark of young branches is brownish. The widely spread, highly branching tree top often covers a diameter of 10 meters. It is a relatively small-leaved fig. The changeable leaves are simple, entire and stalked. The petiole is 1 to 2.5 cm (3⁄8 to 1 inch) long.
The young foliage is light green and slightly wavy, the older leaves are green and smooth; the leaf blade is ovate to ovate-lanceolate with wedge-shaped to broadly rounded base and ends with a short dropper tip. The pale glossy to dull leaf blade is 5 to 12 cm (2 to 4+1⁄2 inches) cm long and 2 to 6 cm (1 to 2+1⁄2 inches) wide. Near the leaf margins are yellow crystal cells (“cystolites”). The two membranous, deciduous stipules are not fused, lanceolate and 6 to 12 mm (1⁄4 to 1⁄2 inch) (rarely to 15 mm or 9⁄16 inch) long.
F. benjamina is monoecious. The inflorescences are spherical to egg-shaped, shiny green, and have a diameter of 1.5 cm (1⁄2 inch). In the inflorescences are three types of flowers: male and fertile and sterile female flowers. The scattered, inflorescences, stalked, male flowers have free sepals and a stamen. Many fertile female flowers are sessile and have three or four sepals and an egg-shaped ovary. The more or less lateral style ends in an enlarged scar.
The ripe figs (collective fruit) are orange-red and have a diameter of 2.0 to 2.5 cm (3⁄4 to 1 inch).
The plant is a major source of indoor allergens, ranking as the third-most common cause of indoor allergies after dust and pets. Common allergy symptoms include rhinoconjunctivitis and allergic asthma. Ficus plants can be of particular concern to latex allergy sufferers because of the latex in the plants and should not be kept in the environment of latex allergy sufferers. In extreme cases, Ficus sap exposure can cause anaphylactic shock in latex allergy sufferers. The consumption of parts of plants leads to nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Exceptions are the edible fruits.
Allergy to Ficus plants develops over time and from exposure. The allergy was first observed in occupational settings amongst workers who regularly handled the plants. A study of workers at four plant-leasing firms showed that 27% of the workers had developed antibodies in response to exposure to the plants.
II. How to Grow and Care
Sunlight
The weeping fig needs a bright room with plenty of indirect sunlight, and perhaps even a little direct sun in the morning. In its native habitat, it is often grown in semi-shady conditions, but indoors it needs good light to thrive. You must find a good, bright spot for it and keep it there. Note that this plant has a high intolerance for being moved, even if it is to find better lighting conditions, so it’s best not to experiment with trying to find the right spot.
Temperature and Humidity
Ficus trees do best with nighttime temperatures between 65 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit and daytime temperatures between 75 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit. Consider setting your thermostat to regulate temperature fluctuations in your home. In the summertime, do not use heavy air conditioning, since weeping figs will suffer if the indoor temperature drops below 70 degrees Fahrenheit.
As tropical natives, weeping figs prefer high humidity. Low relative humidity can result in leaves that are dry and shriveled up.3 Consider using a humidifier to regulate humidity levels in your home. Keep the soil moist around the base of your tree and mist the tree’s leaves occasionally to prevent them from drying out.
Watering
Keep the plant steadily moist, but do not allow it to sit in water or it will drop leaves and may develop root rot. In their native environment, plants typically drop leaves at the beginning of the dry season, which makes them acutely sensitive to changes in moisture. Make sure your watering schedule is consistent.
Soil
Any good, fast-draining potting soil will likely do. Weeping figs do not require soil that is especially high in nutrients or organic matter. If repotting, use a soil-based potting soil that contains perlite, sand, and vermiculite for improved drainage.
Fertilizing
These plants are heavy feeders and need plenty of fertilizer throughout the growing season. Feed your ficus with slow-release pellets at the beginning of the growing season. They are rapid growers and will benefit from monthly fertilization in the spring and summer and once every two months in the fall and winter.
If your plant is dropping leaves despite having ideal lighting, temperature, humidity, and fertilizer levels, try supplementing with a little magnesium and manganese.
Pruning
Prune your weeping fig as and when necessary. Pruning plants that tolerate pruning well, like Ficus benjamina, encourages them to put out new growth. Aside from removing unsightly dried or dead branches, pruning can also help keep Benjamin figs small and compact or rejuvenate them. Here is how to prune weeping figs:
- Cut shoots to the desired length, but always just above a leaf node.
- Prune for better branching: it is best to prune your weeping fig in spring. Prune all shoots at the tips rather than toward the inner part of the ficus tree. Pruning in spring leads to stronger branching, but also costs the plant a lot of energy.
- Rejuvenation pruning: if your Ficus benjamina is bare or mature, shorten all branches to one third of their original length. This is best done in late winter. Rejuvenation pruning is ideal for renewing the sparse crown of the plant, but it may take a while for your Benjamin fig to branch out.
- After a hard pruning, repot your weeping fig into fresh soil.
- Pruning the bonsai weeping fig: weeping figs can also be kept as bonsais. In this case, both the crown and the roots need pruning.
Propagation
Weeping fig can be relatively easy to root from cuttings, even without rooting hormone. It is best to take a cutting in the spring when you can more easily supply warmth and moisture. Ficus is rarely grown from seed and most indoor plants will never fruit or yield seed.
- Take a 3 to 5-inch cutting that contains at least two sets of leaves from the tip of a healthy branch. Make the cut about 1/4 inch below a set of leaves. Strip off the leaves from the lower half of the cutting. You can coat the cut end with rooting hormone if desired.
- Embed the end of the cutting in a container filled with moistened peat moss. Cover the container with a large plastic bag, making sure the plastic does not touch the cutting (sticks or skewers can prop up the bag). Tie the bag closed around the bottom.
- Set the container in a spot with bright, indirect light but out of direct sunlight. Try to keep the pot above 65 degrees Fahrenheit. Mist the cutting daily to keep humidity levels high. Moisten the soil if it feels dry at the top.
- In two to four weeks, the cutting should develop sufficient roots to allow you to cut slits in the bag to allow it to acclimate to room conditions.
- After about six weeks, transplant the cutting into a 6-inch pot and continue to grow it into a small tree.
Potting and Repotting
A healthy ficus is a fast-growing plant and will need careful attention to its pot. If you notice your plant is growing more slowly, it is probably because of low water or low temperatures.
The repotting requirements also depend on how you are growing the plant—ficus is incredibly flexible. They can be grown as standards, topiary, braided standards, regular houseplants, and even bonsai. Take your cues from the plant and be prepared to repot annually in many circumstances. Move a weeping fig plant to a new pot in early spring, whether you’re giving a new plant a more permanent home or repotting an existing plant.
Overwintering
Even if your weeping fig is a houseplant, the Ficus benjamina can enjoy time outdoors. After the last frost date in spring, weeping figs can be brought outdoors for the summer. But remember to return it indoors when the weather turns cold again. Be sure to place the plant away from any heat vents or drafts, as the continuous shifts in temperature will stress the plant.
Pests and Diseases
Pest infestations can also result in leaf drop, but this is usually preceded by leaf discolouration. So, if your Ficus benjamina develops yellow leaves or spots on them, you are most likely dealing with an aphid or mite infestation. Here are the tell-tale signs of different Ficus benjamina pests and diseases and what to do:
- Spider mites: These pests tend to appear when the air is too dry. Spider mites leave behind fine, cobweb-like webs on the underside of the leaves. If you notice signs of spider mites on your weeping fig, rinse it under lukewarm water and increase the humidity or place the plant in a cooler place.
- Scale insects: An infestation of scale insects is recognisable by the small animals themselves, which are hidden under their brownish shell in the leaf axils. To remedy this, wipe scale insects off and prune the tree back.
- Aphids: Just like spider mites, aphids are easily treatable. A tell-tale sign of an aphid infestation is the light-coloured spots they leave on the leaves when feeding. You can control aphids and scale insects with biological agents which are made from neem seeds and administered via watering.
- Verticillium wilt: Verticillium is a fungus-based disease that attacks the plant from the ground and clogs the conduits so that water can no longer be transported throughout the plant. As a result, the leaves wither. When you cut open a shoot of a plant infected with this fungus, you can usually see dark discoloration. Cut back the tree severely and repot the plant into fresh, permeable soil.
III. Uses and Benefits
In tropical, subtropical and warm temperate latitudes, the weeping fig makes a very large and stately tree for parks and other urban situations, such as wide roads. It is often cultivated for this purpose.
F. benjamina is a very popular houseplant in temperate areas because of its elegant growth and tolerance of poor growing conditions; it does best in bright, sunny conditions, but it also tolerates considerable shade.
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