Meet the Ficus triangularis, the fig with leaves shaped like little green triangles! This slow-growing amigo from tropical Africa is one of the easier members of the Ficus family, and the popular 'Variegata' form adds creamy-white edges to every leaf. Give it bright light, let the soil dry out a bit between drinks and pick a spot it can call home, because this one really doesn't like being moved around. Want to meet the rest of the family? Read our Ficus care guide or browse our Ficus collection.
Ficus triangularis comes from the tropical forests of Africa, where it often starts life perched on other trees before growing into a small tree of its own. Botanists now count it as a form of the Natal fig (Ficus natalensis subsp. leprieurii), but plant shops still sell it as Ficus triangularis. Indoors it stays compact and grows slowly, which makes it a great tabletop or shelf plant.
Ficus triangularis wasn't part of NASA's well-known clean-air study, so we won't oversell it as an air purifier. Like any leafy plant it does its small part for your indoor air, but its real job is looking great on your shelf.
Toxic to cats and dogs: the ASPCA lists Ficus species as toxic, and the milky white sap can cause stomach upset and skin irritation. The sap contains latex, so people with a latex allergy should wear gloves or skip this one. Keep this amigo out of reach of pets and little ones.
Water when the top 2–3 inches (5–8 cm) of soil feel dry, usually every 1–2 weeks in spring and summer and less often in fall and winter. Soak the soil, let the extra drain away and never leave the pot standing in water. Sudden leaf drop often means the soil got too dry or stayed soggy for too long, so a steady routine is the secret. Normal indoor humidity is fine, but it appreciates a humidifier when the heating is on in winter.
Bright, indirect light keeps it bushy and its variegation crisp, and a little gentle morning sun is welcome. Harsh afternoon sun can scorch the leaves, while too little light leads to leggy growth and dropped leaves. Choose a spot away from cold drafts and heat vents, and try to leave it there: this amigo often sulks and drops a few leaves after a move.
Feed once a month in spring and summer with a balanced liquid houseplant fertilizer diluted to half-strength. Skip the snacks in fall and winter, when growth slows down. Being a slow grower, it doesn't need much, so when in doubt, feed less.
Repot only every 2–3 years in spring, or when roots start circling the pot or poking out of the drainage holes. Go up just 1–2 inches in pot size and use a well-draining mix of potting soil with some bark or perlite. Expect a few dropped leaves afterwards; it recovers once it has settled in.
Very little pruning needed: snip off dead or damaged leaves, and trim leggy stems in spring or early summer to keep it compact and bushy. Wear gloves, because the sticky white sap irritates skin. Indoors it won't flower or fruit, so it's all about those triangle leaves.
Watch out for mealybugs, scale, thrips, aphids and spider mites, especially in dry winter air; wipe them off and treat with insecticidal soap or a neem oil spray. Leaf drop usually follows a move, a repot, a cold draft or uneven watering, and new leaves come back once conditions are steady. Yellow or brown leaves with wet soil point to overwatering, so let the soil dry out more between drinks.
