Ficus

Meet the Ficus, the fig family behind some of the most iconic indoor trees around! There are more than 800 species growing wild across the tropics of Asia, Africa, Australia and the Americas, ranging from towering trees to tiny creeping vines. Indoor favorites include the fiddle leaf fig (Ficus lyrata), the rubber tree (Ficus elastica, like the pink-and-cream Tineke), the weeping fig (Ficus benjamina), the velvety Ficus Audrey and the triangle-leaved Ficus triangularis. People love them for their sculptural shapes and glossy leaves, and for how a single amigo can fill a whole corner with green.

Browse our Ficus collection, or read our fiddle leaf fig guide, Ficus Tineke guide and Ficus triangularis guide.

  • Toxic to pets and children
  • Repot once every 2 years
  • Fertilize once a month
  • Bright, indirect light
  • Average water

Fig-ure out your favorite!

Ficus Elastica Burgundy | Rubber Tree (S)
Ficus Elastica Burgundy | Rubber Tree (S)

Ollie

1800
23 cm
10 cm
Ficus Elastica Tineke | Rubber Tree (S)
Ficus Elastica Tineke | Rubber Tree (S)

Vincent

1900
17 cm
10 cm
Ficus Lyrata (S) | Fiddle Leaf Fig
Ficus Lyrata (S) | Fiddle Leaf Fig

Margot

1900
20 cm
10 cm
Ficus Elastica Tineke | Rubber Tree (M-6in)
Ficus Elastica Tineke | Rubber Tree (M-6in)

Vincent

3600
29 cm
15 cm
Ficus Shivereana Moonshine | Rubber Tree (S)
Ficus Shivereana Moonshine | Rubber Tree (S)

Montgomery

2400
16 cm
10 cm
Ficus Elastica Burgundy | Rubber Tree (XL)
Ficus Elastica Burgundy | Rubber Tree (XL)

Ollie

12900
52 cm
25 cm
Ficus Elastica Tineke | Rubber Tree (XL)
Ficus Elastica Tineke | Rubber Tree (XL)

Vincent

11900
55 cm
25 cm
Ficus Benghalensis | Audrey (M-6in)
Ficus Benghalensis | Audrey (M-6in)

Audrey

3600
34 cm
15 cm
Ficus Benghalensis | Ficus Audrey (XL)
On sale for a limited time!
Ficus Benghalensis | Ficus Audrey (XL)

Audrey

17900 16100
80 cm
25 cm
Ficus Lyrata Bush (XL)
Ficus Lyrata Bush (XL)

Margot

19800
100 cm
25 cm
Ficus Benghalensis | Audrey (S)
Ficus Benghalensis | Audrey (S)

Audrey

2900
20 cm
10 cm
Ficus Benjamina | Weeping Fig (XL)
Ficus Benjamina | Weeping Fig (XL)

Wilson

11900
95 cm
25 cm

About Ficus

Origin

Ficus belongs to the mulberry family (Moraceae), and each popular type has its own home turf. The fiddle leaf fig and Ficus triangularis come from tropical West and Central Africa, the rubber tree from northeast India down to Indonesia, the weeping fig from Southeast Asia and northern Australia, and the Audrey (Ficus benghalensis, the banyan) from India. In the wild many grow into huge trees, but indoors a little pruning keeps them at a manageable size.

Air Purifying

The weeping fig was one of the plants in NASA's 1989 Clean Air Study, where it helped take up chemicals like formaldehyde in small, sealed test chambers. A real home is much bigger and airier than a lab box, so the effect on your indoor air is modest at best. Enjoy them for their good looks, with a little air-cleaning bonus on the side.

Toxicity

Ficus plants are toxic to cats and dogs: the ASPCA lists Ficus species, including the weeping fig and rubber plant, as toxic, causing stomach upset and skin irritation. The culprit is the milky white sap, which contains irritating compounds (ficin and psoralens) and can also irritate human skin, especially if you have a latex allergy. Keep these amigos out of reach of pets and little ones, and wear gloves when pruning.

Caring for Ficus

Watering

Most Ficus like to dry out about halfway between drinks, so water thoroughly when the top 50% of the soil is dry, then empty the saucer. Rubber trees, Audreys and Ficus triangularis are the most forgiving and can handle drying out a little more, while the fiddle leaf fig and weeping fig dislike both soggy and bone-dry soil. Consistency is everything with these amigos, so stick to a steady routine and water less in fall and winter when growth slows.

Light and Placement

Bright, indirect light keeps a Ficus happy, and most enjoy a few hours of gentle morning sun, fiddle leaf figs especially. Pick a permanent spot away from cold drafts and heating vents, because the fiddle leaf fig sulks and the weeping fig drops leaves when moved or chilled. Rubber trees and Ficus triangularis are more adaptable and cope with medium light, but variegated types like Tineke and triangularis 'Variegata' need brighter light to keep their colors.

Nutrition

Feed once a month in spring and summer with a balanced liquid houseplant fertilizer diluted to half-strength, or a fiddle leaf fig formula for your lyrata. Skip the snacks in fall and winter. A hungry Ficus shows it with pale new leaves and slow growth, while too much food leads to brown, burnt leaf edges.

Repotting

Repot young plants every 1–2 years in spring, once roots circle the pot or poke out the bottom. Choose a sturdy pot just 1–2 inches larger with a chunky, well-draining mix of potting soil, bark and perlite, since a pot that's too big stays wet for too long. Big floor-standing trees can stay put for 2–3 years; just replace the top inch or two of soil with fresh mix each spring.

Pruning and Flowering

Prune in spring or early summer, cutting just above a leaf or node to control height or encourage branching, and new shoots will grow from just below the cut. Wear gloves, as the sticky white sap irritates skin and can stain floors. Ficus flowers are hidden inside the figs themselves, and indoor plants almost never produce them, so it's all about the leaves.

Ficus SOS

Illness

Sudden leaf drop is the classic Ficus SOS, usually triggered by a move, a cold draft, or soil that's too wet or too dry, so keep conditions steady and new leaves will follow. Brown spots on a fiddle leaf fig often point to overwatering and root rot, especially when they start in the middle of the leaf. Check stems and leaf undersides for scale, mealybugs and spider mites, and keep your Ficus above 15°C (60°F) in winter.

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