“Jurassic Park” comes to mind for many of us when we think of ferns – abundant, spiky greenery thrashing about as huge dinosaurs crash through the forest in pursuit of human intruders.At 300,000 million years old, they were, i
23.06.2023 - 03:07 / gardenerspath.com / Kristine Lofgren
How to Grow and Care for Weeping Figs as Houseplants Ficus benjaminaWho hasn’t fantasized about bringing a statuesque tree into their home?
With its ability to grow tall and its traditional trunk and canopy shape, it’s no wonder the weeping fig is a valued houseplant. And it makes an excellent option to fulfill this desire – with one significant caveat.
Part of what makes the weeping fig so appealing, beyond its elegant shape and cascading habit, is its versatility.
You can find specimens with braided or twisted stems, and plants that grow to heights ranging from just a few feet tall at maturity to 10 feet or more. The leaves can be light or dark green, or even variegated. Some even have a more upright growth habit.
What all varieties have in common is that they can be a bit finicky. Shift them around from one side of your home to the other and they’ll drop their leaves. Turn the heat up in your home, and boom – leaf drop. Forget to water one week? You got it, dropping leaves.
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But that shouldn’t scare you away. Once you learn how to treat these particular plants to the conditions they prefer, you’ll have a spectacular display.
Here’s what we’ll talk about to help you achieve weeping fig perfection:
If your goal is to bring a tree into your home, you can’t go wrong with this one. It has the classic tree silhouette and is perfectly adapted to indoor living.
Let’s get to know Ficus benjamina.
Cultivation and HistoryF. benjamina is one of the hundreds of species in the Ficus genus, a group that includes some spectacular plants, ranging from the dramatic, Jurassic-looking fiddle-leaf fig to the elegant weeping fig, with
“Jurassic Park” comes to mind for many of us when we think of ferns – abundant, spiky greenery thrashing about as huge dinosaurs crash through the forest in pursuit of human intruders.At 300,000 million years old, they were, i
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