Weeping Fig
Ficus benjamina
📖 About this plant
The Weeping Fig is one of the most classic indoor trees, featuring gracefully arching branches covered with small, glossy, pointed oval leaves on slender, drooping twigs. Available in many variegated cultivars with cream, yellow, or white leaf patterns. It is renowned as a top air-purifying plant, effectively removing formaldehyde, benzene, and trichloroethylene from indoor environments. Known to be sensitive to relocation.
🧑🌾 Care requirements
Bright indirect (4-6 hrs)
Every 1-2 weeks
Moderate (40-60%)
16-28°C
Well-draining, nutrient-rich potting mix (pH 6.0-6.5); loam-based mix with perlite and peat for moisture retention and drainage
Balanced liquid fertilizer (10-10-10) diluted to half strength every 4 weeks during spring and summer; reduce in autumn, withhold in winter
📋 Plant facts
- 🌍 Origin
- South and Southeast Asia — native to tropical and subtropical forests from India and Nepal through southern China to northern Australia and the Solomon Islands
- 📏 Max height
- 180-300 cm (6-10 ft indoors; up to 25-30 m in native tropical forests)
- 📐 Spread
- 60-150 cm
- 🕰️ Bloom time
- Rarely indoors
- 🎨 Bloom color
- Green, White
- 🍃 Foliage color
- Dark Green
- ⏳ Lifespan
- Perennial
- 📈 Growth rate
- Moderate
- ☠️ Toxicity
- Mildly toxic to pets and humans — all parts contain ficin proteolytic enzyme and ficus sap; ingestion causes oral irritation, excessive drooling, vomiting, and diarrhea in dogs and cats. Sap can cause allergic skin reactions and dermatitis, particularly in individuals with latex sensitivity.
- 🌱 Propagation
- Stem tip cuttings (10-15 cm) in water or moist perlite with rooting hormone; air layering for established plants
🛡️ Health & Safety
Mildly toxic to pets and humans — all parts contain ficin proteolytic enzyme and ficus sap; ingestion causes oral irritation, excessive drooling, vomiting, and diarrhea in dogs and cats. Sap can cause allergic skin reactions and dermatitis, particularly in individuals with latex sensitivity.
Common issues
- Dramatic leaf drop after moving to a new location (normal acclimation — can last 2-6 weeks), Yellowing leaves from overwatering, Spider mites in hot dry conditions, Scale insects on stems and leaves, Root rot from soggy soil, Leaf spots from cold drafts, Mealybugs in leaf axils
💡 Care tips
- One of the most popular indoor trees for homes and offices,Drops leaves when moved to a new location but recovers with patience,Avoid cold drafts and sudden temperature changes,Prune regularly to maintain a dense canopy shape
