Ficus Plant Features
Ficus -- also called figs -- are among the most popular indoor plants, and for good reason. These are easy to grow houseplants and offer a lot of variety, from low groundcover types to tall trees. Ficus also offer a variety of textures, so there's one for practically everyone's personal style.
Weeping ficus is perhaps the most popular indoor tree. Its shiny leaves and gracefully arching branches give the tree a delicate, elegant appearance. Rubber trees are also popular upright types; they have large leaves, which are often flushed with shades of red and purple. Creeping ficus are also common houseplants; they have small foliage and are excellent for hanging baskets. And fiddle leaf fig has become one of the trendiest houseplants because of its large, dramatic leaves.
Creeping ficus is an excellent choice for hanging baskets and growing on a mantle. Because of its tiny stature, creeping ficus is also ideal for terrariums.
Just drop us an email and one of our indoor plant experts will get back to you! Sign up now to get our free monthly email newsletter, too. You're going to love all the tips and ideas we share.
Ficus Growing Instructions
Grow most ficus varieties in medium to bright light. If they don't get enough light, they'll grow slowly and have long stems, giving the plants an unattractive, lanky appearance. Most ficus varieties will tolerate some direct sun on their leaves when grown as houseplants, so they're great choices for sunny window sills.
Water ficus when the top inch or so of the potting mix starts to feel dry to the touch. Ficus are quite resilient and survive inconsistent watering, but grow best when they get moisture on a regular basis. Creeping ficus varieties tend to want to be kept a little more moist than their upright-growing cousins. Don't let them dry out completely.
Fertilize ficus once or twice a year in spring and summer, when temperatures are warmer and plants are putting on more growth. You can fertilize your ficus more frequently if you wish; doing so will cause these plants to grow faster.
Prune ficus anytime they start to get too large. Most types take well to pruning and will branch out, becoming thicker and bushier when you cut them back. One note: Ficus have a milky-white sap and some tips will drip sap after pruning. Use a rag or soft cloth to absorb the sap to prevent it from dripping on the floor.
While ficus are easy to grow, weeping ficus in particular has a reputation for dropping a lot of leaves when it experiences a change in condition. So if your ficus loses leaves when you first bring it home, don't worry: It should regrow new foliage once it's adapted to its new location.
Get in-depth information on fiddle leaf fig (Ficus lyrata)!
Note: Ficus are not meant for human or animal consumption.
Indoors: High light
Indoors: Medium light
Green, Purple, Variegated
Medium water needs
Purifies the air
Varieties: Our Favorites
Ficus binnendijkii 'Alii'
Alii ficus is a lovely tree that has long, narrow leaves, adding an outstanding texture to spaces when used as a houseplant or in offices.
Ficus pumila 'Arina'
Arina creeping ficus is a medium- to fast-growing houseplant with small green leaves. It's excellent for trailing out of hanging baskets or climbing walls and trellises.Exotic Angel® Plants
Ficus pumila 'Bellus'
A variegated creeping fig, Bellus has a medium growth rate and beautiful white edges around the leaves.Exotic Angel® Plants
Ficus elastica 'Burgundy'
Burgundy rubber plant is a particularly fun houseplant because it has dark purple-green leaves that are very shiny. Burgundy rubber plant can grow into tree form over time.Exotic Angel® Plants
Ficus benjamina 'Caribbean Dwarf Banyan'
Caribbean dwarf banyan ficus is a compact variety with tight, shiny leaves.Exotic Angel® Plants
Climbing fig is a fun houseplant that has pointed leaves and trails from a hanging basket, grows horizontally over a tabletop, or will climb a trellis.Exotic Angel® Plants
A lovely houseplant, creeping fig stays low, creating a carpet of medium-green leaves. If you let it climb, it will grow up trellises and walls, too.Exotic Angel® Plants
Ficus pumila 'Curly'
Curly is a particularly fun creeping ficus that has green, wavy leaves with bright, lime-green centers.Exotic Angel® Plants
Ficus pumila 'Dorty'
Dorty creeping fig is an especially textural variety that has dark green, wavy leaves with bold, creamy-yellow variegation running up the center of the leaf.Exotic Angel® Plants
Ficus benjamina 'Dwarf Natasha'
Dwarf Natasha is an extra small weeping fig that has tiny, dark green leaves and is slow growing.Exotic Angel® Plants
Ficus benjamina 'Nikita'
Nikita is a dwarf weeping fig that only grows a few feet tall and has bold white variegation on its lovely foliage. We love this houseplant.Exotic Angel® Plants
Ficus benjamina 'Nina'
Nina is a dwarf variety of weeping fig that only grows 2-3 feet tall and has thin golden edges around its leaves.Exotic Angel® Plants
Ficus benjamina 'Pandora'
Pandora is a fun weeping fig that has slightly curled leaves, adding texture and interest as a houseplant.Exotic Angel® Plants
Ficus benjamina 'Fantasy'
Fantasy is one of our favorite weeping fig varieties. Its foliage is irregularly variegated with streaks of white.Exotic Angel® Plants
Ficus vaccinioides is a rare relative of creeping fig that has dark green, textural leaves and a similar growth form, making it excellent in hanging baskets.Exotic Angel® Plants
An elegant houseplant tree, fiddleleaf fig has big, leathery leaves and grows to be an impressive indoor plant.
Ficus benjamina 'Little Denmark'
Little Denmark, as you might guess from its name, is a dwarf weeping fig that has tight, curled, shiny green leaves.Exotic Angel® Plants
Ficus lyrata 'Little Fiddle'
Little Fiddle is a dwarf fiddleleaf ficus that has leathery, paddle-shaped leaves and upright growth, eventually becoming a small tree.Exotic Angel® Plants
Ficus benjamina 'Little Gold Angel'
A compact variety, Little Gold Angel has olive-green foliage bearing creamy-gold edges. It's a stunning indoor plant.Exotic Angel® Plants
Ficus benjamina 'Mini Lucie'
Mini Lucie is a fun dwarf weeping ficus that's almost miniature. Mini Lucie has small, dark green, shiny leaves.Exotic Angel® Plants
Ficus benjamina 'Nicole'
Nicole is a beautiful houseplant that has compact growth and beautiful white-edged foliage.Exotic Angel® Plants
Ficus benjamina 'Nightingale'
Nightingale is a beautiful indoor plant that has light green new growth striped in dark green down the center.Exotic Angel® Plants
Ficus benjamina 'Ninet Blue'
Ninet Blue is a dwarf houseplant with especially narrow leaves edged in silvery-white. It's lovely!Exotic Angel® Plants
Ficus benjamina 'Pandora'
Pandora features small, dark green leaves that offer bit of a curl, lending the plant extra texture.Exotic Angel® Plants
Ficus benjamina 'Profit Compacta'
A dwarf selection, Profit Compacta is slow growing and has medium-green leaves edged in creamy white.Exotic Angel® Plants
Ficus elastica 'Red Ruby'
Red Ruby rubber tree is a delightful variety that offers large dark green leaves heavily variegated with red, purple, and white.Exotic Angel® Plants
Ficus benjamina 'Silver Cloud'
An elegant houseplant tree, Silver Cloud ficus has green leaves broadly edged in white.Exotic Angel® Plants
Ficus benjamina 'Starlight'
Starlight is a beautiful houseplant that has almost white leaves splashed with dark green. Starlight likes bright light, but tolerates less direct sun than many other variegated varieties.Exotic Angel® Plants
Ficus pumila 'Sunny'
A lovely indoor plant, Sunny creeps or trails and has a mat of green foliage delicately edged in white.Exotic Angel® Plants
Ficus benjamina 'Tropical Rainforest'
Tropical Rainforest features rich green leaves and an upright growth shape. In time, it makes a lovely tree.Exotic Angel® Plants
Ficus radicans 'Silver Leaf'
Silver Leaf is a versatile houseplant for trellises or hanging baskets that has arrow-shaped leaves edged in creamy-white.Exotic Angel® Plants
Ficus elastica 'Doescherii'
Variegated rubber tree has large, paddle-shaped, medium-green leaves that are variegated with splotches of cream, gray-green, and white.Exotic Angel® Plants
Ficus elastica 'Robusta Tineke'
This variegated rubber tree has dark green leaves edged in cream and white.Exotic Angel® Plants