Ficus benjamina

How to grow Ficus benjamina

Ficus benjamina is a popular indoor plant owing to its fantastic foliage. It has a short trunk that supports a dense canopy of dark green leaves held on pendulous branches. New foliage is light green and often results in the plant having two-tone colouring. It typically grows to 1 m tall and 60 cm wide, and can be trimmed and trained as necessary. Small, cream-white flowers are borne in summer which result in small, orange fruit in autumn but these are rarely produced when grown indoors. Best results with this plant are achieved when it is planted in full sun or partial shade on a well-drained site, protected from frost and wind. This is an ideal plant for growing indoors and is often used for topiary or bonsai. It is also well suited to planting around outdoor living areas, maintaining in a container, or for bordering an entrance where the climate allows.