The Spruce / Kara Riley
Fig trees and plants (Ficusspp.)
They are generallyfast-growing, very vigorous plantsthat can be invasive when growing conditions are ideal.
In areas where fig trees cannot survive outside climates, they are common houseplants, like theficus tree.
The Spruce / Kara Riley
Weeping figs, rubber trees, and fiddle leaf figs are especially popular for indoor growing.
They are also used in creating bonsai.
These species often smother their host trees.
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Here are popular types of fig trees to consider for your garden.
Other common names for this plant include Bengal fig or Indian fig.
These trees areepiphyticthey absorb moisture from the air.
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The trunks are massive, fluted structures with smooth light-gray bark.
The dark green, leathery leaves are elliptical, 4 to 8 inches long.
The branches form roots that stretch towards the ground to penetrate and take hold, forming alternate trunks.
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As the Latin species name tells you, the fruits are small for figs.
The Chinese banyan has smooth, oblong leaves 2 to 2 1/2 inches long.
Regionally, it may carry different common names, including Malayan banyan, curtain fig, and Indian laurel.
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Red Leaf Fig (Ficus congesta)
Ficus congestais a smallish rainforest fig tree.
New leaves are reddish when they unfurl.
This is a deciduous tree or large shrub with smooth white bark and 5 to 10-inch-long lobed leaves.
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It forms the same wide, dome-shaped canopy found in banyans and many other ficus species.
It can survive in some more temperate regions if planted in a sheltered south or west location.
Bright green, heart-shaped leaves mature to an oval, dark green.
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This plant needs a warm climate; temperatures below 50F can kill it.
This is a very common species for growing indoors in pots.
It may develop aerial roots that form buttresses to the ground.
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Trunks can be braided or plaited, which causes the wood to grow together over time.
When you hear someone talking about a ficus houseplant, this is usually the one referenced.
The bark is light gray and smooth.
The Spruce / Cara Cormack
Weeping fig makes for a stately landscape tree in tropical climates.
The bark turns silvery-grey as it matures.
Some hardy cultivars ofF.
The Spruce / Krystal Slagle
carica, such as’Chicago Hardy’fig, can be grown in zones 6 and 7.
Feeding is not required for outdoor figs, but keep the trees well-watered.
Pinching off some of the developing figs causes the remaining fruit to become larger.
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Harvest figs when they are fully colored and slightly soft to the touch.
Their fruit is typically ready to pick between August and October.
Fig trees should be watered approximately every two weeks.
If the soil seems very dry, you’ve got the option to water them sooner if needed.
Don’t overwater, but double-check to water thoroughly.
Fig wasps, tiny wasps from the Agaonidae family, are how figs become pollinated.
No, not every fig has a wasp inside.
Many varieties are now self-pollinating, which means they are likely the figs you purchase at the grocery store.
1, 2017, pp.
86-90., doi:10.5021/ad.2017.29.1.86
Fig Wasps.USDA U.S. Forest Service.
Figs Without Wasps?Arizona State University.
