Care Tips
Habit: Indoors plants are grown in the shape of a small tree (standard) or a shrub up to 2 m tall with woody stems and branches bearing solid green or green and white or green and yellow variegated leaves. The tiny little fig fruits are rarely produced on indoor potted plants.
Temperature: Plants grow best between 15 to 25ᐤ C and temperatures below 4ᐤ C may result in the death of the plant. Avoid placing plants in windy or drafty locations which can lead to less attractive plants.
Light Exposure: Indoors, both the solid green leaf and variegated leaved plants will grow well in bright, indirect light to some exposure to direct light. If placed in too dark of a location, leaves will yellow rapidly and fall and the plant will start to decline.
Watering: Weeping fig likes a moist growing medium but not soggy; water only when the top 5-10 cm of soil feels dry to the touch. Always check the soil moisture first but as a rule of thumb watering once or twice a week in the rainy season, once every two or three weeks in the cold dry season and once or twice a week in the hot dry season.
Fertilising: Give plants a well balanced fertiliser once or twice a month during the hot dry season and rainy season but not during the cold dry season when plants are resting (semi-dormant).
Pruning/Repotting: Remove any yellowing or brown and dry leaves as needed; occasionally small to medium sized branches will die back and dry and these stems should be pruned out. Weeping figs can stay in the same pot for a number of years if you want to keep the plant from growing larger; if you want the plant to grow larger repot in spring to a slightly larger pot.
Pests/Diseases: Mealybugs and scale are the main pests that affect plants, while a few fungal pathogens can cause leaf spot issues and stem damage that may ooze sap.