Indian Rubber Plant Ficus benjamina
Other Common Name(s):
Other plants called Indian Rubber Plant:
- Phonetic Spelling
- FY-kus ben-jah-MEE-nah
- Description
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The weeping fig is a member of the Moraceae (fig) family. A broadleaf evergreen, it is native to southeastern Asia and Australia, with its range extending into the southwestern Pacific. The tree may reach a height of 40 to 50 feet and a spread of 25 to 30 feet. As a houseplant, however, it is usually kept in the range of 2 to 10 feet tall.
This ficus performs best in bright indirect sunny locations but will also survive in shade. It is very sensitive to light, so if the plant is moved, it may drop leaves and produce new ones that are accustomed to the new light conditions. It grows well in a soil-based potting mix. Water just often enough to keep the soil from completely drying out. It is intolerant to cold and should be kept away from drafts. Light pruning for shape and size is best done in late autumn or winter. Flowers and fruit will appear on both new and old growth. It may benefit from light fertilization after new shoots form and at the end of summer
The weeping fig is a very popular houseplant because of its attractive appearance, low maintenance, and tolerance of poor growing conditions, and its stems may be intertwined for an interesting effect. Indoors it is usually grown in large containers, thus dwarf forms may be better suited in this setting. Miniature cultivars like ‘Too Little' are popular for bonsai.
Outdoors this tree may be grown as a specimen plant or a focal point in a tropical garden. It tolerates shearing so is often seen pruned into a hedge or a rounded shrub, though this heavy pruning decreases the longevity of the plant.
Quick ID Hints:
- Leaf is elliptic with long, acuminate tip
- Interior tree has drooping branches
- Stems are flexuous and are often braided/trained
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Watch for scale, aphids, mealybugs, thrips, and spider mites. Some dieback and leaf spots may occur. Very frost sensitive.
VIDEO Created by Elisabeth Meyer for "Edibles, Bulbs, and Houseplants" a plant identification course offered in partnership with Longwood Gardens.
- Profile Video:
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- 'Alii'
long and narrow green leaves - 'Anastasia'
weeping habit, glossy, dense, dark and light green variegated foliage, - 'Danielle'
weeping habit, glossy, dark green leaves, slow growing, use in areas of limited space - 'El Dorado'
small, white and green variegated leaves - 'Exotica'
thin, leathery, glossy, dark green leaves - 'Golden King'
leathery, glossy, dark green leaves, margins are cream to light green - 'Naomi Gold'
medium to dark green leaves with undulate margins, acuminate leaf tips, ovate leaf shape - 'Pandora'
glossy, green, curly leaves, and maximum height 6 feet as a houseplant - 'Ruby' hybrid
green and burgundy leaves - 'Samantha'
glossy, smaller, variegated green, cream or yellow foliage - 'Too Little'
Dwarf popular for bonsai - 'Variegata'
green and white foliage with creamy yellow edges - 'Wintergreen'
glossy, dense, vibrant green foliage
- 'Alii'
- 'Alii', 'Anastasia', 'Danielle', 'El Dorado', 'Exotica', 'Golden King', 'Naomi Gold', 'Pandora', 'Ruby' hybrid, 'Samantha', 'Too Little', 'Variegata', 'Wintergreen'
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Alii'
long and narrow green leaves - 'Anastasia'
weeping habit, glossy, dense, dark and light green variegated foliage, - 'Danielle'
weeping habit, glossy, dark green leaves, slow growing, use in areas of limited space - 'El Dorado'
small, white and green variegated leaves - 'Exotica'
thin, leathery, glossy, dark green leaves - 'Golden King'
leathery, glossy, dark green leaves, margins are cream to light green - 'Naomi Gold'
medium to dark green leaves with undulate margins, acuminate leaf tips, ovate leaf shape - 'Pandora'
glossy, green, curly leaves, and maximum height 6 feet as a houseplant - 'Ruby' hybrid
green and burgundy leaves - 'Samantha'
glossy, smaller, variegated green, cream or yellow foliage - 'Too Little'
Dwarf popular for bonsai - 'Variegata'
green and white foliage with creamy yellow edges - 'Wintergreen'
glossy, dense, vibrant green foliage
- 'Alii'
- 'Alii', 'Anastasia', 'Danielle', 'El Dorado', 'Exotica', 'Golden King', 'Naomi Gold', 'Pandora', 'Ruby' hybrid, 'Samantha', 'Too Little', 'Variegata', 'Wintergreen'
- Tags:
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-
Attributes:
- Genus:
- Ficus
- Species:
- benjamina
- Family:
- Moraceae
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Stem Cutting
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Tropical & Subtropical Asia and Northern Australia
- Dimensions:
- Height: 5 ft. 0 in. - 30 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 3 ft. 0 in. - 30 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Houseplant
- Tree
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Habit/Form:
- Multi-trunked
- Weeping
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- Maintenance:
- High
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
- Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Alkaline (>8.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Very Dry
- Available Space To Plant:
- 6-feet-12 feet
- 12-24 feet
- 24-60 feet
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 10a, 10b, 11a, 11b, 12a, 12b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Black
- Green
- Orange
- Purple/Lavender
- Red/Burgundy
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- Flowers and fruits are enclosed in a fleshy sac that turns from green to orange-red to red and then purplish black. A globose to slightly oblong fig, in pairs, green maturing to reddish then purple-black.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Black
- Green
- Orange
- Purple/Lavender
- Red/Burgundy
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- Flowers and fruits are enclosed in a fleshy sac that turns from green to orange-red to red and then purplish black. Minute, unisexual, enclosed in fleshy receptacle (fig), entered by apical orifice and pollinated by fig wasps.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Variegated
- White
- Leaf Feel:
- Glossy
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Elliptical
- Oblong
- Ovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Alternate, simple, long-tipped, and glossy, 2-5 in. Ovate-elliptic to oblong, acuminate, rotund, entire, glabrous, coriaceous, 8-12 pairs of lateral veins. Folded in towards the midrib and droop down towards the ground. Variegated cultivars exist.
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Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Light Brown
- Surface/Attachment:
- Furrowed
- Lenticels
- Bark Description:
- Raised lenticels, sometimes with adventitious roots. Newer stems have small furrows.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Gray/Silver
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Description:
- Drooping branches slender; older specimens with pendulous aerial roots.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Container
- Houseplants
- Patio
- Design Feature:
- Specimen
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Heavy Shade
- Problems:
- Problem for Cats
- Problem for Dogs
- Problem for Horses
