Ficus pumila
Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- FY-kus PEW-mih-lah
- Description
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Ficus pumila, or Climbing fig, is a vigorous, fast-growing evergreen vine that can climb to 15 feet or more when grown outdoors. It is not winter hardy in most of North Carolina and severe cold will kill the vine back to the ground, thus it is often grown as an annual groundcover or as a houseplant or in a greenhouse. When grown indoors, place in a soil-based potting mix with bright indirect light or part shade and protection from afternoon sun. Water regularly during the growing season and reduce watering from fall to late winter. Prune as needed. When grown outdoors, the plant prefers partial shade but will tolerate full sun in a moist, well-drained soil. It does best in high humidity. It is drought tolerant, a good climber, resistant to damage by deer and moderately salt tolerant.
Juvenile and adult forms exist for this plant and the habit differences closely parallel those for Hedera helix. The juvenile form is usually maintained in interior environments and characterized by small, heart-shaped, alternate leaves on the vine with adventious roots. The adult form has larger, more elliptic, more leathery and reticulte leaves. The plant can cement itself to porous surfaces and will cover moist surfaces quickly. It can also be used outdoors as groundcover or to cover walls. Variegated forms are available.
Diseases, Insects, and Other Plant Problems:
No known diseases or problems. Watch for scale, aphids, mealybugs, thrips and spider mites. The plant can become invasive.
VIDEO Created by Elisabeth Meyer for "Annuals, Perennials, Vines, and Groundcovers" a plant identification course offered in partnership with Longwood Gardens.
- Profile Video:
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Garden "Bed"
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Minima'
- 'Minima'
- 'Minima'
- Tags:










- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Minima'
- 'Minima'
- 'Minima'
- Tags:
-
-
Attributes:
- Genus:
- Ficus
- Species:
- pumila
- Family:
- Moraceae
- Life Cycle:
- Annual
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Central and Southern China, Eastern Asia
- Wildlife Value:
- host plant for butterfly species
- Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
- deer and drought resistant
- Climbing Method:
- Tendrils
- Edibility:
- Not usually grown for edible fruit, but properly prepared it is popular in Asian countries.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 8 ft. 0 in. - 15 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 3 ft. 0 in. - 6 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Vine
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Habit/Form:
- Climbing
- Spreading
- Growth Rate:
- Rapid
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
- 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:
- High Organic Matter
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b, 11a, 11b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Green
- Purple/Lavender
- Fruit Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Spring
- Summer
- Fruit Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Fruit Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Fruit Description:
- When grown outdoors, pear-shaped to cylindrical fig, mostly solitary, may appear throughout the year. They are green with white flecks maturing to purple, densely hairy, and 2.5 inches long by 1.5 inches wide. Flowers and fruits rarely appear on indoor plants.
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Flowers:
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Insignificant
- Flower Description:
- When grown outdoors, the adult form displays minute, axillary, unisexual flowers enclosed in fleshy receptacle (fig), entered by apical orifice and pollinated by fig wasps. Rarely flowers when grown indoors.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Cordate
- Elliptical
- Ovate
- Subcordate
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Description:
- On climbing stems, juvenile leaves are alternate, simple, heart-shaped, acute, cordate, entire, medium to dark green, glabrous and bumpy above, pubescent below, to 1 inch long with a short petiole. On fruit bearing stems, adult leaves are more ovate-elliptic, slightly acute to obtuse, rotund to subcordate, very dark green above, pale below, reticulate, coriaceous, to 4 inches long.
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Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Description:
- Stems have a milky sap. The juvenile form is slender, climbing by adventitious roots, and developing woody texture and more bushy habit in adult state.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Container
- Houseplants
- Rock Wall
- Landscape Theme:
- Butterfly Garden
- Attracts:
- Butterflies
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Drought
- Salt
- Problems:
- Problem for Cats
- Problem for Dogs
- Problem for Horses