Botanical Name: Ficus benjamina
Common Name: Weeping Chinese banyan, Weeping fig
Type of Plant: dicot: tree
Character evergreen
 
Habit of Growth:
Overall Shape an upright, mostly single-trunked plant with spreading primary branches and pendulous terminal branches forming a dense rounded canopy; the plant develops a smooth, gray bark
Height 20-30'
Spread 2/3 to equal
Growth Rate rapid
 
Environment:
Exposure outdoors full or partial sun; can tolerate indoor light
Soil any well-draining location is preferred; avoid alkaline
Hardiness some frost (zones 13, 23-24); thrives in mild coast
 
Morphology:
Leaves pinnate, alternate, ovate-oval, with a very distinct aristate apex; leaf is 2-5" long, bright green, shiny
Flowers inconspicuous, greenish, tiny
Fruit a small greenish-tan synconium
 
Propagation:
semi-hardwood cuttings
 
Usage:
a very widely used small accent tree, prized for its weeping form and distinctive 'clean' foliage; often used as a container plant or espalier; can be pruned into a topiary; shallow aggressive root system
 
Landscape Care:
Watering regular is preferred; thrives with heavy irrigation if the soil drainage is good; is not very drought-tolerant
Fertilizing balanced, as needed; check for iron chlorosis
Pruning to shape desired, anytime
Pests/Diseases outside, relatively free; indoors gets whitefly, mealybugs
Special Conditions/Other
 
Origin: India
Family: Moraceae

Notes:
 
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