Home > Your Guide to Growing a Ficus Tree

Your Guide to Growing a Ficus Tree

So you got a Ficus tree... nice. Here's everything you need to know to keep your new leafy friend happy (and stop it from dramatically dropping all its leaves).
Disclaimer: Images on this page are for illustration and inspiration. They represent common houseplants and indoor garden styles, not specific homes or plant collections.

So, you want a Ficus tree? Good choice. They're the supermodels of the plant world, gorgeous, but a little dramatic. This guide will teach you their language, so you can keep them happy and stop them from throwing all their leaves on the floor.

A healthy, vibrant Ficus tree in a well-lit living room corner, adding a touch of nature to the decor.

The Ficus: A Plant with Personality

Walk into a room with a nice houseplant, and you'll probably see a Ficus. The Ficus family is huge, with over 800 types of trees, shrubs, and vines from tropical spots around the world. 1 For houseplant lovers, "Ficus" usually means one of a few cool, tree-like plants that are staples of interior design.

People prize the Ficus for its lush leaves, air-purifying skills, and ability to make a room look instantly better. 2 They have a reputation for being fussy, dropping leaves if you so much as look at them wrong. But the truth is, they aren't difficult, they're just communicative, they tell you exactly what they need once you learn their language.

Toxicity Warning: All Ficus plants contain a milky white sap that can cause skin irritation and is toxic if ingested by pets or humans. 3 Always place them out of reach of curious children and animals.

With that important safety note covered, let's get you ready to grow a happy, healthy Ficus.

Meet the Ficus Family

A collage of four different Ficus varieties: the Weeping Fig, Fiddle Leaf Fig, Rubber Tree, and Audrey.

Let's start with the classic, Ficus benjamina , or the Weeping Fig. It has graceful, bendy branches and small, shiny leaves that have made it a favorite for generations. 4 It has a gentle look but is famously sensitive, often shedding leaves if you suddenly change its environment. 6

If the Weeping Fig is classic, then the Ficus lyrata , or Fiddle Leaf Fig, is a total drama queen. Its huge, violin-shaped leaves are a big deal in home design, making a bold statement. 1 It can grow tall enough to touch the ceiling, but it's super picky about light and water, a challenging but cool plant for a dedicated owner. 4

For an easier option, check out Ficus elastica , the Rubber Tree. It has a cool retro vibe with its thick, glossy leaves and is way easier to care for than its cousins. 2 The 'Burgundy' or 'Abidjan' varieties have dark, moody chocolate-colored leaves. 5 For a brighter look, the 'Tineke' has awesome patches of green, cream, and even pink on its leaves. 3

Looking for a Fiddle Leaf Fig without the fuss? Try Ficus benghalensis , often sold as 'Audrey'. People call it "the next fiddle leaf fig" for its velvety, olive-green leaves and pale trunk, but it's much more easy-going. 1 Or, for a tropical vibe, there’s Ficus maclellandii 'Alii', with long, skinny leaves that look like bananas. The Alii Fig is a lot less grumpy than other Ficus types, making it a great, underrated choice. 4

Ficus Care Basics

Keeping a Ficus happy isn't about secret rules. It's about getting the basics right, light, water, soil, and food. Get one wrong, and it can mess up the others.

Light is Food

Light is basically food for your Ficus. Since they grow under bigger trees in the wild, they love bright light, but not direct sun beating on their leaves. 9 "Bright, indirect light" means a spot that gets at least six hours of sunlight, but without the harsh afternoon rays. 3 An east-facing window is great for gentle morning sun, or you can place it a few feet back from a south- or west-facing window. 10

A Ficus tree placed a few feet away from a large window with sheer curtains, demonstrating ideal bright, indirect light.

If the light is too low, your Ficus will get "leggy," meaning it grows long, weak stems with big gaps between the leaves as it stretches for light. 10 It might also lean or start dropping leaves. Too much direct sun will scorch the leaves, leaving crispy brown spots. 9 Give the plant a quarter turn every week to keep it growing straight. 6

Watering Without Drowning

The easiest way to upset a Ficus? Bad watering. These trees hate getting too much or too little water, and they really hate inconsistency. 15 Don't just water it every Saturday, use the "soak and dry" method instead. 17

A person's hand inserting a finger into the soil of a potted Ficus tree to check for dryness.

Before watering, stick your finger one or two inches into the soil, if it feels dry, it's time to water. 3 Pour room-temperature water over the soil until it runs out of the drainage holes at the bottom. 2 Then, and this is important, let it drain completely and dump any extra water from the saucer, leaving a Ficus in a puddle is a quick trip to root rot, which kills the plant. 2

Pro Tip: Always empty the saucer after watering. Leaving a Ficus in standing water is the fastest way to cause root rot.

Overwatering usually causes yellow, soft leaves that fall off. 3 An underwatered Ficus will have droopy leaves that are curly and crispy at the edges. 20 Watch for these signs, and you'll get the watering balance right.

The Right Home (Pot & Soil)

A healthy Ficus needs good soil. They get root rot easily, so the soil MUST drain well. 3 Use a high-quality potting mix for houseplants, one that's light and chunky with stuff like coco coir, perlite, or pine bark to let water escape. 1 Rule #1: The pot needs drainage holes. No exceptions. 1

Crucial Tip: The number one rule for potting a Ficus is to ensure the pot has drainage holes. No exceptions! This is essential for preventing root rot.

Ficus trees don't mind being a little snug in their pots and only need repotting every two or three years. 1 When you see roots coming out of the drainage holes or growth has stopped, it's time for a new home. Pick a new pot that is only one to two inches wider than the old one. 25

A pot that's too big holds too much water, which can lead to overwatering. 27 When you repot in the spring, gently slide the plant out and loosen up any tightly coiled roots. 28 Place it in the new pot with fresh soil at the same depth it was before. 3

Keep it Cozy

Ficus trees are tropical, so they like things stable and cozy. They prefer temperatures between 65°F and 85°F (18°C to 29°C). 9 They hate sudden temperature changes and drafts from open doors, windows, or vents. This kind of stress can make them drop their leaves. 2

They also like humidity, just like in a rainforest. 3 If the air in your home is dry (especially in winter), you might see brown, crispy leaf edges. 6 To help, you can mist the leaves, group plants together, or place the pot on a tray of pebbles and water (just don't let the pot sit IN the water). 1

Food, Glorious Food

Ficus trees need regular meals to grow those beautiful leaves, but only at the right time of year. 33 Think of fertilizer as a seasonal meal plan, they're hungry in spring and summer (the growing season), but they rest in fall and winter. 1

During spring and summer, feed your Ficus about once a month with a balanced, water-soluble liquid fertilizer. 22 It's a good idea to dilute it to half-strength to avoid burning the roots. 12 Stop feeding them in fall and winter, seriously. Feeding a sleeping plant is a bad idea and can damage the roots. 11

To prevent fertilizer salts from building up in the soil, flush it out every few months. Just run lukewarm water through the pot for several minutes in a sink or shower. 11 This simple step keeps the soil healthy.

How Big and How Long?

How fast your Ficus grows tells you how well you're taking care of it. The growth rate depends on the variety and its environment. 37 In a good indoor spot, a Ficus can grow about one foot per year. 37 If you put it outside for the summer, it will likely grow much faster. 39 Slow growth is usually a sign that it needs more light. 10

A happy indoor Ficus is a friend for life. With good care, these trees can easily live for 20 years, and some have been known to stick around for over 40 years. 40 They become a living part of a home, growing up alongside the family.

Making More Ficus (For Free!)

Making a new plant from your old one is pretty cool. It means you're doing a good job, and you get free plants to keep or share. The easiest way to propagate a Ficus is with stem cuttings. 44

Ficus stem cuttings with new roots growing in a clear glass of water next to another cutting planted in a small pot of soil.

Start with your healthy mother plant. Use clean, sharp shears to cut a four-to-six-inch section of a young stem, making sure it has a few leaf nodes (the little bumps where leaves grow). 44 Gently remove the bottom leaves, leaving just two or three at the top. This gives the cutting enough energy to grow roots without losing too much water. 44

Now you have two choices. You can place the cutting in a glass of water, making sure the nodes are submerged and the leaves are out. 47 Or, you can dip the cut end in rooting hormone and plant it directly in a small pot of moist soil. 44 In a few weeks, you'll either see little white roots in the water or feel resistance when you gently tug the soil-planted cutting, success! 44

What's Wrong With My Ficus?

Ficus trees are famous for being dramatic. Their signature move is dropping perfectly good leaves all over your floor. This isn't a sign of death, it's the plant's way of saying it's stressed. 20

Leaf drop is usually caused by one thing, change. If you just moved your Ficus, brought it home, or even put it in a new corner, expect some leaf loss while it adjusts. 32 Cold drafts, temperature swings, or messy watering can also trigger it. 15 Find the problem, fix it, and give it consistent care, the leaves will usually grow back.

If the environment is stable, check for pests. Spider mites are tiny and create fine webs under leaves. 3 Mealybugs look like little white cottony blobs on stems, while scale looks like small, hard brown bumps. 3 For small pest problems, wipe them off with a cotton swab dipped in rubbing alcohol or wash the leaves. 3 For bigger issues, use insecticidal soap or neem oil. 51

A close-up macro image of a Ficus leaf showing common pests like spider mites and mealybugs.

Indoor Plant or Outdoor Tree?

We think of Ficus as an indoor plant, but in the right climate, it's a huge tropical tree. They can grow outdoors year-round in USDA zones 9-11, where it doesn't freeze. 52 Planted in the ground, a Ficus can reach 60 feet tall or more. 52

If you live in a colder climate, you can give your Ficus a "summer vacation" outside for a nice growth spurt. 55 But you can't just throw it into the direct sun, that will shock it and cause major leaf drop. 56 The trick is to do it slowly, a process called "hardening off."

Start by placing your Ficus in a fully shaded spot outside for a few days. Over the next week or two, gradually move it into brighter spots, starting with just an hour of morning sun. 5 This lets the leaves get used to the stronger light. When you bring it back inside for the fall, do the same process in reverse and check carefully for any pests that might have hitched a ride. 55

Can't Keep One Alive? Fake It.

Sometimes a real Ficus just won't work. Maybe your home is too dark, you travel a lot, or you're worried about the toxic sap with pets or kids. 58 In that case, a good "faux ficus tree" is a great, practical alternative. 3

Fake plants have gotten really good. When shopping, look for details like real wood trunks and leaves with different shades of green to make them look more convincing. 60 A good artificial tree is an investment that will look great for years with almost no work. 59

To care for a fake Ficus, just dust it regularly with a feather duster or soft cloth. 60 You can also wipe the leaves with a damp cloth to keep them looking shiny and new. 58

You Got This

The Ficus tree has earned its spot as a houseplant icon. Its dramatic reputation is well-known, but its needs are logical. A Ficus isn't throwing a tantrum, it's talking to you.

Leaf drop means it's stressed by change, yellow leaves mean too much water, and leaning means it needs more light. Learning these signals makes you a plant partner, not just a plant owner. By providing steady light, water, and warmth, you can grow a beautiful Ficus that will be part of your home for years.

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