FICUS
The Ficus is one of the most classic houseplants with over 850 species in the Ficus genus. They are tree-shaped houseplants that in the warmer parts of New Zealand can also grow outdoors. Most Ficus are low maintenance houseplants making them great additions to any home
Light
While most Ficus including Burgundy, Black Knight, Tineke, Ruby and Shivereana can tolerate medium light, they thrive in bright indirect light.
The Ficus lyrata aka fiddle-leaf fig, prefers no less than bright indirect light and can also handle a few hours of direct light each day.
Water
All Ficus prefer to have a routine when it comes to watering and like to be watered on the same day each week.
They do like to dry out between waterings so make sure to test the moisture in the soil before watering all the way through.
Soil
The soil should be loose and not densely packed to allow for free water drainage and oxygen supply to the roots. We recommend a cacti and succulent mix for your Ficus.
Temperature
Ficus best thrive in temperatures above 20°C but can tolerate low temperatures for short periods of time during to the colder months of the year.
Ficus can easily get shocked when exposed to cold drafts or fluctuating temperatures so try and place your Ficus away from potential cold drafts.
In winter keep them away from log burners or away from the path of the airflow from your heat pump.
Humidity
Any average household humidity level is fine for Ficus and no additional humidity is required.
Fertiliser
Along with the rest of your houseplants, your Ficus should be regularly fed with a well-balanced fertiliser.
During spring and summer this should be on a fortnightly basis while in winter when the plants are going into dormancy or are dormant once a month at half strength.
Propagation
Ficus can be propagated from leaf stem cutting but a node must be present to grow a leaf stem cutting successfully into a plant.
They can be quite slow to propagate from cuttings but most propagations techniques including water or straight into soil will work.