Ornamental figs
are generally grown as houseplants.
If you've ever touched the glossy leaves of a shopping mall atrium plant to determine if it was real or plastic, odds are that plant was an ornamental fig (Ficus). Prized for their glossy, leathery leaves, ornamental figs are hardy, tropical plants that lend an exotic aura to any decor. Some of the most trouble-free species to grow as houseplants are the weeping fig (Ficus benjamina), India rubber tree (Ficus elastica), the relatively new Ficus alii, creeping fig (Ficus pumila) and fiddle-leaf fig (Ficus lyrata). Ornamental figs are relatively easy to grow from seed, given proper light, water, fertilizer and temperature. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Fill the planting flat or individual pots with growing medium. Use commercial germinating mixture or growing medium. Leave a little headroom in the flat or pot of about 1/8 inch so the medium does not overflow the edges when you water it.
2. Moisten the growing medium with water. Sow the ornamental fig seeds on the surface of the growing medium. Mist lightly to moisten the seeds.
3. Cover the container or pots with plastic film or place the container inside a clear plastic bag and tie or seal it shut.
4. Place the container in a warm spot in bright, indirect sunlight. Keep the container moist, but not wet. Ornamental fig seeds germinate in temperatures between 75 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit. The seeds take about 28 days to germinate.
5. Uncover the emerging seedlings as soon as they break the surface and raise their "heads." Transplant the seedlings from the growing flat to individual 2 1/2 inch pots as soon as they develop their first "true" leaf, which is generally the third leaf to appear.
6. As the seedlings grow and become potbound, transplant them into larger containers. Repeat this process each time the plants' roots become too crowded for the container. Continue the process for the plant's lifetime.
7. Maintain the ornamental fig plants in medium light. Bright, indirect light is best, but you can also use artificial means, like fluorescent lights, to boost the amount of light the plant gets.
8. Allow soil around all but the creeping fig to dry out a bit before watering, but don't wait so long that the root ball dries out or the soil cracks from lack of moisture. Water creeping fig when the soil on the surface is dry, to prevent leaf-drop. Water the other types of ornamental fig thoroughly with room temperature water.
9. During the growing season, spring to fall, fertilize ornamental figs once a month with a water-based fertilizer diluted to half strength. Feed the plant less frequently in the fall and stop altogether in the winter unless the plant receives enough artificial light to keep it growing heartily. Use a balanced, general purpose fertilizer or a fertilizer formulated especially for foliage plants.
10. Prune the plant whenever needed to control its size and shape. Ficus can grow quite tall and are large trees outdoors in their native tropical habitat. If you are growing creeping ficus, provide a trellis or other surface for the plant to grow on, then cut it back to control growth when the tendrils stray too far from the support system. Make pruning cuts above the junction of leaf and stem or at a branch juncture.
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