Creeping Fig

Creeping Fig Care

Ficus pumila

What is the plant

Ficus is one of the most popular houseplants, and Creeping fig can become either your first house plant or a special addition to your already existing collection.

It is not an upright growing Ficus but a herbaceous, creeping, and ground-dwelling long-lived plant, which is very common in the forested areas of Japan, Vietnam, China, and Taiwan. It can reach up to 15 feet in length and 6 feet in width. A peculiarity of this plant is that it can have large adult branches and barren branches with leaves of tiny size at the same time.

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Humidity

Normal

Lighting

Part Sun

Temperature

13°C - 16°C

Hardiness zone

8 - 11

Difficulty

Medium

Hibernation

Cold Period

Toxicity

Poisonous

How to Care for the Plant

Water
Water it about once a week, but make sure the soil always dries out before watering it again because Creeping figs should never sit in the water. Note that the plant prefers above-average humidity levels as well, so consider keeping it in an already-humid part of your home.
Pruning
Cut the leaves as a Creeping fig grows at height and at the root level to maintain the shape and size of your plant.
Fertilizer
It does not need a specific fertilizer, but you can use a weak liquid fertilizer once a month to fasten growth.

Disease diagnosis

Check your plant’s health

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Sunlight
This plant likes bright diffused light and needs it 6-8 hours a day. If it does not get enough light, it will grow slowly and might drop the leaves, so make sure you find a bright spot for this plant.
Soil
It needs well-drained soil and can grow in myriad soil types.
Propagation
Creeping figs are very easy to propagate by stem cutting. Do it in early spring when the plant starts to grow again.

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Temperature
The temperature should remain around 65-85˚F (18-29˚C), but never should be lower than 55˚F (13˚C) because this plant has tropical roots.
Container
Choose a container with ample drainage holes at its base to prevent root rot and is ideally shallow but of large diameter.
Fun fact
The plant roots secrete a viscous substance that hardens over time. It becomes as hard as cement holds the roots and prevents the stems from slipping under their weight.