Ficus Tree CareOrnamental and Edible Fig VarietiesFicus tree care. Information about different types of Ficus trees. Fig varieties. Ornamental and edible types of figs. Variegated Ficus and creeping fig vines.
Photographic Print One characteristic that all Ficus plants share is their love of light. No Ficus really wants to grow in a dark corner. The green leaved types can be placed in reading level light. Variegated Ficus varieties require brighter light in order to maintain their color. They tend to revert to solid green if the light around them is too dim. Another thing fig trees have in common is their dislike of cold weather. Some of the edible types can tolerate frost but the ornamental varieties will not. They can only be grown outdoors in zones 10 and 11. Elsewhere, they make wonderful houseplants. All figs enjoy regular water but they don’t like wet feet. Pot them in well draining soil and allow the mix to dry between waterings. Keep them on the dry side when the weather is cool. Ficus tree care involves feeding the plants properly. Give them a balanced fertilizer once a month during warm weather to keep them growing well. If your edible figs fail to fruit, sprinkle a bit of horticultural lime into their pots each spring in addition to the fertilizer.
Types of FicusEdible Fig VarietiesGiclee Print Some edible fig trees require caprification or pollination by caprifig wasps in order to set fruit. Others are self-fruitful. Fig Varieties Requiring Caprification: Sycamore Fig TreeThe sycamore fig tree, Ficus sycomorus is not to be confused with the European sycamore which is actually a maple tree. F. sycomorus is an evergreen fig tree growing to 60 feet tall and nearly as wide in its native Egypt.It grows in thickets along rivers and streams and bears edible fruit in clusters for several months at a time. The fruit must be pollinated by a fig wasp in order to develop properly. Growers nick the young fig fruits with a knife to encourage ripening. The ripe fruit is orange and has a distinctive flavor. The sycamore fig tree is most likely the sycamore tree of the Bible.
Golden, nutty Calimyrna figs must be pollinated by a tiny wasp in order to set fruit and develop the slightly crunchy seeds which give them their unique and delicious flavor.
Self-Fruitful Fig Varieties:The Black Mission Fig is the single best all-around fig tree variety for the continental U.S. It performs well in the north and south, on both coasts, and in inland locations. Mature specimens are delighting their owners with bountiful crops in climates as diverse as Arizona and New York.
The fruit of the Brown Turkey fig is richly flavored and delicious. Its purple-brown skin makes it as attractive as it is tasty. The tree is drought tolerant once established and will only need occasional watering.
There are several different types of Celeste fig trees: Improved, Golden, Blue and Giant to name a few. This is further complicated by the fact that it is also called by several different names like: Malta, Sugar, Violette, Celestial fig and Honey fig...
Kadota figs are known for their taste and it's no wonder it is one of the most liked fig varieties. It's 97 % sugar! The high sugar content causes them to dry quickly.
Ornamental Fig Varieties:Photographic Print Banyan bonsai tree training and care. Wintering your bonsai ficus.
Fiddle leaf Ficus tree growing instructions and care. Propagation of fiddle leaf house plants. How to prune Ficus lyrata.
How to take care of a rubber tree plant. Information on propagation, pruning and problems of i>Ficus elastica<.
Strangler figs do not actually strangle their victims though their massive, sometimes curving, adventitious roots appear to be doing exactly that. Banyan trees (another name for strangler fig trees) kill the trees they grow on by hogging all the light.
Indoor weeping fig tree supplemental light requirements, grow lights, rooting and transplanting. How to prune a Ficus benjamina. Weeping fig and scales.
Creeping Fig VineFicus pumila is the creeping fig vine. It can quickly climb to a height of 30 feet by means of an adhesive produced by its stems. The inch long leaves of the species are solid green. ‘Varigata’ has white spots and ‘Minima’ has smaller leaves. Creeping fig ‘Rikki’ is a bi-colored form with two shades of green on each leaf.
Variegated FicusPhotographic Print There are variegated forms of Ficus benjamina, the weeping fig; Ficus elastica, the rubber tree; and Ficus pumila, the creeping fig vine.
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