About
Sweet red, purple or brown fruit appear from late summer into autumn. A vigorous, upright deciduous shrub or tree to around 4m tall with rounded, lobed dark green foliage. Suitable for pots and containers.
About the genus
Ficus can be evergreen or deciduous trees, shrubs or climbers, with often leathery, simple, entire or lobed leaves and tiny flowers borne within a hollow receptacle which enlarges to form the fruit
Growing conditions
SunlightFull sun
Soil typeChalk, Loam, Sand, Clay
Soil pHAlkaline, Neutral
Soil moistureMoist but well-drained, Well-drained
AspectSouth-facing, West-facing
ExposureSheltered
UK hardinessH4
Plant details
Plant typeFruit Edible, Trees, Shrubs
HabitBushy
FoliageDeciduous
Height2.5-4 metres
Spread2.5-4 metres
Time to full height10-20 years
Suggested usesCity and courtyard gardens, Cottage and informal garden, Patio and container plants
ToxicityHumans/Pets: Harmful to skin with sunlight. For further information and contact numbers regarding pets, see the HTA guide to potentially harmful plants
Care notes
CultivationBest grown fan-trained against a warm wall or fence. It may require winter protection. Root restriction helps to control size and improves fruiting. Suitable for container cultivation. For further details see fig cultivation
PruningIn mid-spring remove a proportion (1/4 to 1/3) of older branches. See fig pruning for further advice
PropagationPropagate by hardwood cuttings, by layering or from suckers
Pest resistanceMay be susceptible to glasshouse red spider mite, thrips, mealybugs and scale insects under glass
Disease resistanceMay be susceptible to honey fungus