Family: Moraceae
Common Name: Weeping Fig Margarita
Botanical name: Ficus benjamina ‘Margarita’
The Weeping Fig ‘Margarita’ is a gorgeous tropical indoor tree that adds a lot of visual dimension to your interior spaces! The main popularity of the ficus tree comes from the way they mature and the confident presence that they have. They can grow to be a focal point given their character and personality development as they mature. Fig Tree can grow as tall as 70 feet, but you should expect somewhere around 6 to 7 feet tall as a houseplant.
Light
Your Weeping Fig will love to be in a spot that receives a lot of indirect bright light. All plants require light, but with Ficus plants, you need to provide lots of it. It can grow in semi-shady conditions in its natural habitat. However, when it is indoors, you must provide good amounts of light. Be sure that you rotate this plant routinely so that it can receive consistent sunlight. Doing this will ensure that your ficus tree grows upright and doesn’t end up leaning on just one side to grow towards the sunlight.
Water
You can let the soil dry out between the intervals of you watering your Ficus. If the plant keeps growing actively, you should ensure the soil stays damp consistently. You can water the plant less and even let the soil completely dry out for a few inches on the top before you water the plant again during colder months. You can determine if your Ficus benjamina ‘Margarita’ needs water or not by keeping an eye out for the leaves. If the leaves start turning yellow or dropping, there might not be enough or too much water. Check the soil to find out what’s going on. Learn how to water your indoor plants!
Soil
Ficus benjamina ‘Margarita’ needs a soil medium that can retain moisture but drain excess water to avoid root-rot. Most pre-mixed soils will suffice. Make sure that there is plenty of organic matter, like coco-coir, peat moss, or shredded leaves, and avoid soils that contain moisture retaining crystals. If your soil drains too quickly, we recommend re-potting your calathea into a compost-rich soil mixture. Learn how to create your own universal soil mixture for all of your indoor plants!
Temperature
During warmer months, you can bring your Ficus benjamina ‘Margarita’ outside, but you need to make sure that you bring it back inside before the weather starts to get chilly. Since ficus trees originate in tropical climates, the houseplants prefer being in warmer places and prefer staying above 60 °F. Try not to place your weeping fig close to any exterior doors, drafty windows, or vents, especially when the weather outside is starting to get cold.
Humidity
The air needs to be a bit damper for your Ficus to thrive indoors since these plants originate in more humid climates. You can consider low or even average humidity to be a complete deal-breaker. However, even if you live in a place where the climate is dry, you can still enjoy the beauty of the ficus. All you need to do is bring in a humidifier. If that is not possible, you can also place your Ficus benjamina ‘Margarita’ on a pebble tray full of water so that it can recreate the ideal conditions. Learn more about how to raise the humidity for your ficus!
Fertilizer
If the plant is actively growing, it will benefit from being fertilized. You could use a diluted complete liquid fertilizer if you see new growth. Feed your ficus every 2 weeks while it is actively growing! You can also use a seaweed/fish emulsion or a slow-release fertilizer. You can keep your ficus looking best by fertilizing it all year round. Learn when to fertilize your indoor plants!
Growth Rate
Weeping Fig Margarita can grow quite quickly when the conditions are right. Depending on your ceiling height, this plant can grow as tall as 7+ feet!
Pet Friendly or Foe
Ficus benjamina 'Margarita' is toxic! Foe!
Pro Tips
- Ficus Trees tend to do the best when left alone. You should find a spot with enough humidity and sunlight for your plant to thrive and leave it there. If you notice that your Ficus is losing leaves when you move it to a new spot, don’t be alarmed, it is totally normal.
- To maintain the shape of the plant and keep it at a manageable size, you should prune your Ficus. Cut right above a leaf node or a branching stem with clean clippers or shears.
- It is best to trim your ficus in the early spring and mid summer to give the foliage time to develop and harden off before the winter, dormant months.
- This plant can grow really quick under the right conditions. Re-potting it every other year can prevent the plant from outgrowing your space.
- Find out the do’s and don’ts for your new indoor plants!