Gardening Houseplants Types of Houseplants

10 Fig Tree Species for Indoor and Outdoor Gardening

fig tree

The Spruce / Kara Riley

Fig trees and plants (Ficus spp.) are a wide-ranging group of more than 800 woody species found mostly in tropical zones, with a few extending into warmer temperate regions. Figs are part of the mulberry (Moraceae) family of plants that include many broadleaf evergreen and deciduous trees, as well as shrubs and lianas. They are generally fast-growing, very vigorous plants that can be invasive when growing conditions are ideal.

In areas where fig trees cannot survive outside climates, they are common houseplants. Weeping figs, rubber trees, and fiddle leaf figs are especially popular for indoor growing. They are also used in creating bonsai.

Many species of ficus have aerial roots and are epiphytes (plants that grow on other plants) or hemiepiphytes (plants that begin as epiphytes, but send down roots that eventually reach the ground). These species often smother their host trees.

Warning

The sap (latex) of some ficus species is toxic. Avoid contact with the eyes and skin, and if picking fig fruit, make sure to wear gloves.

Here are 10 fig tree types to consider for your garden.

  • 01 of 10

    Indian Banyan (Ficus benghalensis)

    Indian banyan tree

     

    MNStudio / Getty Images

    The traditional banyan tree commonly seen in landscapes is the Indian banyan, though the same name is also applied to other species of fig trees. Banyan trees are one of the species sometimes called strangler figs because of the way they grow—they can sprout in the holes and cracks of an established tree and over time grow around the trunk, gradually strangling it. Other common names for this plant include Bengal fig or Indian fig.

    These trees are epiphytic—they absorb moisture from the air. The trunks are massive, fluted structures with smooth light-gray bark. The dark green, leathery leaves are elliptical, 4 to 8 inches long. The branches form roots that stretch towards the ground to penetrate and take hold, forming alternate trunks. This effect can make the tree spread out over quite a large area; some specimens are among the largest trees in the world in terms of canopy coverage, covering several acres. This is a common street plant in tropical Asian countries, occasionally grown as a interesting specimen tree in large private landscapes.

    • Native Area: India and tropical Asia
    • USDA Growing Zones: 10 to 12
    • Height: Over 100 feet
    • Sun Exposure: Full sun
  • 02 of 10

    Chinese Banyan (Ficus microcarpa)

    Chinese banyan tree

     

    3000ad / Getty Images

    The Chinese banyan is another species known as a strangling fig. This tree is commonly used as a street tree in tropical areas, and it is also a common specimen in bonsai gardening. As the Latin species name tells you, the fruits are small for figs. The Chinese banyan has smooth oblong leaves 2 to 2 1/2 inches long. Like the Indian banyan, this tree can form aerial trunks that allow the canopy to spread over a large distance with a crown width of 40 feet. This tree has naturalized in some regions of the tropical United States and is regarded as invasive in some parts of Hawaii and Florida, as well as in Bermuda and Central America. Regionally, it may carry different common names, including Malayan banyan, curtain fig, and Indian laurel.

    • Native Area: India and Malaysia
    • USDA Growing Zones: 9 to 11
    • Height: Up to 40 feet
    • Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade
  • 03 of 10

    Red Leaf Fig (Ficus congesta)

    Bunch Of Fruit On Fig Tree
    Mohamad Ridzuan Abdul Rashid / EyeEm / Getty Images

    Ficus congesta is a smallish rainforest fig tree. The fruits of this ficus species grow in clusters on the trunk as well as on the branches—another common name for this plant is cluster fig. New leaves are reddish in color when they unfurl. This ficus is rarely grown in ornamental landscape applications, but it serves as a parent species for several useful hybrid ficus varieties.

    • Native Area: South Pacific, tropical Australia
    • USDA Growing Zones: 10 to 11
    • Height: 10 feet to 50 feet
    • Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade
  • 04 of 10

    Common Fig (Ficus carica)

    common fig

    The Spruce / Kara Riley

    This is the ficus species that produces the edible figs sold in most stores—unless you live in the tropics where other figs are common. The fruit of the common fig is notably rich in vitamins and minerals, and many of these trees, especially some cultivars, are able to produce fruit even without pollination in a process called parthenocarpy.

    This is a deciduous tree or large shrub with smooth white bark and 5 to 10-inch-long lobed leaves. It forms the same wide, dome-shaped canopy found in banyans and many other ficus species. In landscape applications, the common fig is often positioned in areas with run-off ravines and gullies, since it has an extensive root system that can seek out water while stabilizing banks and slopes. This plant will do very well in any climate consistent with the conditions of the Mediterranean or Middle Eastern region. It can survive in some more temperate regions if planted in a sheltered south or west location.

    • Native Area: Western Asia and the Mediterranean
    • USDA Zones: 8 to 10; depending on the cultivar, you may be able to grow these down to zone 6
    • Height: 10 feet to 30 feet
    • Sun Exposure: Full sun
    Continue to 5 of 10 below
  • 05 of 10

    Creeping Fig (Ficus pumila)

    Creeping fig

     

    aimy27feb / Getty Images

    This species is a fast-growing woody evergreen vine that can attach itself to the walls of buildings and can be hard to remove (it's also commonly known as a climbing fig). Bright green, heart-shaped leaves mature to an oval dark green. Fruits are inedible. This drought-tolerant plant can be trained around wire frames to create topiaries, and is often used as a houseplant.

    • Native Area: East Asia
    • USDA Growing Zones: 8 to 11
    • Height: 8 to 15 feet long
    • Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade
  • 06 of 10

    Fiddleleaf Fig (Ficus lyrata)

    fiddle leaf fig tree

    The Spruce / Corinne Bryson

    This ficus species has large leathery leaves (up to 12 inches) similar in shape to a fiddle, inspiring the common name. This plant, too, acts as a strangler fig in its native habitat, often beginning life high in the crown of another tree, then gradually smothering the host tree as it sends roots down toward the ground. But it also can be grown as a free-standing tree; it is a recipient of the Award of Garden Merit from the Royal Horticultural Society. This plant needs a warm climate; temperatures below 50 degrees Fahrenheit can kill it. This is a very common species for growing indoors in pots.

    • Native Area: Western Africa
    • USDA Growing Zones: 10 to 11
    • Height: Up to 40 feet
    • Sun Exposure: Bright shade; does best in bright, filtered light, especially when grown indoors
  • 07 of 10

    Moreton Bay Fig (Ficus macrophylla)

    Moreton Bay Fig

     

    Dennis Wegewijs / Getty Images

    Also commonly called the Australian banyan, this species of fig features huge, curving roots that form above the surface. This is the tree seen in the film "Jurassic Park," and it has come to symbolize exotic rain forest locations. It has large leathery leaves, up to 9 inches long; the trunks are massive buttressed structures with rough, gray-brown bark. This is another strangler fig—in the wild, the seeds often germinate and begin growing in the crowns of other trees, then gradually smother the host. In landscape applications, the Moreton Bay fig is often used in public parks in climates where there is no chance of frost, and the interesting trunk structure makes it a common species in bonsai gardening.

    • Native Area: Eastern Australia
    • USDA Zones: 9 to 11
    • Height: 200 feet or more
    • Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade
  • 08 of 10

    Rubber Tree (Ficus elastica)

    rubber tree

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

    The latex sap from this tree (also called the rubber fig) was once used in the rubber-making process, though these days most natural latex comes from the Para rubber tree (Hevea brasiliensis). Now, you usually find the rubber tree serving as a houseplant. When grown outdoors, it forms a very tall tree with large (up to 12 inches long) shiny-green oblong leaves. It may develop aerial roots that form buttresses to the ground.

    • Native Area: India and Malaysia
    • USDA Zones: 10 to 11
    • Height: Can be over 100 feet tall in the wild
    • Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade; indoors, potted specimens require plenty of bright light
    Continue to 9 of 10 below
  • 09 of 10

    Weeping Fig (Ficus benjamina)

    weeping fig

    The Spruce / Krystal Slagle

    As a houseplant, the weeping fig is notorious for being finicky. It tends to drop leaves when moved or stressed in some other way, but new leaf growth will appear in time. Trunks can be braided or plaited, which causes the wood to grow together over time. When you hear someone talking about a ficus houseplant, this is usually the one referenced. It also carries the common name Benjamin's fig. When grown outdoors in warm climates, this can become a large tree with glossy oblong leaves somewhat smaller than most figs (2 to 5 inches long). The bark is light gray and smooth. Weeping fig makes for a stately landscape tree in tropical climates.

    • Native Area: South Asia and Australia
    • USDA Growing Zones: 10 to 11
    • Height: up to 60 feet
    • Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade; indoors, it requires plenty of bright light
  • 10 of 10

    Chicago Hardy Fig (Ficus carica ‘Chicago Hardy’, ‘Bensonhurst Purple’)

    Ficus carica ‘Chicago Hardy’

    Raymond Boyd / Getty Images

    Grow figs in cooler climates with the Ficas carica 'Chicago Hardy' fig, which is hardy in zones 6 to 10. A cultivar of the common fig, it is a moderately fast-growing tree reaching between 10 to 15 feet high with 10-inch long, broad leaves. The bark turns silvery-grey as it matures. Once planted, this self-pollinating cultivar takes 2 years to produce medium-sized, dark fruit that's ready to harvest in late summer. Choose a planting site carefully, 'Chicago Hardy' figs have shallow, spreading roots, so they should be grown at least 20 feet from structures, pipes and other trees. 'Chicago Hardy' fig can also be grown in containers or raised beds, but it won’t reach the same height as an in-ground tree.

    • Native Area: Cultivar, no native range
    • USDA Growing Zones: 6 to 10
    • Height: 10 feet to 15 feet
    • Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade; indoors, it requires plenty of bright light

Growing Figs to Eat

Growing edible figs is easiest in warm climates with long, hot growing seasons (generally zones 8 and warmer). The common fig tree (Ficus carica) is the most popular species because its flowers do not require pollination to produce figs. Some hardy cultivars of F. carica, such as 'Chicago Hardy' fig, can be grown in zones 6 and 7. In cooler zones, it is sometimes possible to get potted figs to produce fruit, but they will need plenty of light and regular feeding. Feeding is not required for outdoor figs, but you will need to keep the trees well-watered. Pinching off some of the figs when they are just developing will cause the remaining fruit to become larger. The figs are ready to harvest when they are fully colored and slightly soft to the touch.

FAQ
  • When does a fig tree bear fruit?

    The common fig tree, which produces the figs bought in stores, takes approximately three to five years to mature enough to bear fruit. Their fruit is typically ready to pick between August and October.

  • How often should you water fig trees?

    Fig trees should be watered approximately every two weeks. If the soil seems very dry, you can water them sooner if needed. Don't overwater, but make sure to water thoroughly.

  • How are fig trees pollinated?

    Fig wasps, very small wasps from the Agaonidae family, are how figs become pollinated. The female wasp goes into the bottom end of the fig, pollinates the flowers inside the fig, and then passes away inside the fig.

Learn More

Whether you're growing fig trees outdoors or as houseplants, keep these tropical plants healthy with the right light, temperature, and humidity conditions throughout the seasons, plus know when and how to prune them.

The Spruce uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
  1. Verberic, Robert and Maja Mikulic-Petkovsek. Phytochemical Composition of Common Fig (Ficus carica L.) Cultivars. Nutritional Composition of Fruit Cultivars, 2016, pp. 235-255., doi:10.1016/B978-0-12-408117-8.00011-8

  2. Son, Jin-Hwa, et al. Five Cases of Phytophotodermatitis Caused by Fig Leaves and Relevant Literature Review. Annals of Dermatology, vol. 29, no. 1, 2017, pp. 86-90., doi:10.5021/ad.2017.29.1.86

  3. Fig wasps. USDA U.S. Forest Service.