Ficus forever, a series of beautiful weeping figs

The Ficus Forever series is a collection of magnificent indoor plants from the Ficus benjamina species.

Ficus Forever facts

Name – Ficus benjamina
Trade name – Ficus forever
Family – Moraceae (mulberry family)
Type – indoor plant
Foliage – evergreen
Height – 10 feet (3 m) indoors, 10 times taller outdoors

Soil: indoor plant soil mix – Exposure: bright light but not direct sunlight

Care, pruning, watering and treatment, follow this advice to grow these beautiful Ficus trees and avoid them falling sick.

Learn more about Ficus forever

The “Forever” brand name comes from a marketing project. It aimed to produce different varieties of Ficus benjamina and make them available to the public. Each variety was paired with an exotic endangered animal. A portion of sales benefits supported rainforest jungle conservation in French Guiana. For instance, images of pandas, parakeets, parrots, chameleons, baboons and more were attached to the trees.

The beneficiary of the project was the “Fondation Trésor”, a French-Dutch foundation that supports the Trésor Natural Reserve. The Ficus Forever initiative peaked in 2009 and was the result of the collaboration between Dutch horticulturists and the Trésor foundation. The project has since been discontinued. This ficus series isn’t sold in normal horticulture stores anymore, and the Reserve itself is secure.

Indeed, thanks in part to the project, the Trésor reserve has since been converted into a protected regional sanctuary.

Whichever variety you may have gotten your hands on, the Ficus forever – actually one of five F. benjamina varieties – is one of the most resistant leaf plants and can live in the wild to grow over 150 years old.

It is appreciated for its aesthetic appeal but also for its highly adaptive survival traits that let it thrive in the most varied settings of our homes, apartments and offices.

Caring for Ficus forever

Ficus forever is selective as regards its exposure, its watering and must be guarded against rapid changes in temperature.

• It must be set in a luminous room but cannot be exposed to sunlight.
• Watering is needed when the soil is dry, but not abundantly and always with water at room temperature.
• Lastly, avoid moving it too often, since this tree needs time to adjust to its new setting.

Diseases or mistakes made in caring

Ficus forever losing its leaves

Quite common for the ficus forever, this is normal as long as leaf loss is regular and not too many are falling.

If your ficus lost its leaves, check that it is well watered, and eventually proceed to topdress the pot.

• This may also be connected to a change of pots or of place.
• It may also lack light, in which case you must provide more light to it.

It should quickly bounce back more vigorous than ever.

Ficus forever leaves turn yellow

This is often caused by a mite attack.

• Simply treat it with organic mite killer sold in horticulture stores.
• Avoid other chemical products, especially for an indoor plant.

White blisters appear on leaves and get all sticky

This is usually due to mealybugs or scale insects.

• Read on: how to rid your ficus forever of scale insects

Watering Ficus forever

Its preferable to wait for the soil to have dried up before watering again.
Consequently, water on average once a week.

If the air indoors is quite dry or if it is summertime, it’s possible to water more often, but always wait for the soil to have dried up in the surface layer.

Of course, in winter or if surrounding moisture levels are high, you may space the watering somewhat.

Feel free however to mist the leaves on a regular basis, this will increase leafage quality and keep the leaves from drying up.

Pruning Ficus forever

Ficus forever copes with pruning very well.

• You can prune once a year in any particular season.
  No need to cut the tree back severely, light pruning is enough.
• It will help the foliage grow more dense and beautiful.

Read also:

• All you would like to learn about Ficus benjamina

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