I particularly like the oak-leaved creeping fig (F. pumila quercifolia), with small lobed leaves, but it is not as resilient as the species, so I’ve never dared to use it to cover a wall. I have never seen such love/hate comments on a plant. With some plants, yes, you do have to provide wire or string for them to get the “hang” of where to grow. Another option is to attach some type of trellis or fencing to the wall. The creeping fig most indoor gardeners are used to, with tiny leaves and thin stems that cling to various surfaces, is the juvenile form of the plant. A few creepers that I am familiar with that will naturally grow down are sedum (angelina variety), wooly thyme, lemon thyme, creeping rosemary (which will branch down when its growth falls over a wall) and creeping phlox. This seems mostly linked to irregular watering. Vigorous and fast-growing, Ficus pumila (Creeping Fig) is an evergreen self-clinging climber or trailer that grows relentlessly, covering everything it encounters (walls, trellises and other structures) by adhesive aerial rootlets. Why not use them that way indoors? Depending on one's outlook, creeping fig is either a miracle plant handed down by the gods or a scourge from hell. When you find the suitable spot, you’ll need to locate a plant. It will take temperatures nearly down to freezing if necessary… but that’s not likely to be the case in an indoor situation. The curious fruit of the creeping fig isn’t likely to form indoors. Climbing fig (Ficus pumila) on a stucco wall. How to Grow Creeping Fig Indoors The key to a healthy creeping fig plant is to provide as much warm, humid air as possible, plenty of even moisture, and bright light but not direct sunlight. When climbing a wall, climbing fig vines can grow up to 20 feet tall. Initially, in the first year, creeping fig will grow slowly, if at all. It needs to be pruned regularly from growing into roofs, eaves, and windows. Creeping fig tolerates freezing conditions for short periods of time and is hardy to about fifteen degrees Fahrenheit. By year three you may wish you hadn’t planted it. It was quite a shock to arrive home and see a shower of yellowing leaves dropping from the walls and ceiling! I started 1 plant at the top of the tank and 1 plant at the bottom thinking one would grow down and the other up to fill the wall quickly. Although native to tropical East Asia, it survives temperatures down to 20 degrees or colder. That shouldn’t be too difficult, as creeping fig is often sold in garden centers as a foliage plant or in a hanging basket. How long before your fig tree completely covers an indoor wall? Each year we propagate around 1500 hundred to sell in our wholesale nursery. Gardeners can often take steps to minimize root invasion by planting trees in pots or building underground retaining walls to keep the roots structured. Attaching creeping fig to a wall shouldn’t really be necessary, but you may want to take some steps to encourage growth in a particular direction. They need to be pollinated by a specific insect, a tiny wasp called Blastophaga pumiliae, and you certainly won’t have any in your home. Cover up a fence or wall with this self-supporting climber for a lush green formal or informal effect in the garden. Creeping Fig (Ficus pumila) is a fantastic ‘fake’ perennial climbing hedge plant, as it looks like a hedge when grown up walls. It grows on two walls and across the ceiling. Much of a fig tree’s invasiveness depends on its variety. Space the trellis or other support structure at least an inch away from the wall. Thereof, will creeping fig grow down a wall? You should be fine. Creeping fig is a member of the Ficus genus which includes rubber trees, towering jungle banyans, and also the familiar domesticated trees that produce edible figs. Creeping Fig (Ficus pumila) is a fantastic ‘fake’ perennial climbing hedge plant, as it looks like a hedge when grown up walls. Although native to tropical East Asia, it survives temperatures down to 20 degrees or colder. Younger plants require irrigation when the soil becomes dry, but once well-established, climbing fig is a very drought tolerant vine. This ficus makes a lovely ground cover, and, given the chance, it will cling to and climb trees, fences, and walls up to 20 feet high. Inspired Design Texas Simple Ideas For Design Wall Trellis Vine Trellis Garden Vines . However, like the flowers, they may not appear when the plant is grown indoor. It needs to be pruned regularly from growing into roofs, eaves, and windows. Creeping fig tolerates freezing conditions for short periods of time and is hardy to about fifteen degrees Fahrenheit. How to Grow a Creeping Fig Wall. It won’t tolerate frost. You’ll first need to choose a wall for your creeping fig to climb on. I thought the result was really quite outstanding… but then I lost the plant (the person entrusted with watering all my plants while I was away forgot to water that one). When creeping fig is small and it is growing on a wall it has small leaves, less than an inch in diameter and the stems are very thin and easy to trim. – on outdoor walls. The creeping fig is an evergreen climbing species which you might have seen crawling up the walls of large mansions or a quaint house in the country. Sign up for our newsletter. Creeping fig is a member of the Ficus genus which includes rubber trees, towering jungle banyans, and also the familiar domesticated trees that produce edible figs. My current plant has been growing 7 years and covers only a small portion of the room, but then it’s in a very shady location with no direct sunlight. If planted against a wall, all growth will initially be vertical. Use floral wire or even paperclips to hook the plant to the structure. When growing up and against a wall the leaves form a mat that extends barely 1 inch from the surface to form a "live wall." Variegated Creeping Fig - Ficus pumila 'Variegata' - … Is There a Fig-covered Wall in Your Future? Other than watering, creeping fig requires little maintenance. This plant will cling to just about any vertical surface, so … Creeping fig will grow under most light conditions, from bright sun to deep shade, although it grows much faster in a sunny spot. But creeping fig on a wall can be manageable if you trim it back and grow it in a container to manage its size. Native to China and Japan, Ficus pumila is a versatile species that’s capable of climbing just about any surface it can find. The stems can climb fairly quickly once they get started: a foot (30 cm) or so a week. It also helps to fill in any cracks in a wall before growing a creeping fig there. It can cling to almost any surface, even plaster abundantly coated with multiple layers of paint (my situation). I feel it is a better choice than many others because of its denser growth habit and natural tendency to branch freely. Climbing fig (Ficus pumila) is a woody, evergreen vine that can be used outdoors to cover a wall or fence, or as an indoor ornamental, where it is allowed to either cascade down from a hanging basket, or trained to cover a trellis, hoop or pole.Typically, only the juvenile foliage of climbing fig is present, which is small (1-inch long and ½- to ¾- inch wide), light green and slightly pleated. However, it's worth noting that even very healthy and well-cared-for plants will likely only last a few years in their potsultimately their root structures are designed for aggressive and spreading growth. In a bright sunny room, growth will be many times faster. QUESTION: “We have what is probably a … I reinstalled a creeping fig in my dining room 7 years ago and you can see the results in the photo. Just plant the creeping fig next to a vertical structure, and it will be completely covered in green foliage in 3-5 years. In spite of a careful attempt to revive it, it didn’t recover and I had to remove it. It is shade tolerant and extremely hard wearing once established. Wow, I was thinking about planting this stuff on a front wall. Create 3 rows of this wire horizontally across the area. Creeping figs can grow outdoors in USDA plant hardiness zone 8 or higher. There seems to be no middle ground on this one. Plant creeping fig against a wall where you can’t spare the square footage for a shrub or a hedge. To get a creeping fig growing on walls doesn’t require much effort on your part, only a little patience. long (5 cm), on its climbing stems. As for pruning, you’ll want to control where the plant goes, as it will wander pretty much anywhere if you let it. But have you ever considered letting climbers cover your indoor walls as well? If planted against a wall, all growth will initially be vertical. As it grows, creeping fig will latch onto a vertical surface with tiny tendrils and can be trained by pruning to stay flat. These fruit are typically about 2.5 inches long. Ficus pumila, creeping fig, climbing fig. The best way to get creeping fig to attach to the background is to start it in the soil and let it climb up the background. Since your creeping fig will be growing in the same pot for the rest of its life (I don’t see how you’d ever be able to repot a plant that clings to a wall! 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