2017 ASHS Annual Conference

Many species of Ficus are used in interiorscaping and landscaping. Their growth habits range from prostrate groundcovers to shrubs, trees, and vines. Nearly all are easily propagated by the usual vegetative techniques of cutting, layering, grafting, and micropropagation. Fewer are propagated by seed as pollination requires specialized wasps, but some of those that do seed have become invasive. Ficus are suitable subjects for plant propagation classes as many, such as F. elastic Roxb., F. rubiginosa Desf. ex Vent., and F. benghalensis L. can be propagated by single node cuttings as well as by stem cuttings and air layers. Aerial roots are characteristic of some species, which also signal ease of rooting. Many of the selections used in interiorscapes have been tissue-cultured, giving rise to diverse forms, some of which are more compact and better branched. Photo: rooted, single-node cutting of F. benghalensis.