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How to care for Ficus Audrey
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About Ficus Audrey
The elegant Ficus Audrey (Ficus benghalensis) is the national tree of India. In its natural habitat, its beautiful canopy can cover tremendous ground and provide great shade in its warm climate, but indoors, it can also just as easily grow straight and tall. And while its light-colored trunk and velvet emerald leaves certainly earned it love and respect, this magical plant is best known for its low-maintenance and "forgiving" nature.
Other common names
- Ficus benghalensis
- Strangler fig
- Bengal fig
- The Banyan tree
How Often Should I Water My Ficus Audrey?
Choosing self-watering pots for Ficus Audrey plants will help maintain a consistent level of moisture in the soil. Self-watering is an ideal way to prevent the soil from becoming overly dry or saturated. With easyplant, watering your Ficus Audrey is simple. Make sure to check the easyplant reservoir once a month and fill it when empty, and you're all set!
If you don’t have an easyplant, Depending on how much sun it receives, you should provide your Ficus Audrey plant a decent watering weekly during its growing season and every two weeks in wintertime. It is vital to ensure the topsoil of your plant remains dry for about 1-2 inches between waterings. Considering the benefits of self-watering containers, it's clear why this is the ideal home for your Ficus Audrey plants. Rather than trying to remember a frequent or specific watering schedule, you can rely on the easyplant reservoir to provide a consistent and steady water supply.
Ficus Audrey Light Needs
Ficus Audrey grows best in a space with bright direct light, where the sunlight streams inside directly, and can also adapt to spaces with bright indirect light, where the sun rays are diffused. Avoid placing it in spaces with low light or spaces without natural sunlight.
Give your Ficus Audrey an ideal home with plenty of bright, indirect light and warmth. East-facing windows provide the perfect spot for this plant to thrive; however, south and west-facing windows are also great options. Low light is not suitable for these plants.
Ficus Audrey Plant Care
As it gets taller, you can choose to keep the plant bushy, or you can remove some of the lower leaves to encourage it to grow more like a tree. It's all about what look you prefer! To help it grow optimally and evenly, occasionally dust the leaves and rotate the pot by a ¼ turn once a month.
How Big Do Ficus Audrey Plants Grow?
Ficus Audrey grows fairly quickly, reaching 5 to 10 feet indoors and 65 to 98 feet outdoors. Though a moderate grower indoors, with ample light and water supply, it will take between 5-10 years to obtain its ultimate height at a rate of 10 cm per season.
Ficus Audrey flourishes outside, but when it comes to indoor growth, things move at a slower pace. As a general rule of thumb, you can repot your Ficus Audrey every two years for optimum health and vitality.
Temperature & Humidity
To ensure your Ficus Audrey's health and strength, keep the temperature between 65-85 degrees Fahrenheit. Most homes provide a good temperature range for Ficus Audrey and other tropical plants.
Humidity is also key; try to keep the humidity in its surroundings moderate to high above 40%; however, they can also survive in drier climates. Provide a little extra humidity using a humidifier or pebble tray if necessary.
Are Ficus Audrey Toxic for Pets & Kids?
The Ficus Audrey is an attractive option for those seeking a large plant; however, ingestion can cause unpleasant side effects. Human ingestion of any part of the leaves may result in mouth and stomach irritation, nausea, vomiting, and skin irritation when handling its sap.
To ensure safety, keep this plant away from children and pets to protect them from potential health complications. If cats or dogs ingest Ficus Audrey leaves, they may experience irritation in their mouth and gastrointestinal tract. It is best to keep your Ficus Audrey away from children to prevent potential adverse reactions.
Troubleshooting Common Problems with Ficus Audrey
Periodically check and gently clean the undersides of leaves to prevent any pests. If you find any, treat them quickly by gently rubbing the infected area with insecticidal soap or spraying them with diluted neem oil.
If you notice your Ficus Audrey dropping, it may be due to either too much or not enough watering. When over-watering is the culprit, poor Ficus will show brown tips with yellow edging; however, if fully yellow leaves and crispy brown tips without yellow edges appear, then underwatering has taken its toll.
Ficus Audrey is at risk of a variety of diseases, such as root rot, leaf-spot disease, botrytis, rust, powdery mildew & southern blight. To safeguard your plant from these afflictions and keep it healthy, ensure proper air circulation, and prevent the soil from becoming too saturated with water.
Frequently Asked Questions about Ficus Audrey Plant
- Is Ficus Audrey an indoor plant?
Ficus Audrey is a great indoor plant for your home or office. It thrives in bright light and can tolerate some direct sunlight throughout the day. When grown outdoors, Ficus Audrey prefers semi-shaded areas and can reach up to almost 100 feet in height. - Is Ficus Audrey easier than fiddle leaf fig?Ficus Audrey is easier to care for than the fiddle leaf fig. While both plants require regular watering and occasional dusting, the Ficus Audrey is more tolerant of temperature and humidity fluctuations, making it a great option for those who can’t provide optimal conditions for their indoor plants. It also requires less pruning and trimming than the fiddle leaf fig.
- How do you care for Audrey ficus?For optimal growth, ensure your Ficus Audrey is in a warm location with good air circulation, and keep the temperature moderate to high at 65-85 degrees Fahrenheit. When it comes to water, check the topsoil between waterings; watering when the top 1-2 inches of soil are dry should suffice.
- Are Audrey Ficus hard to care for?While Ficus Audrey needs a little extra TLC, it's not difficult to care for. Ensure you provide adequate water and humidity and avoid over-watering or direct sun exposure. With regular maintenance and care, your plant will thrive!