Find more gardening information on Gardening Know How: Keep up to date with all that's happening in and around the garden. To grow creeping fig on a wall takes a little time and patience, so just wait a year or two and you will see more growth and clinging than you ever imagined. The figs were trained to fill recesses in a masonry wall, so that they formed perfect green rectangular shapes. There are also cultivars with variegated foliage or smaller leaves you could try. It’s hardy, it gives nice coverage and texture to an otherwise frightfully boring wall and you can simply rip it off the wall if it gets to be too much. It is growing vigorously now but not kudzu-like -- … If your creeping fig grows vertically on a fence or wall, you can place trays with water next to its base. It will take temperatures nearly down to freezing if necessary… but that’s not likely to be the case in an indoor situation. Cutting Creeping Fig Vine - I have a creeping fig vine that has crept all over the place. It is a native of East Asia and is found on Japan’s southern islands, in eastern China, and in Vietnam. ), but it has this zigzag growth habit, a bit like a Roomba, hitting an obstacle, then heading off in another direction, so I’m hoping to see more wall coverage over time. If allowed to grow up a wall, it can grow up to 20 feet (6 m.) tall. Creeping Fig will grow to be about 30 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 3 feet. Do this once every 4 to 5 days in a sunny or hot room, once a week or so in a darker or cooler one. Use floral wire or even paperclips to hook the plant to the structure. It can cling to almost any surface, even plaster abundantly coated with multiple layers of paint (my situation). Most are of these sold as hanging basket plants and normally allowed to drip downwards from their pots, but in the wild, they usually grow upwards, clinging to tree trunks or rocks… or buildings. It is about 6 inches thick. The plant is then able to produce its curious green fruit… but they won’t ripen indoors. Plus, with its tiny leaves growing one practically on top of the next, like shingles on a roof, it’s simply very attractive when grown that way. It grows on two walls and across the ceiling. When climbing a wall, climbing fig vines can grow up to 20 feet tall. Instantly recognisable with their gigantic sprays of fragrant … of water a week. Some vines need a lattice or fence to cling to and grow, but creeping fig can attach to and grow up any type of wall. Sign up for our newsletter. There probably aren’t more than a handful of private residences in all of North America with indoor walls covered in creeping fig, so you can literally claim your wall is one in a million! As for pruning, you’ll want to control where the plant goes, as it will wander pretty much anywhere if you let it. I try to restrict mine to the dining room only and snip off any branches that head elsewhere. The creeping fig plant can propagate easily and rapidly. This fast-spreading vine requires at least 10 feet of vertical clearance and 3 feet of horizontal space. Creeping fig will grow under most light conditions, from bright sun to deep shade, although it grows much faster in a sunny spot. This seems mostly linked to irregular watering. Once you’ve potted it up, place the container against the desired wall… and wait. Creeping fig (Ficus pumila), an evergreen plant with small, heart-shaped leaves, works as a vine to cover walls, as a ground cover, foundation plant and for topiaries. – on outdoor walls. If attaching creeping fig to a wall is your desire, the first year of growth can be slow, so have patience and use a few tricks to get your fig clinging to the wall in subsequent years. Plant creeping fig against a wall where you can’t spare the square footage for … As the vines age, or as they start to stretch out, the leaves get larger and the stem gets thicker. At maturity, it completely changes its appearance, producing thicker, shrubbier branches that arch out from the wall and much larger and thicker leaves. If your plant comes in a container, plant it any time when the ground is not frozen.Dig a hole for the vine about 18 inches (45.5 cm.) The branch can reach several inches in diameter and will actually set a “fig” type of fruit. In fact, many people find this plant to be a pest, as it grows quickly and takes over all kinds of vertical surfaces, including other plants. Creeping Fig Care. The fig rectangles provided a wonderful backdrop for clipped box hedges and topiarised trees planted nearby. 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. I have never seen such love/hate comments on a plant. 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. I keep it well manicured and is usually a ... Q. This will allow you to determine the direction of its growth as it gets bigger. Creeping fig used as an indoor wall cover. I really like the "live wall" look. When you find the suitable spot, you’ll need to locate a plant. The water will evaporate, creating … Obviously, too, the room must be heated because the creeping fig tree is a subtropical plant. It can cling to almost any surface, even plaster abundantly coated with multiple layers of paint (my situation). There seems to be no middle ground on this one. The Creeping Fig, otherwise known as the Ficus Pumila or Climbing Fig, Creeping Rubber Plant, Ok-Gue, Ficus repens, is a well-known climber plant by gardening enthusiasts around the world. Creeping fig is often planted to cover trellises, posts, walls or rock outcroppings. If planted against a wall, all growth will initially be vertical. Creeping Fig (Ficus pumila) is a fast growing, small leafed vine that will stick and climb up stucco and concrete. If you can’t find it locally, try a mail order houseplant source, like Logee’s in the United States or Understory Enterprises in Canada. Side branches are slower to appear. No, it doesn’t cover the entire surface (far from it! I have creeping fig planted in the ground right up against the foundation of my home and growing up a block foundation and a brick wall here in mid-Georgia. Initially the stems head towards the ceiling, so you quickly gain height. Although native to tropical East Asia, it survives temperatures down to 20 degrees or colder. Before watering, insert your index finger into the soil. Q. Above: Photograph by Matthew Williams for Gardenista. To get a creeping fig growing on walls doesn’t require much effort on your part, only a little patience. If you want to grow a twining vine against a wall, fence, or other smooth surface, some hardware will be necessary. It was quite a shock to arrive home and see a shower of yellowing leaves dropping from the walls and ceiling! 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. I’ve tried it and they’ll only fail to thrive. If some leaves do turn brown, gently knock them off with a duster or a broom. You’ll first need to choose a wall for your creeping fig to climb on. The plant will put out these little roots and stick to anything in the vicinity: a trellis, a wall, rocks, or another plant. 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. As a climbing vine, it tends to be leggy near the base and should be underplanted with low-growing facer plants. Yesterday we have a major wind event (70 MPH winds) and the creeping fig became un-attached to the wall. But creeping fig on a wall can be manageable if you trim it back and grow it in a container to manage its size. In year two, it will begin to grow and climb. It might well be decades! This is why some people consider creeping fig to be a pest plant. Instead, let Mother Nature take care of the situation. For instance, you can attach eyehooks in the wall using masonry shields. Creeping plants can climb down as well as up QUESTION: “I have a concrete wall that is 4 foot tall, and the only place to plant is on top of the wall. To cover a wall, fence or grown on a topiary; It doesn’t require full sun or a lot of water, making it a simple plant to grow. These plants grow at a fast pace, eventually reaching up to 15 feet in length, when left to grow. The key to healthy growth is to provide as much warm, humid air as possible, plenty of even moisture, and bright light but not direct sunlight. If you want dense growth from the start, pinch the upright stem and repeat as needed: this will slow the growth rate of the plant, but at least will force it to branch more profusely. In a bright sunny room, growth will be many times faster. 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. Creeping fig will grow under most light conditions, from bright sun to deep shade, although it grows much faster in a … We have a creeping fig that covers a 75′ wall 6 ft high. Elsie Taylor Owens and husband Jimmy have a soft spot for historical architecture and gardens, but when they finished building their Federal-inspired home, funds for landscaping were nearly exhausted.Inspired by Charleston's vine-covered facades, Elsie opted to plant creeping fig rather than shrubs to save some money. In spite of a careful attempt to revive it, it didn’t recover and I had to remove it. We started it about 15 years about with about 12 plants. While the climbing fig has visually appealing aesthetics, it can also be a destructive nuisance. If the soil feels dry to the touch, it’s time to water. It can potentially damage structures when the roots get into cracks in walls. The stems can climb fairly quickly once they get started: a foot (30 cm) or so a week. If you are tight on space and have an ugly fence to cover then Ficus pumila minima is the plant for you. Best known for its low to average maintenance and fast growth, this climber will likely liven up your house (or garden) with its green-colored leaves. Depending on one's outlook, creeping fig is either a miracle plant handed down by the gods or a scourge from hell. If you want to keep your Ficus pu… They do this by secreting a sticky substance from the aerial roots. Everyone knows you can grow climbing plants – Boston ivy, Virginia creeper, climbing hydrangea, etc. I say if you like the idea, go for it. If you do not this much rainfall in a week, you will need to supplement with the hose. 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. It shouldn't be used on wood walls, however, which its sticky tendrils can damage. I need something that will grow down and yet cling to the wall. 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. It can also be used as a groundcover. By this time, it will grow and climb in leaps and bounds. I first I tried growing it on walls in various apartments over the years, but usually ended up moving before it got very far. Creeping fig as it looks when you buy it. Actually, I also have another creeping fig climbing up the inside walls of my fireplace… but that’s another story. When planted where it's happy it'll grow up to 10 feet in a year, covering a wall. Creeping fig is also a favorite plant for topiary as it obediently grows over wire-framed shapes of all kinds. It also helps to fill in any cracks in a wall before growing a creeping fig there. It only has an average spread of three to six feet. ), you’ll want to repot it right away into a large container (I used an extra wide, extra deep window box). In a tight space, creeping fig vines will cover a fence with a flat green curtain of heart-shaped leaves. The curious fruit of the creeping fig isn’t likely to form indoors. Clinging vines require no support. Scale On My Ficus Creeping Vine - This vine is growing on the front wall of my home. Homeowners typically use them as wall or fence covers, but they can also serve as a ground cover. All it takes is a cutting left in a soil for it to root and start doing its thing. Creeping fig loves humidity, so if you want to grow it in dry climates, you will need to provide some artificial sources of humidity. Occasionally some of the leaves turn yellow, then brown. When the plant is ready to climb, and that can take several months, one or more of its stems will grow towards and then up the wall all on its own, clinging to the surface thanks to tiny aerial roots. In order to look its best, creeping fig should get about 2 inches (5 cm.) When grown outdoors, creeping fig like full or part shade and grows best in well-draining soil. I’ve only ever tried using the original form of creeping fig (Ficus pumila) on walls, that is, the species itself. This group includes heartleaf philodendron (Philodendron hederaceum, formerly P. oxycardium), pothos (Epipremnum aureum), monstera (Monstera deliciosa) and English ivy (Hedera helix). The downside to this is damage to the wall, but hooks make it easy to direct growth. They tend to grow more horizontally, at least at first, and also grow more slowly than the upright ones. Growing Creeping Fig - How do I get it to attach to the wall--it has just grown over itself. 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. Any houseplant potting mix ought to do. 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! I reinstalled a creeping fig in my dining room 7 years ago and you can see the results in the photo. Initially, in the first year, creeping fig will grow slowly, if at all. 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. But have you ever considered letting climbers cover your indoor walls as well? away from the base of the wall, insert the plant, and refill it with good soil. Creeping fig (Ficus pumila) is a fast-growing vine that can be used to soften the look of concrete garden walls. I planted creeping fig on my cinderblock walls -- it was strange as it started to grow but never would grab onto the wall and would fall down -- then, about 3 years in, it started grabbing and has covered about 60% of my original plan. 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). We’d like to have ivy or creeping fig, but everything I read indicates that it "climbs". There is no use trying to force the plant to climb by gluing or tacking its creeping stems to the wall yourself. 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It’s an interesting long-term project and certainly original. There doesn’t seem to be an off-season: the plant grows by fits and starts throughout the year. Creeping fig covering a column in Longwood Gardens’ Main Conservatory. Indoors they’re best grown in a hanging basket, or given something to attach to and climb. Creeping figs prefer evenly moist soil. Some vines need a lattice or fence to cling to and grow, but creeping fig can attach to and grow up any type of wall. Because creeping fig adheres directly to the wall's surface, it will rot wood by limiting air circulation to evaporate moisture. Sign up to get all the latest gardening tips! Then, at my current address, I let it grow up a wall in my dining room over a 4-year period. Why not use them that way indoors? For indoor pots or a small outdoor garden, you need only one creeping fig plant. I’d seen it used as a wall climber in several public greenhouses, notably in Longwood Gardens and Meadowbrook Farms in Pennsylvania and in the Royal Greenhouses of Laeken in Brussels, not to forget in the sales area of Logee’s Greenhouses in Connecticut. That shouldn’t be too difficult, as creeping fig is often sold in garden centers as a foliage plant or in a hanging basket. Creeping fig (ficus pumila) -- also known as climbing fig and creeping ficus -- is a decorative vine that grows in thick thatches on the sides of buildings, fences and homes. You can feed occasionally with diluted fertilizer, but it’s not a heavy feeder. At any rate, creeping figs grown indoors, where the light levels are usually quite low, rarely produces mature branches. This could be good news for you if you plan to cover more than one wall … How long before your fig tree completely covers an indoor wall? The plant’s wandering stems and small leaves create an interesting lacy pattern as the vine grows across the wall. And it's highly unlikely your indoor plant will ever bloom or yield fruit. 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. Creeping figs can grow outdoors in USDA plant hardiness zone 8 or higher. After all, the term “ivy league university” comes from the way Boston Ivy covers so many of the buildings on university campuses. Don showed how classy creeping figs can look when used in a formal garden design. By year three you may wish you hadn’t planted it. I’ve experimenting with creeping fig (Ficus pumila) as an indoor wall cover for about 35 years. You’ll first need to choose a wall for your creeping fig to climb on. Another option is to attach some type of trellis or fencing to the wall. Plant your climbing vine in spring, if you bought it bare root. To avoid it, try to keep the soil at least somewhat moist at all times. Wow, I was thinking about planting this stuff on a front wall. Other than watering, creeping fig requires little maintenance. Q. They do this by secreting a sticky substance from the aerial roots. The kind of place where most houseplants that would kill most houseplants. ... Clinging vines, such as creeping fig, climbing hydrangea and trumpet vine, develop aerial roots along their branches and stems that naturally cling to walls and other surfaces. The plant will put out these little roots and stick to anything in the vicinity: a trellis, a wall… Thereof, will creeping fig grow down a wall? Plant creeping figs in an area that receives full or partial shade and features well-draining soil. Is There a Fig-covered Wall in Your Future? Why not? There are actually several houseplants that produce aerial roots or adhesive pads and can thus cling to walls. Wisteria (Wisteria chinensis) Getty. 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