Elijah

Ficus benghalensis 'Audrey'

Bengal Fig, Banyan tree, Strangler Fig

• Elijah likes...
  • 
    Regular watering

    He likes his soil to be kept lightly moist, but not soggy. Try not to let his soil dry out more than the top two inches, even in winter.

  • 
    Bright light

    Elijah loves bright light so put him in a light room near the window. A south or west-facing room would be ideal.

  • 
    Feeding

    Give Elijah a monthly feed with plant food from spring through to autumn when he is actively growing. This will help him put on loads of new leaves.

• Quick facts

  Botanical name

  Ficus benghalensis ‘Audrey’

  Nickname

  Chinese Banyan, Indian Laurel, Strangler Fig

  Plant type

  Evergreen perennial, Indoor

  Plant height (including pot)

  130-140cm (tree) 

  Pet/baby safe

  Toxic if ingested

  Nursery pot size

  35cm

• About Ficus benghalensis ‘Audrey’

  Native to the Indian subcontinent where it is adapted to monsoon rains and drought, the Bunyan tree can grow up to 30 metres tall, towering above other trees in the rainforest.  Don’t worry about it taking over your home though, by growing it in a pot you restrict the size of its rootball and how big it can grow. This means the bigger the pot you plant it into (if and when it’s time to repot it), the bigger your tree will grow. Don’t be alarmed if you see roots growing down from its branches towards the soil, this is the tree’s natural way of anchoring and propagating itself.

  ‘Audrey’ has large green leaves with a leathery texture that are bright green when they first emerge but turn a dark green as they mature. The leaves have distinctive pale veins. Be careful when pruning your fig tree because it will exude thick white latex that can irritate your skin and is very sticky to remove. Wear gloves, cover the floor and have a cloth to hand. Only prune your tree between October and March when it’s not growing as fast; this way you’re likely to get less latex leakage. 

  Did you know?

  The Banyan Tree is considered holy in many religions and in Indian mythology is considered to be immortal.