Ficus pumila 'Arina' - Creeping Fig

I love the tiny, lopsided heart shapes of this plant's foliage. New leaves grow paler and then darken to match the forest green of the established foliage. In its natural habitat, this plant creeps, crawls and climbs across the forest floor and tree bark. In your home, you can let it crawl or hang, train it to climb... or all three! It can also grow in a terrarium, creeping and climbing and adding a splash of glossy green leaves. It can grow several feet long, but of course, it is possible to prune it and keep it to just the right, smaller, bushier size. Keep this plant somewhere nice and moist, and without direct sun, and it will reward you with trails of gorgeous glossy green wherever you keep it in your home.

Scientific Name
Ficus pumila 'Arina' (dwarf fig, cultivar: Arina)

Common Name
Creeping Fig, Climbing Fig

Origin
Native to East Asia, including China, Japan and Vietnam

Light
While this plant can tolerate shady spots, it will do best with brighter indirect light, like that from a north-facing window.

Water
Water when the top layer (1-2cm) of the soil feels dry. This plant likes to have moist soil, but make sure it isn't sat in completely saturated soil - if it's too soggy, this can rot the plant!

Humidity
This plant likes to be in a nice, moist, humid environment. Ideal for terrariums, but it will also love a bathroom or kitchen.

Soil
Use a loose, well-draining but moisture retentive soil. A mix with added coir, perlite and bark, such as a mix designed for Ficus plants, will work well here. Repot every few years, or when it gets potbound, into a pot just a little bit bigger. This plant prefers to be slightly rootbound.

Food
Feed every four waters in the growing season, reduce to every six in autumn and winter.

Temperature
Your creeping fig will thrive best at around 20°C. Below 10°C it will stop growing but it can go down to 3°C in winter - though you may lose foliage. To keep it green year-round aim for temperatures between 15-25°C.

Pet-safe
No, this plant's sap can cause skin irritation and it is considered toxic if eaten.

Sprouts Top Tips
If your creeping fig is getting brown, crispy edges, it may be in too dry a spot, or be getting too much sun. Make sure it's out of direct light and is somewhere with moisture in the air. If you start to rapidly lose older leaves, make sure the soil is not too much like mud! The top of the soil should be dry before you water again.