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Photo: Dinesh Valke from Thane, India / CC BY-SA 2.0 / Wikimedia Commons
IndoorExotic

Weeping fig

Ficus benjamina

A graceful, fine-leaved tree that sheds leaves when moved, chilled or dried out. Give it steady, bright, indirect light and one spot. The sap irritates skin, and it is toxic to cats and dogs.

Mature size0.6–3 m tall, 0.5–1.5 m spreadGrowthModerateSunSun/part shadeWaterModerate
Drought: 2 of 5
Shade: 3 of 5
Ease of care: 3 of 5
Use in a designGet it looked after

Indoors in Dubai

Weeping fig indoors

Light it grows well in

  1. Low (does not suit it)
  2. Medium (does not suit it)
  3. Bright (suits it)
  4. Sun (does not suit it)

Bright, steady, indirect light, a metre or two from tinted glass. It reacts to any change of light, so pick the spot and leave it; hot afternoon sun on west glass is too much.

Dry, air-conditioned air

2 of 5

1 means it needs humidity help, 5 means it does not mind.

Under air conditioning: Keep it clear of vents and cold draughts; the RHS wants even warmth, and dry air shrivels the leaves. Look for spider mites and scale if the leaves dull or turn sticky.

Cats and dogs

Not pet-safe

Toxic to cats, dogs and horses, according to the ASPCA (listed under Ficus: 'fig' and 'Indian rubber plant'). The toxic principles are a protein-digesting enzyme (ficin) and psoralen (ficusin); the ASPCA gives no list of signs, so call your vet if a pet has chewed it. The sticky sap can also irritate skin (RHS).

Size
Floor-standingStands on its own on the floor
Rooms
Living roomHallwayHome officeBedroom
In Dubai shops
Easy to findMost garden centres and supermarkets
Outdoors
Indoors only
All indoor plants for DubaiMore plants for bright, indirect light

Season

Through the Dubai year

How Weeping fig behaves through Dubai's seasons, month by month.

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
24°
26°
29°
34°
38°
40°
42°
42°
40°
36°
31°
27°

Buy and pot up

Feb – Apr

Growing season

Mar – Oct

Feed

Apr – Sep

Light pruning

Scale, thrips and mites

Apr – Sep

Hot glass and dry air

Jun – Sep

Water minimally

  • Buy and pot up: Feb–Apr, Oct–Nov

    Autumn and spring, when it is not carried home through 45°C heat. It drops leaves when moved, so choose the spot, then leave it.

  • Growing season: Mar–Oct

    New leaves replace any dropped after a change of light.

  • Feed: Apr–Sep

    A high-nitrogen feed from spring to late summer (RHS); NC State suggests light feeding after new shoots form.

  • Light pruning: Feb–Mar

    Late winter or early spring (RHS). Wear gloves; the sap irritates skin.

  • Scale, thrips and mites: Apr–Sep

    Look for fine speckling or sticky leaves; hot, dry sites favour spider mites.

  • Hot glass and dry air: Jun–Sep

    Keep it back from west glass and out of the vent airflow.

  • Water minimally: Dec–Feb

    The RHS says winter watering should be minimal; keep it clear of cold glass and draughts.

The weeping fig stays evergreen, though a few leaves fall at any time of year if conditions change. It grows from about March to October, when NC State suggests light feeding after new shoots form and at the end of summer, and the RHS suggests a high-nitrogen feed from spring to late summer. In June to September keep it back from hot west glass and out of the AC airflow, since both dry the leaves. Prune lightly in late winter or early spring (RHS), and water minimally from December to February, as the RHS advises.

Meet the plant

Meet the Weeping fig

Meet the weeping fig, the fine-leaved tree with a long reputation for dropping its leaves the moment it is unhappy. It is the plant that teaches people to leave things alone: NC State says that if it is moved it may drop leaves, then grow new ones accustomed to the new light.

Outdoors in warm climates it becomes a big, spreading tree, 12 to 15 metres tall (NC State), and its stems can be braided into a decorative trunk. Indoors it stays at about 0.6 to 3 metres, a fountain of glossy leaves on drooping twigs, which is the form Dubai shops sell, from 12 cm pots to plants over a metre tall.

Treat the first weeks at home as settling in. Pick a bright, steady spot away from vents and doors, water by feel, and let it drop what it wants to. New leaves come.

Ficus benjamina is an evergreen fig (Moraceae) from southeastern Asia, Australia and the south-west Pacific. NC State gives 12 to 15 metres outdoors and about 0.6 to 3 metres indoors, and notes that dwarf cultivars such as 'Too Little' suit bonsai. Dubai shops sell it in sizes from 12 cm pots to plants 1.5 metres tall.

Light has to be bright and steady. NC State says it performs best in bright, indirect, sunny positions but will survive in shade, and the RHS asks for bright, indirect light in warm, even conditions away from draughts. Both say it reacts to change: if it is moved it may drop leaves and grow new ones adapted to the new light. In practice the biggest change comes when you carry it home from the shop, so choose its place before you buy.

Water moderately, and not so late that the compost dries out completely (NC State); the RHS says to let it dry slightly between waterings in the growing season. The RHS lists overwatering, low temperatures and poor light as common causes of leaf drop, and says dry, shrivelled leaves point to low humidity. NC State lists scale, aphids, mealybugs, thrips and spider mites, and Colorado State Extension says plants in very hot, dry sites are prone to spider mites.

Wear gloves when pruning: the sticky sap may irritate skin (RHS). The ASPCA lists the fig as toxic to cats, dogs and horses because of ficin and psoralen, so it suits a home without chewing pets better than one with them.

Design

Where to use it

Floor tree for a living roomEntrance or hallway statementHome-office cornerBraided-stem accent

A weeping fig suits a room where it can stay put: a corner of the living room or home office with steady, bright, indirect light, a metre or two back from a window behind tinted glass. Its fine leaves fill a tall, narrow space and its drooping habit softens a hard corner. Keep it out of the vent airflow and away from any door or balcony slider that sends hot or cold air across it, and use a saucer or cachepot that catches water without holding it.

A light, dark indoor Ficus lyrata on the second floor of the house.

Fiddle-leaf fig

Fiddle-leaf fig's large, paddle-shaped leaves contrast with the weeping fig's fine foliage; both want bright, steady light and are best left in one place.

Photo taken in National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan.

Areca palm

An areca palm's feathery fronds echo the weeping fig's fine texture at a different height, and both enjoy a bright, indirect corner.

Sansevieria trifasciata 'Laurentii'

Snake plant

Snake plant's stiff, upright blades make a firm, low-water contrast at the base of a softly drooping fig.

Care guide

How to grow it in Dubai

Watering

Summer: Water moderately and do not let the compost dry out completely (NC State); let it dry slightly between drinks (RHS). Check two inches down first, let the pot drain fully, and flush it every four to six months to clear salts (University of Maryland).

Winter: The RHS says winter watering should be minimal. Still check the soil: a cool, air-conditioned room dries a pot slowly.

Soil
A soil-based potting mix (NC State); the RHS suggests a loam-based compost with bark chips. Use a pot with drainage holes.
Feeding
NC State suggests light fertiliser after new shoots form and at the end of summer; the RHS suggests a high-nitrogen feed from spring to late summer. Skip winter feeding.
Pruning
It needs little pruning. Cut back vigorous stems in late winter or early spring (RHS), wearing gloves because the sap irritates skin. On variegated types, remove all-green shoots.
Planting
Repot into a slightly larger pot every two years in spring (RHS). Choose its position before you pot, because it will not like being moved. Buy in October to November or February to April.
Pests
Scale insectsThripsSpider mitesMealybugsAphids

Avoid these

Common mistakes

  • Moving it around to find the best spot. NC State and the RHS both say it drops leaves when moved; choose a place and leave it.
  • Watering by the calendar. The RHS lists overwatering as a common cause of leaf drop and yellowing; test two inches down first.
  • Putting it beside an AC vent or a door that opens to the heat. The RHS wants warm, even temperatures away from draughts.
  • Pruning without gloves. The sticky sap may irritate skin (RHS).
  • Leaving it where a pet can chew. The ASPCA lists weeping fig as toxic to cats, dogs and horses.

Extra notes

Good to know

  • The ASPCA entry covers Ficus species (listed as 'fig' and 'Indian rubber plant'), with a protein-digesting enzyme (ficin) and psoralen (ficusin) as the toxic principles. It gives no list of signs, so call your vet if a pet chews it.
  • It is the same genus as rubber plant, fiddle-leaf fig and ficus ginseng; treat all four as unsafe for cats and dogs.
  • NC State says stems can be braided for ornamental effect, and the dwarf cultivar 'Too Little' suits bonsai.
  • Prices seen on 7 October 2026: IKEA UAE lists a 12 cm pot at AED 35 and a 21 cm pot at AED 95, both showing as unavailable for delivery that day; Plantsworld lists plants of 100 to 150 cm from AED 185.

Toxicity: Toxic to cats, dogs and horses, according to the ASPCA (listed under Ficus: 'fig' and 'Indian rubber plant'). The toxic principles are a protein-digesting enzyme (ficin) and psoralen (ficusin); the ASPCA gives no list of signs, so call your vet if a pet has chewed it. The sticky sap can also irritate skin (RHS).

Pros

  • Fine, glossy foliage gives a soft, tree-like shape without much floor space
  • Sold from 12 cm pots to 1.5 m floor plants, at a wide range of prices
  • Stems can be braided or trained, and dwarf cultivars suit bonsai (NC State)
  • Survives in shade, though it does best in bright, indirect light (NC State)

Cons

  • Drops leaves when moved, chilled, overwatered or short of light
  • Toxic to cats, dogs and horses if chewed (ASPCA)
  • Sticky sap can irritate skin when pruning (RHS)
  • Scale, thrips, mites and mealybugs are all common
  • Dry AC air shrivels the leaves; the RHS asks for medium to high humidity

FAQ

Common questions

Why is my weeping fig dropping leaves?
NC State says a moved plant may drop leaves, then grow new ones used to the new light. The RHS also lists overwatering, cold, poor light and draughts. Choose a bright, steady spot, check the soil two inches down and keep it out of the vent airflow.
How much light does a weeping fig need?
Bright, indirect light (RHS, NC State). It will survive in shade, but it does best close to a bright window and out of hot direct afternoon sun. Behind tinted glass, go close to the glass.
Can I keep a weeping fig in an air-conditioned room?
Yes, if it stays out of the airflow. The RHS asks for medium to high humidity and even warmth; dry, shrivelled leaves point to low humidity. A saucer of damp pebbles helps locally, and University of Nebraska Extension says misting is not effective while a humidifier raises humidity for a whole room.
Is weeping fig safe for cats and dogs?
No. The ASPCA lists Ficus as toxic to cats, dogs and horses. Keep it out of reach, and call your vet if a pet has chewed it.
Can the sap hurt me?
The RHS says the sticky sap may irritate skin, so wear gloves when pruning or repotting.
When should I buy a weeping fig in Dubai?
October to November or February to April. It drops leaves when moved, and a summer trip home in a hot car is a bigger change than most plants like.

Not sure how it suits your garden?

Ask about Weeping fig on WhatsApp

Sources

  1. 1. NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox: Ficus benjamina
  2. 2. RHS: How to grow ornamental figs, growing guide
  3. 3. ASPCA: Toxic and Non-Toxic Plants, Weeping Fig
  4. 4. Colorado State University Extension: Managing houseplant pests
  5. 5. University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Houseplant humidity
  6. 6. University of Maryland Extension: Watering indoor plants
  7. 7. IKEA UAE: potted plants (prices checked 7 October 2026)
  8. 8. Plantsworld: indoor plants (prices checked 7 October 2026)

Last reviewed 2026-10-07 by Plant Guide horticulture desk.

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