Ficus benjamina
(weeping fig)

Preferred Common Name

• weeping fig

Variety

• Ficus benjamina var. benjamina
• Ficus benjamina var. bracteata Corner
• Ficus benjamina var. nuda (Miq.) M. F. Barrett

Other Scientific Names

• Ficus benjamina var. comosa (Roxb.) Kurz
• Ficus cuspido-caudata Hayata
• Ficus haematocarpa Blume ex Decne.
• Ficus neglecta Blume ex Decne.
• Ficus nepalensis auct. non (Spreng.) Blanco
• Ficus nitida Thunb.
• Ficus nuda Miq.
• Ficus papyrifera Griff.
• Ficus parvifolia Oken
• Ficus reclinata Desf.
• Ficus retusa var. nitida (Thunb.) Miq.
• Ficus striata Roth
• Ficus umbrina Elmer
• Ficus waringiana auct.
• Urostigma benjamina (L.) Miq.
• Urostigma haematocarpum (Blume) Miq.
• Urostigma neglectum (Blume ex Decne.) Miq.
• Urostigma nitida (Thunb.) Miq.

International Common Names

• English: Benjamin tree; Benjamina fig; Benjamin's-tree; golden fig; java fig; javatree; oval-leaf fig tree; small-leaf rubber-plant; tropical laurel; weeping fig tree
• Chinese: chui ye rong; cong mao chui ye rong

Local Common Names

• New Guinea: book kebar; Ihien; tehd
• Brazil: beringan; ficus-benjamina; figueira-benjamina
• Caribbean: figyé
• Cuba: jaguey; laurel criollo
• Dominican Republic: arbol de Washington; filipo; filpo; higo cimarrón; laurel; laurel de la India
• Germany: Benjamin-Feige; Benjamin-Gummibaum; Birkenfeige
• India: waringin
• Indonesia: beringin; wariengin
• Indonesia/Java: bergedat; caringing; rwaringin; sepreh
• Indonesia/Nusa Tenggara: ajwundut
• Indonesia/Sulawesi: beringin; nanu merako
• Israel: ficus ha'shderot
• Laos: oox ng
• Lesser Antilles: evergreen; laurel fig
• Malaysia/Peninsular Malaysia: beringin; cheringin; waringin
• Micronesia, Federated states of: baola; baulagaragara; baulagarangara; dunar; kaimabu
• Myanmar: kyet-kadut; nyaung-lun; nyaung-thabye
• Netherlands: Baniaanboom
• Nicaragua: laurel de la India
• Philippines: balite; budbud; bugnai; salisi; salising-haoug; salsing-hubad
• Puerto Rico: laurel benjamin
• Solomon Islands: baula garanggara; haisi hena; sirifena
• Sweden: benjaminfikus
• Thailand: sai; sai yoi bai laem

EPPO code

• FIUBE (Ficus benjamina)

• Domain: Eukaryota
•     Kingdom: Plantae
•         Phylum: Spermatophyta
•             Subphylum: Angiospermae
•                 Class: Dicotyledonae
•                     Order: Urticales
•                         Family: Moraceae
•                             Genus: Ficus
•                                 Species: Ficus benjamina

Often called the mulberry family, Moraceae consists of about 40 genera and 1000 species of trees, shrubs, lianas, or rarely herbs, nearly all with milky sap, and mainly of tropical or subtropical origin (University of Hawaii, 2014). The milky sap of various Moraceae species contain ‘heart poisons’ that are used as dart poisons in some cultures; other plant parts such as leaves and fruit juices have also been reported to cause allergic and toxic reactions in humans and livestock (Frohne and Pfa¨nder, 2005). Many genera of this family are well-known as food crops and include Artocarpus, the tropical food staple breadfruit and jackfruit genus, Ficus, the fig genus, and Morus, the mulberry genus.

Ficus is a large genus of about 800-1000 tree and shrub species native to the tropics and subtropics that are often cultivated beyond their native range for their fig fruits or as ornamentals. Members of this genus are difficult to distinguish by their flowers, but can be differentiated by habit, whether they are banyans or not, by leaf shape, and by their fruits (Whistler, 2000).

The species name of F. benjamina, sometimes spelled benzamina, likely refers to the supposed relation of this plant to the source of a resin or benzoin procured from the Orient in antiquity, or the specific epithet from banyan, the Sanskrit ‘banij’ (Quattrocchi, 2012). Its common English name ‘weeping fig’ refers to its drooping branches as well as its aerial roots which descend from the branches to the ground.

Tree to 15 m high (50 feet) with the fused conical stipules enclosing the step tip, sap milky. Leaves simple, alternate, blade ovate to elliptic, 4-12 cm long (1 5/8-5 in), typically light green, finely veined, with a sharp or attenuate tip. Fruits can be found on the tree throughout the year. Fruit an orange, red, pink, or purple, subglobose synconium 7-12 mm long (1/4-1/2 in), paired in the leaf axils. [Taken from Whistler, 2000]

F. benjamina is native to the Asia-Oceania region but has been introduced around the world as a cultivated ornamental and hedge plant (Wiersema and Leon, 1999; Acevedo-Rodriguez and Strong, 2012; USDA-ARS, 2014). It was reportedly present in the West Indies in the early twentieth century; although it was not included in D. Bello’s work on Puerto Rico (1881; 1883), the species was reportedly present in most of the West Indies islands including Cuba, Puerto Rico, St. Lucia, Barbados, and Trinidad by 1903, as I. Urban included the species in Volume 3 of his work on the Antilles (Urban, 1898-1928). J.G. Jack collected specimens in Cuba in 1926 and 1927, and D. Fairchild collected a specimen on St. Vincent in the Grenadines in 1932 (Smithsonian Herbarium Collection).

Elsewhere, F. benjamina was cultivated in England by Philip Miller in 1757 and was introduced to the USA several times from various countries including Nassau (Bahamas) in 1906, Australia in 1915, Sumatra in 1926, and the Philippines in 1929 (Condit, 1969). It was reportedly accidentally introduced to Israel by 1992 through agriculture (DAISIE, 2014).

Soil drainage

• free
• impeded

Soil reaction

• acid
• alkaline
• neutral

Soil texture

• heavy
• light
• medium

Special soil tolerances

• infertile
• shallow

F. benjamina spreads naturally both by seed and vegetatively. It has been intentionally dispersed by humans for use as an ornamental and a hedge plant (Wiersema and Leon, 1999), but is known to have unintentionally escaped from cultivation/agriculture (DAISIE, 2014). 

F. benjamina has been intentionally cultivated as an ornamental house plant and garden species, as well as planted in public areas such as roadsides (Wiersema and Leon, 1999; Whistler, 2000). However where it occurs naturally the species can have a negative environmental impact to native flora, due to its dense, shading branches that prevent anything from growing beneath it. It can cause damage in urban areas due to its extensive root system strong enough to lift mortar and cement (Gilman and Watson, 2007).

• Invasive in its native range
• Proved invasive outside its native range
• Tolerates, or benefits from, cultivation, browsing pressure, mutilation, fire etc
• Tolerant of shade
• Highly mobile locally
• Long lived
• Fast growing
• Has high reproductive potential
• Has propagules that can remain viable for more than one year
• Reproduces asexually

• Infrastructure damage
• Threat to/ loss of native species

• Competition - shading

• Highly likely to be transported internationally deliberately

F.benjamina is grown for ornamental purposes and is therefore found in many countries outside its natural range; it is often planted in villages and cemeteries. Miniature cultivars are popular for indoor bonsai. F. benjamina is sometimes used for for landscaping in urban areas and housing estates, and is planted along roadsides, although it can lift roads and pavements over time as its strong root system spreads: Gilman and Watson (2007) warn that “the tree should not be planted close to streets, walks or parking lots”, and that “the tree is much too large for residential planting unless it is used as a hedge or clipped screen”. The bark was once used to make rope while the fruit are eaten by birds and small mammals. In additional to its intentional cultivation as an ornamental and as a shade/shelter plant (Wiersema and Leon, 1999), the species is known to have toxic latex like other various members of the Moraceae family, although not as severe (Frohne and Pfander, 2005). The plant sap of all plant parts reportedly possess the toxic principles furocoumarins, psoralens, and ficin, which cause minor skin irritation (NCSU, 2014).