Ficus benghalensis 'Petite Audrey'

Compact form of the Indian banyan

'Petite Audrey' is a compact cultivated form of Ficus benghalensis. The wild species comes from the Indian subcontinent, where it develops into a large banyan in warm climates with a pronounced dry season.

Care for dense foliage and compact banyan growth

• Container and mix: Choose a pot with drainage and a little room around the roots. Use a loose mix containing bark plus perlite or pumice.
• Light: Place 'Petite Audrey' close to a bright window with filtered light. Rotate it in small steps when one side starts stretching towards the window.
• Water: Once the surface has dried and the pot feels lighter, water evenly through the root ball and let it drain before replacing it in a cover pot.
• Dense foliage: Warm conditions and moderate humidity are suitable. Leave a little space around the closely packed leaves so air can move through the plant.
• Keeping it compact: Shorten a shoot just above a leaf when it grows outside the outline you want. Use a temporary stake for a young or newly repotted stem that leans.
• Feeding: Use a balanced foliage fertiliser at the label rate while the plant is adding leaves and side branches. Restart after a pause when new growth appears.
• Propagation: A stem that is beginning to turn woody can be used for a cutting. Thicker branches can also be air-layered. Wear gloves when cutting because the milky sap can irritate skin.
• Repotting: Move to a slightly larger pot when roots are tightly crowded, the old mix drains unevenly, or the plant has become unstable.

Common issues with Ficus benghalensis 'Petite Audrey'

• Shoots lengthen and new leaves become progressively smaller: Low light is a common cause. Move the plant closer to a bright window and watch the next few leaves for more compact growth.
• Green leaves fall after a move or cold draught: Keep the plant in a warm bright position and keep conditions steady while it settles. Check the pot before watering, as it may dry at a different speed in the new position.
• The pot stays damp and lower leaves yellow: Inspect the root system. Cut softened dark roots back to firm healthy tissue with a clean blade, cleaning it between cuts. Discard the rot and repot the healthy roots in fresh loose mix.
• Cottony insects, waxy bumps, tiny pale speckles or fine webbing collect in the dense leaf joints: Check closely for mealybugs, scale or spider mites. Isolate the plant, identify the pest and use a treatment labelled for it on indoor ornamental plants and repeat it as directed on the label.

Ficus benghalensis ‘Petite Audrey’ is toxic to people and pets

• Keep this plant away from children, cats and dogs, and avoid contact with its milky sap.
• The latex contains ficin and psoralens, which can irritate the mouth, digestive tract, skin and eyes.
• Exposure may cause mouth irritation, drooling, vomiting, stomach pain or a skin rash. Contact a veterinarian or medical professional if symptoms develop or persist.

How did Ficus benghalensis get its name?

Classical Latin ficus means fig. Benghalensis means ‘from Bengal’.

Carl Linnaeus established the genus Ficus in 1753 in Species Plantarum, page 1059; Joseph Pitton de Tournefort had proposed the name.

Carl Linnaeus first described Ficus benghalensis in 1753 in Species Plantarum, page 1059.