Ficus benjamina ‘Golden King’

Breeding history and background of Ficus benjamina ‘Golden King’

‘Golden King’ came from a breeding programme in Melle, Belgium, in 1979. As part of that work, a solid-green Ficus benjamina was exposed to radiation to create new variation, and a plant with pale-edged leaves was selected. Cuttings taken in January 1980 produced new plants with the same characteristic variegation and dense branching.

The species Ficus benjamina is native across tropical and subtropical Asia and northern Australia, where it grows mainly in wet tropical habitats.

Looking after Ficus benjamina ‘Golden King’

• Keep the variegated crown well lit: Place ‘Golden King’ in bright indirect or filtered daylight with light reaching across the plant. After a move, keep it in one suitable place while it settles before repotting, heavy pruning or regular feeding.
• Watering: Water thoroughly once the surface has started drying and the pot is lighter, then let all excess drain. When growth slows, the mix will take longer to dry, so wait longer before watering again.
• Potting mix and repotting: Use a peat-free houseplant mix with loam and fine bark. Repot when roots crowd the container, appear through the drainage holes or make the mix dry unusually fast. Large plants can have the upper layer of old mix refreshed in place.
• Keep temperature and humidity steady: Keep the room above 13 °C and avoid cold draughts or strong dry heat. Moderate to high humidity suits the foliage; use a humidifier if the room stays dry.
• Feeding, support, pruning and propagation: Feed while new leaves and shoots are growing, following the fertiliser label. When new growth stops, pause feeding. No trellis or moss pole is needed. Shorten long branches above a leaf when shaping is needed. To propagate the variegated form, choose a clearly patterned young stem once it has begun to firm and keep the cutting warm until it roots.
• Handle the sap carefully: Wear gloves when pruning or taking cuttings because the white sap can irritate skin. Keep the plant and cut pieces away from children and pets because Ficus benjamina is harmful if eaten.

Common problems with Ficus benjamina ‘Golden King’

• A shoot turns completely green: The shoot has lost the selected variegation. Follow it back to the variegated branch from which it grew and remove the whole green shoot with a clean tool.
• Leaf margins dry or shrivel: Check the potting mix, the humidity around the plant and whether strong direct sun is reaching the foliage. Correct the condition that matches what you find.
• Leaves drop after a move or sudden change: Lower light, cold air, potting mix that stays very wet or heavy feeding can all contribute. Keep ‘Golden King’ in one bright, warm place and restore a steady watering rhythm.
• Fine pale spots and webbing or sticky leaves with brown bumps appear: The first pattern suggests spider mites; the second suggests scale insects. Isolate the plant, confirm the pest and use an indoor-plant treatment labelled for it. Repeat the treatment as directed on the label.
• Yellowing spreads while the mix remains wet: Excess moisture may be damaging the roots. Inspect them if the pot stays damp. Cut soft, dark rotten roots back to firm healthy tissue with a clean tool, discard the damaged roots and repot in fresh, freely draining mix.

Ficus benjamina ‘Golden King’ 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.

When was Ficus benjamina first published, and what does it mean?

Classical Latin ficus means fig. The epithet benjamina preserves a historical plant name used for this fig.

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 benjamina in 1767 in Mantissa Plantarum, page 129.