Ficus cyathistipula

Tropical African origin and forest habitat

Ficus cyathistipula comes from tropical Africa, where it grows as an evergreen forest tree in warm, humid conditions.

Warm filtered light and evergreen fig care

• Watering: During active growth, water when the surface has dried a little, then let excess water drain. When growth slows, water less often and check the mix first.
• Light: Bright filtered light suits the plant, and it can also grow in partial shade. Introduce stronger direct sun gradually.
• Temperature and humidity: Keep it warm, ideally above 15°C. It usually does well with normal household humidity. Avoid cold draughts and very dry radiator heat.
• Leaf care and feeding: Wipe dust from the glossy leaves as needed. Feed at the label rate while fresh side shoots are forming, then pause when growth slows.
• Branching and sap: It branches readily, so prune when you want to shorten or shape it. Cut just above a leaf and wear gloves because the milky sap can irritate skin.
• Potting mix: Use a free-draining houseplant mix with fine bark and perlite or pumice that remains lightly moist after watering.
• Propagation: Take a cutting from a stem that is beginning to turn woody and keep it warm while roots develop.
• Repotting: Move to a slightly larger pot when roots fill the container or the old mix has compacted and drains slowly.

Common issues with Ficus cyathistipula

• Green leaves drop after a move or exposure to cold air: Return the plant to a warm bright position and keep conditions steady while it settles.
• Leaf edges dry as the pot becomes very light: The root ball has dried too far, and dry room air can make this worse. Rewet the mix evenly, allow it to drain and water earlier next time.
• Several lower leaves yellow while the container stays heavy: Lift the plant from the pot and inspect the roots. Remove soft dark tissue back to firm healthy roots with a clean tool, cleaning it between cuts. Discard the rot and replant the healthy roots in fresh free-draining mix.
• Webbing, silvery marks, cottony insects or hard brown bumps appear: Check for spider mites, thrips, mealybugs or scale. Keep the plant separate, identify the pest and use a treatment labelled for that pest on indoor ornamental plants and repeat it as directed on the label.

Ficus cyathistipula 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.

What does the name Ficus cyathistipula mean?

Classical Latin ficus means fig. Cyathistipula combines roots meaning ‘cup’ and ‘stipule’.

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

Otto Warburg first described Ficus cyathistipula in 1894 in Botanische Jahrbücher für Systematik, volume 20, page 173.