(Credit: Pixabay)

Each year the National Garden Bureau, a non-profit organization, selects plants to promote through its "year of" program. For 2026, it has selected Ficus as its houseplant of the year. Thus, 2026 is the "Year of the Ficus," at least in the eyes of the NGB.

Ficus is an incredibly diverse genus of plants that are endemic to tropical and subtropical regions worldwide. From providing tasty snacks to privacy hedges to towering trees to durable houseplants and even climbing vines, there's a Ficus for just about every need.

Our edible fig is a member of the genus Ficus and is native to Europe.(Credit: Pixabay)

There are Ficus species native to every continent except Antarctica. For example, strangler figs come from North America whereas our edible figs originate in Europe. Those used as interior plants such as fiddleleaf fig are native to tropical locations in Africa and South America.

The following is a list of some of the more notable species of Ficus.

Ficus altissima (National Garden Bureau)

Ficus altissima—Sometimes called Council Tree, this tropical Ficus species isn't as commonly grown as many of its cousins but deserves to be. It has shiny, oval-shaped leaves that are larger than Weeping Fig's but smaller than Fiddleleaf Fig's. This middling brings a great texture to your indoor décor. It's native to areas of Southeast Asia where it can grow 100 feet tall but stays much smaller when grown indoors.

Ficus benghalensis (North Carolina State University)

Ficus benghalensis—Commonly known as Ficus Audrey (when grown as a houseplant) or Banyan (as an outdoor tree). No matter what name you give it, this spectacular tree is one of the largest in the family. It sports medium green leaves with pubescent undersides, so it's both attractive and tactile. It has a medium growth rate and can easily reach 8 feet tall or more if not pruned. It's native to areas of India and Asia and is designated the national tree of India.

Ficus benjamina (National Garden Bureau)

Ficus benjamina—Perhaps the most popular Ficus houseplant, this species is commonly called Weeping Fig because of its graceful branching pattern. The shiny, dark green leaves have added a soft, graceful texture to interiors everywhere for decades. It has a medium growth rate and tops 8 feet or more if not trimmed. It can get more than 60 feet tall in the tropics, like areas of Southeast Asia and Australia, where it's native. Several cultivars of Ficus benjamina are available. Some of the showiest have trendy variegated foliage with leaves edged in yellow, cream, or white. Other cultivars are bred for a more compact, full growth habit.

Ficus elastica (National Garden Bureau)

Ficus elastica—Commonly called rubber tree, this Ficus is another tried-and-true houseplant enjoyed by generations of plant parent lovers. The rubber tree sports big, thick leaves and a more resilient nature than some of its relatives. Like other Ficus, Rubber Tree has a dense, milky sap. In its native range of Southeast Asia, the sap was used to produce latex (hence the common name). Outdoors in the tropics, it can grow more than 100 feet tall and indoors can get 8 feet or more if you let it. But it takes well to pruning, so you can sculpt and shape it to fit any space. Some of the most common cultivars available include 'Ruby' (which features gray-green leaves irregularly edged in red, pink, and cream), 'Shivereana' (also called 'Moonlight', which features camouflage-like dark green leaves patterned with medium and light green tones), and 'Tineke' (which shows off eye-catching creamy-white margins on its large leaves). 'Burgundy' is another rubber tree classic; it has purple-flushed foliage.

Ficus lyrata (National Garden Bureau)

Ficus lyrata—Fiddle Leaf Fig skyrocketed in popularity, becoming the "It Plant" of the late 2010s. It's easy to see why, since it boasts big, shiny leaves and doesn't grow as fast as some of the other varieties. Like many of the other tree-form Ficus varieties, it can get more than 8 feet tall over time but takes well to pruning. It's native to areas of Western Africa. Despite its popularity, there are only two cultivars available. 'Bambino' (a.k.a. 'Little Fiddle' is a dwarf form. It stays more compact and has smaller leaves. 'Variegata' has creamy white edges to the foliage.

Ficus maclellandii—Also known as Ficus Alli, this species produces unique, long, narrow, lance-shaped leaves. This helps create a fantastic textural contrast between other Ficus varieties, and other houseplants in general. It's fairly forgiving as a houseplant with care needs similar to rubber tree. It has a medium growth rate and can get 8 feet tall or more in time if you let it. However, it responds well to pruning, so you can keep it at any size you want. Ficus Alli is native to areas of Southeast Asia. There is a stunning gold-variegated form available. It sports bright golden-yellow new growth irregularly variegated with darker green. As the foliage matures, it fades to green.

Ficus macrocarpa—Though it makes for a fine houseplant when grown naturally, it is more common indoors as a bonsai. It often carries the common name of Ginseng Ficus. Its thick, dark green leaves tend to grow closer together than other Ficus species, giving it a fuller, lusher look. Because of this, it's a common low hedge in frost-free regions. As a tree in tropical regions like Southeast Asia, it can grow more than 40 feet tall.

Ficus pumila (National Garden Bureau)

Ficus pumila—Commonly called Creeping Fig, this species is a vine that can climb or grow prostrate as a groundcover (hence the common name). It has small, heart-shaped leaves in its juvenile form and larger, oval leaves in its adult form. Native to areas of Eastern Asia, it can grow nearly anywhere as a houseplant. In its native habitat, it often climbs to about 15 feet, but indoors it stays much smaller. It's suitable for both climbing and trailing, including hanging baskets. There are several interesting cultivars of this species. 'Curly' is a cultivar that shows off uniquely textured curled leaves. 'Dorty' is similar but variegated with creamy-yellow centers in the foliage. 'Sunny' is a particularly eye-catching selection that offers medium green leaves broadly edged in white.

Ficus triangularis—As you might guess from its scientific name, this species has vaguely triangle-shaped leaves. This gives it a more distinctive look and texture than other Ficus species. It's not as commonly grown as some of the other species, making it a special find. Native to Southern Africa, it can get more than 10 feet tall outdoors in frost-free areas. Indoors, it's much slower growing, but can still reach 8 feet if not pruned. The variegated form, which has dark green leaves edged in creamy white, is more common as an indoor plant than the regular species. The white variegation means it has less chlorophyll, so it's even slower growing.

Ficus umbellate—An uncommon Ficus sometimes grown as a houseplant, the Umbrella Fig boasts huge leaves that can get more than 12 inches long and wide, making it a statement plant. It hails from areas of Western Africa where, in the wild, it can reach more than 40 feet tall. Indoors, as a houseplant with its roots constricted in a pot, it's easy to keep it a much more manageable size (4 feet or less). Its leaves are a bit thinner than many of the other commonly grown Ficus species, so it may be even more susceptible to leaf drop when stressed.

Ficus vaccinioides—Another uncommon but very interesting Ficus, this species can be used as a groundcover or climbing vine like Creeping Fig. It has shiny, oval leaves, giving it a unique look. Native to Taiwan, it can grow more than 6 feet if not pruned or trained.

Indoors, the first key to growing a happy, healthy Ficus is to give it lots of light. Some varieties will tolerate medium light levels, but they do best in bright light. If you can, situate your Ficus within about 4 feet of a good-sized east-, west-, or south-facing window or augment with plant lights.

A good general guideline is to water as the top 25 to 50 percent of the potting mix dries to the touch. Some species, like Ficus elastica, are more drought-tolerant than others, like Ficus pumila. Avoid overwatering; too much water will suffocate the roots.

Most Ficus species prefer a temperature: between about 60° and 85°F. In short, if you are comfortable, your Ficus is, too. That said, try to avoid placing your Ficus near hot or cold drafts. Blasts of air that are noticeably warmer or cooler than the ambient room air temperature can cause leaf yellowing and leaf drop.

Average household relative humidity levels are fine. Ficus varieties with thick leaves tend to tolerate low humidity levels better than those species with thinner leaves.

When fertilizer is needed, any general-purpose fertilizer formulated for houseplants will do the trick; they don't need anything fancy or specialized. You can fertilize as infrequently as once or twice a year or as much as the fertilizer packaging recommends. Most gardeners stop fertilizing in winter when light levels decrease and the days get shorter. With less light, the plants have less energy to grow and use fewer plant nutients.

Some Ficus species (especially Weeping Fig) have a reputation for shattering, which is another way of saying they drop a lot of leaves when they're stressed. Stress can occur when the plant's environment changes and it's subjected to tough conditions (especially cold temperatures, inconsistent watering, etc.). Shattering isn't necessarily a sign of a problem unless leaves continue to drop over a period of time.

Ficus growing tips:

1. Even though they are often considered to be low-light tolerant plants, all Ficus varieties will be healthier and do better in a brighter spot indoors than a dimmer spot.
2. Ficus can put up with being rootbound, but they don't prefer it. Under ideal growing conditions, repotting every year or two will help provide optimal growth.
3. White- or pink-variegated Ficus varieties have less chlorophyll than non-variegated types. This results in slower growth and a greater susceptibility to stress. Hence, extra attention variegated cultivars may be needed.
4. Many Ficus varieties are easy to propagate and can be reproduced via several methods: Seeds (if they're pollinated), stem cuttings, root cuttings, air layers, and tissue culture.
5. Ficus houseplants can adapt to nearly any potting medium as long as it is not soil. The best type of potting mix for your houseplant depends on how you water.
6. In warm, humid conditions, many Ficus species produce aerial roots that hang down from their branches. If unwanted, these can removed without harming the plant.
7. For double the beauty, you can grow Creeping Ficus as a groundcover or pot-topper with tree-form varieties such as Weeping Fig or Fiddleleaf Fig.
8. Weeping Fig is famous for dropping leaves when it's stressed. If you see your plant sheds a bunch of leaves, it doesn't necessarily mean it's unhealthy—just stressed.
9. Wiping down Ficus leaves (particularly large-leaf varieties) as dust accumulates can help keep the plant significantly healthier. A dust layer reduces the amount of light that reaches the leaf surface and reduces the amount of food manufactured by the plant.

Acknowledgement: Adapted from an article by the National Garden Bureau.