Characteristics
| Hardiness zone | 7b |
|---|---|
| Foliage type | evergreen |
| Plant form | spreading |
| Mature height | 30 feet |
| Spread | 3 feet |
| Light requirements | partial shade to shade |
| Moisture requirements | average to moist |
| Plant origin | import |
Creeping Fig
Botanical name: Ficus pumila
This variety is a vigorous climber that will scale any porous surface; it will quickly cover surfaces upwards of 50 feet; mature plants adopt a more horizontal habit when they reach upward limits; great for walls, trellises or as container plants.
Ornamental Features
Creeping Fig has attractive dark green foliage which emerges light green in spring. The heart-shaped leaves are highly ornamental and remain dark green throughout the winter. Neither the flowers nor the fruit are ornamentally significant.
Landscape Attributes
Creeping Fig is a multi-stemmed evergreen woody vine with a twining and trailing habit of growth. Its average texture blends into the landscape, but can be balanced by one or two finer or coarser trees or shrubs for an effective composition.
This woody vine will require occasional maintenance and upkeep, and can be pruned at anytime. It is a good choice for attracting birds to your yard. Gardeners should be aware of the following characteristic(s) that may warrant special consideration;
Invasive
Creeping Fig is recommended for the following landscape applications;
Hedges/Screening, General Garden Use, Container Planting, Hanging Baskets
Planting and Growing
Creeping Fig will grow to be about 30 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 3 feet. As a climbing vine, it tends to be leggy near the base and should be underplanted with low-growing facer plants. It should be planted near a fence, trellis or other landscape structure where it can be trained to grow upwards on it, or allowed to trail off a retaining wall or slope. It grows at a fast rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for 50 years or more.
This woody vine does best in partial shade to shade. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water. It is not particular as to soil type or pH, and is able to handle environmental salt. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments. This species is not originally from North America.
Creeping Fig makes a fine choice for the outdoor landscape, but it is also well-suited for use in outdoor containers and hanging baskets. Because of its spreading habit of growth, it is ideally suited for use as a 'spiller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the edges where it can spill gracefully over the pot. It is even sizeable enough that it can be grown alone in a suitable container. Note that when grown in a container, it may not perform exactly as indicated on the tag - this is to be expected. Also note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.
