Complete Plant Guide

Tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea) is a coarse-textured, cool-season perennial bunchgrass in the Poaceae family, native to Europe and North Africa and now widely grown across temperate regions as a low-maintenance turf and forage grass. It forms dense clumps of dark green, ribbed leaves and can reach up to 1.5 m when left unmowed. It is prized for its deep root system, which provides excellent drought, heat, and wear tolerance compared to other cool-season grasses. Taxonomic note: molecular studies have reclassified the species under the synonyms Schedonorus arundinaceus and, more recently, Lolium arundinaceum, but Festuca arundinacea remains the name most widely used in horticultural and agronomic literature.

1625

Blue Fescue

Festuca glauca

Easy 💧 14 days ☀️ Direct sun

Blue fescue is a compact, clump-forming ornamental perennial grass known for its striking silvery-blue, needle-thin foliage. Native to Europe, it is prized in low-maintenance gardens, borders, and rock gardens for its year-round color and textural contrast.

1626

Sheep's Fescue

Festuca ovina

Festuca ovina, commonly known as sheep's fescue, is a densely tufted, cool-season perennial grass in the Poaceae family. Native to Europe and Asia and naturalized across North America, it forms neat, low-growing clumps of narrow, wiry, blue-green to gray-green blades. Non-rhizomatous and slow to spread, it stays put as a tidy mound rather than running through the garden. In late spring to early summer it sends up slender, slightly one-sided flowering panicles on wiry stems. Prized for its fine texture, drought tolerance, and ability to thrive in poor, sandy or rocky soils, sheep's fescue is a low-maintenance choice for rock gardens, borders, slopes, and mass ground-cover plantings.

1627

Red Fescue

Festuca rubra

Easy 💧 5 days ☀️ Bright indirect

Red Fescue (Festuca rubra) is a cool-season perennial grass in the Poaceae family, widely used for lawns, meadows, and shaded garden areas. Its fine, thread-like, deep green blades form dense tufts that spread slowly via rhizomes, creating a soft, resilient turf. It is valued for its shade tolerance, drought resistance once established, and lower maintenance needs compared to many other turfgrasses.

1628

Sedge

Ficinia

Easy 💧 9 days ☀️ Direct sun

Ficinia is a genus of some 70-90 tufted, evergreen sedges (family Cyperaceae), the great majority endemic to South Africa's Cape Floristic Region, with a few species reaching New Zealand and Australia. Ornamental cultivars, most famously Ficinia truncata 'Ice Crystal', form neat clumps of narrow, grass-like foliage and are prized as low-maintenance border, container or rockery plants. This is a genus-level care profile; individual species vary in size, colour and exact habitat.

1629

Afghan Fig

Ficus afghanistanica

The Afghan Fig (Ficus afghanistanica) is a deciduous fig tree native to the arid, mountainous regions of Afghanistan and Central Asia. It has small, silvery, lobed leaves and reddish bark, distinguishing it from the common fig. Hardy and drought-tolerant, it produces small, dark, sweet edible figs and is grown both as an ornamental container plant and as a landscape tree in warm, dry climates.

1630

Council Tree

Ficus altissima

The Council Tree (Ficus altissima) is a large tropical fig native to Southeast Asia, widely grown as an indoor ornamental for its big, glossy, leathery leaves. In the wild it behaves as a "false banyan," sending down aerial roots over host trees. Its common name comes from the historic practice of village communities gathering for meetings and deliberations in the shade of its broad canopy.

1631

Florida strangler fig

Ficus aurea

Ficus aurea is a fig in the family Moraceae, native to central and south Florida, the Caribbean, southern Mexico and Central America down to Panama. It is a strangler fig: birds drop the seed high in another tree, where it germinates, and its roots grow down to the ground, thicken and fuse around the host's trunk until the host dies. It can grow past 18 meters with an even wider crown, and reaches 30 m in the wild. The leaves are dark green, smooth and thick. The figs come in pairs, small (up to 1.2 cm), and turn yellow when ripe; birds, bats and small mammals eat them. Like all figs, it bleeds milky sap when cut.

1632

Roxburgh Fig

Ficus auriculata

Ficus auriculata, commonly known as the Roxburgh fig or Elephant Ear fig, is a striking tropical tree native to South and Southeast Asia (India, Nepal, southern China). It is famous for its enormous heart-shaped leaves that can reach up to 38 cm (15 inches) in diameter, and for its edible figs that grow directly from the trunk and main branches in a phenomenon known as cauliflory.

1633

Indian Banyan

Ficus benghalensis

Medium 💧 10 days ☀️ Partial shade

The Indian Banyan (Ficus benghalensis) is one of the world's most remarkable trees, native to the Indian subcontinent. Famous for its aerial roots that descend to the ground and become secondary trunks, it can spread across entire acres in the wild. As a houseplant, it is grown in the compact "Audrey" form, beloved for its large velvety deep-green leaves and for being far more forgiving than the fiddle leaf fig.

1634

Weeping Fig

Ficus benjamina

The Weeping Fig is an elegant tropical tree native to Southeast Asia and Australia, prized for its gracefully drooping branches and glossy, dark green leaves. In the wild, it can reach up to 50 feet tall, though as a houseplant it typically grows 3-10 feet. It is the official tree of Bangkok, Thailand. Known for being sensitive to environmental changes, it may drop leaves when moved but recovers well with consistent care. An excellent air purifier, it effectively removes formaldehyde and other pollutants from indoor air.

1635

Variegated Weeping Fig

Ficus benjamina 'Variegata'

Medium 💧 9 days ☀️ Bright indirect

The Variegated Weeping Fig is an ornamental cultivar of Ficus benjamina, prized for its green leaves splashed and edged with creamy white. Native to South and Southeast Asia and Australia, it is a medium-sized tree widely grown as a houseplant for its graceful shape and gently drooping branches.

1636

Alii Fig

Ficus binnendijkii

Ficus Alii (Ficus binnendijkii) is an elegant evergreen ornamental tree from the Moraceae family, native to Southeast Asia. It is characterized by long, narrow, leathery willow-like leaves that hang from thin, flexible branches. It grows slowly and can reach a height of up to 300 cm indoors with a spread of around 150 cm. Due to its upright, slender growth habit, it is popular as a specimen plant for room corners and is more resistant to fluctuating conditions than other Ficus species.

1637

Common Fig

Ficus carica

Medium 💧 7 days ☀️ Direct sun

The Common Fig (Ficus carica) is one of the oldest cultivated fruit trees in the world, native to the Mediterranean region and Western Asia. This deciduous, drought-tolerant tree produces sweet figs prized in cooking and traditional medicine. Its deeply lobed leaves and gnarled gray trunk offer ornamental beauty throughout the seasons.

1638

African Fig

Ficus cyathistipula

Easy 💧 7 days ☀️ Partial shade

Ficus cyathistipula, commonly known as the African Fig, is a robust evergreen tree native to the tropical forests of Central and Western Africa. It features large, leathery, deep glossy green leaves with a characteristic obovate shape. It is one of the most resilient Ficus species for indoor cultivation, being more tolerant of humidity and light variations than Ficus benjamina. Its persistent cup-shaped stipules at the base of the leaves give rise to its scientific name.

1639

Rubber Plant

Ficus elastica

A hardy tropical plant native to Southeast Asia, known for its large, glossy, dark green leaves. One of the most popular houseplants due to its striking appearance and easy care. Can grow up to 6-10 feet indoors and is an excellent air purifier.

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1640

Abidjan rubber plant

Ficus elastica 'Abidjan'

Ficus elastica 'Abidjan' is a dark-leaved variety of the rubber plant, in the fig family Moraceae. Its leaves are broad, thick, glossy and leathery, in a burgundy so deep it looks almost black, with a reddish midrib and a wine-colored underside. Each new leaf unfurls from a bright red sheath that later drops off. The more light it gets, the more purple the tone becomes. Indoors it usually reaches 1.2 to 3 meters tall and 60 to 90 cm wide, and it can be pruned to stay compact. In tropical climates the species grows into a large tree. It is an easy houseplant and a good starter plant. The milky sap is toxic if eaten and irritates the skin.

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1641

Variegated rubber plant

Ficus elastica 'Belize'

Ficus elastica 'Belize' is a variegated cultivar of the rubber plant, also sold as 'Ruby' or 'Red Ruby'. Its large, thick, glossy leaves mix green, cream, pink and red. New leaves emerge from a pink-sheathed spike and are the most colourful; the pink softens with age, but red-purple stays in the midribs, leaf stalks and young stems. Indoors it forms an upright small tree 1.2-3 m tall. The milky sap irritates skin and is toxic if swallowed.

1642

Shivereana rubber plant

Ficus elastica 'Shivereana'

The Shivereana rubber plant (Ficus elastica 'Shivereana') is a variegated cultivar of the rubber plant, also sold as 'Moonshine'. Its large, thick, glossy leaves are marbled with cream, lime green and dark green in an irregular pattern, so no two leaves look alike. New leaves emerge from a sheath and may carry a pink blush before settling into their final colors. The species is native to Asia, from the Himalayas to Malaysia, Sumatra and Java. Indoors it grows on an upright stem to about 2 m, but it can be pruned to stay smaller. Like every rubber plant, it has a sticky milky sap that irritates skin and is toxic if eaten.

1643

Rubber Plant 'Tineke'

Ficus elastica 'Tineke'

The Ficus elastica 'Tineke' is a striking variegated cultivar of the classic rubber plant, part of the Moraceae family. Its large, glossy, ovate leaves display a marbled pattern of dark green, light green, and creamy white to pink margins, making it one of the most sought-after variegated ficus for indoor decor. In its native tropical range across South and Southeast Asia, the parent species can grow into a towering tree, but as a houseplant Tineke typically stays between 1.5 and 3 meters tall. Like other ficus, it exudes a milky latex sap when cut or damaged, which is mildly toxic and can irritate skin, eyes, and mucous membranes in both pets and people. Because variegated tissue contains less chlorophyll, Tineke needs brighter light than plain-leaf rubber plants to maintain vivid coloring and avoid reverting to solid green growth.

1644

Narrow-Leaf Fig

Ficus longifolia

Ficus longifolia, widely sold in the houseplant trade as the narrow-leaf fig (also known as Ficus Alii), is a tropical evergreen fig in the Moraceae family. Native to tropical regions of Africa and Asia, it is grown almost exclusively as an ornamental indoor tree, prized for its slender, glossy, lance-shaped leaves that give it a graceful, weeping silhouette distinct from broader-leaved ficus relatives. Like other figs, it produces its tiny flowers hidden inside an enclosed syconium (fig), so showy blooms are not part of its appeal - the foliage is the star. Indoors it can be trained into a small tree or braided-trunk form, reaching up to about 3 m (10 ft) in a container over many years.

1645

Giant-leaved Fig

Ficus lutea

Hard 💧 10 days ☀️ Bright indirect

Ficus lutea, commonly known as the Giant-leaved Fig or African Fig Tree, is a majestic fig tree native to tropical and southern Africa. It is distinguished by its exceptionally large, glossy leaves with prominent yellow veining, ranging from 13 to 43 cm in length. In its natural habitat it can reach 25 metres in height with a crown spanning 30–45 metres. A member of the Moraceae family, it can adopt a strangler fig habit in the wild.

1646

Fiddle Leaf Fig

Ficus lyrata

The Fiddle Leaf Fig is a stunning tropical plant native to West African rainforests, prized for its large, violin-shaped glossy green leaves. It has become one of the most popular houseplants for its dramatic architectural presence. In the wild, it can grow up to 40 feet tall, while indoors it typically reaches 6-10 feet. Known for being somewhat finicky, it rewards patient care with spectacular foliage.

1647

Banana Leaf Fig

Ficus maclellandii

Ficus maclellandii, widely known as the banana leaf fig or Ficus Alii, is an evergreen tree in the fig family native to Southeast Asia, India, and southern China. Its long, narrow, glossy leaves resemble banana foliage and give the popular 'Alii' cultivar an elegant, slender profile. Grown indoors as a striking floor plant, it forms a dense, upright canopy and adapts well to typical home conditions once established.

1648

Moreton Bay Fig

Ficus macrophylla

Ficus macrophylla, known as the Moreton Bay Fig or Australian Banyan, is a majestic large evergreen tree native to eastern Australia. Belonging to the Moraceae family, it can reach over 60 meters in height in the wild, with dramatic aerial roots and a sweeping canopy that can cover areas equivalent to several football fields. It is widely planted in parks, public gardens, and boulevards of tropical and subtropical cities worldwide. As an indoor plant, it grows slowly in containers and serves as a striking architectural focal point.

1649

Chinese Banyan

Ficus microcarpa

Ficus microcarpa, commonly known as the Chinese Banyan or Indian Laurel, is a large evergreen fig tree native to South and Southeast Asia and Australia. Renowned for its glossy dark-green leaves, distinctive aerial roots, and ability to form impressive canopies, it is widely planted as a street tree in warm climates and is a favourite bonsai subject worldwide. It is often confused with Ficus retusa, but Ficus microcarpa is the currently accepted name.

1650

Natal Fig

Ficus natalensis

Easy 💧 10 days ☀️ Direct sun

Ficus natalensis, commonly known as the Natal fig, is an evergreen tree in the fig family (Moraceae), native to eastern and southern Africa, ranging from north-eastern South Africa up through Uganda and Kenya. In the wild it can grow from 10 to 30 meters tall, forming a wide-spreading crown with characteristic aerial roots typical of strangler figs. Its leaves are glossy, elliptical and leathery, and it bears small reddish or yellowish figs. Thanks to its vigorous growth, thickening trunk, and excellent tolerance to pruning and wiring, it has become one of the most popular species for bonsai cultivation and is also grown as a low-maintenance houseplant.

1651

Punjab Fig

Ficus palmata

Ficus palmata, known as the Punjab Fig or Wild Himalayan Fig, is a tough deciduous fig native to the dry, rocky slopes of the western Himalayas, from Pakistan and northern India to Afghanistan and the Arabian Peninsula. Unlike its cultivated cousin Ficus carica, this wild fig thrives in poor, well-drained soil under full sun, producing small sweet fruits eaten fresh or dried by local communities.

1652

Rock Fig

Ficus petiolaris

Medium 💧 10 days ☀️ Direct sun

Ficus petiolaris, the rock fig, is a dry-deciduous fig tree native to the rocky canyons and cliffs of Baja California, Sonora, and south to Oaxaca in Mexico. In the wild it grows 6-10 m tall, its roots gripping bare stone in search of soil and swelling into a striking caudex-like base. Cultivated specimens are prized for their heart-shaped leaves with rose-tinted veins and are popular as container and bonsai subjects.

1653

Creeping Fig

Ficus pumila

Easy 💧 5 days ☀️ Partial shade

Ficus pumila is a vigorous, fast-growing evergreen vine native to East Asia. Known for its ability to cling to walls and surfaces with aerial rootlets, this versatile plant produces small, heart-shaped leaves that create a lush green carpet. Indoors it makes an elegant trailing or climbing houseplant, while outdoors it serves as an excellent ground cover or wall climber in temperate and tropical climates.

1654

Sacred Fig

Ficus religiosa

Ficus religiosa, native to the Indian subcontinent and Indochina, is a large semi-evergreen fig tree in the Moraceae family. In the wild it develops a broad, spreading canopy with distinctive heart-shaped, long-tipped leaves that shimmer and rustle in the slightest breeze, a trait celebrated in Buddhist and Hindu literature. Grown as a bonsai or potted specimen it stays compact while retaining its iconic drip-tip foliage.

1655

Ginseng Ficus

Ficus retusa