How to propagate weeping fig
Ficus benjamina
A practical guide to making more weeping fig at home: the right method, the right time of year, and what to expect.
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How to propagate by stem cuttings
Weeping fig has thin, woody stems that root from semi-ripe cuttings. The RHS also lists leaf-bud cuttings, which turn one shoot into several new plants.
Wear gloves before cutting or dividing. Sap or foliage can irritate skin. Avoid contact with eyes and mouth, and wash your hands after handling. Keep cut pieces out of reach of children and pets.
- 01
Take cuttings in spring or summer. Put on gloves first, because the sticky white sap irritates skin.
- 02
Leave the plant where it stands while you work. Weeping figs often shed leaves after they are moved.
- 03
Cut a 10–15 cm (4–6 in) shoot tip from this year’s growth, just below a leaf joint. The base should be firm and the tip still soft.
- 04
For leaf-bud cuttings, cut a shoot into short pieces that each keep one leaf and the bud where it joins the stem.
- 05
Remove the lower leaves and insert the cuttings into a pot of half potting mix and half sharp sand. Water and let it drain.
- 06
Cover the pot and keep it bright and out of direct sun. A heated propagator helps the cuttings root.
- 07
Rooting time varies with warmth. Pot each cutting on into potting mix once it resists a gentle tug and grows new leaves.
Air layering
Air layering roots a thicker branch while it stays on the plant. Nurseries use it for weeping figs that are meant to become large trees.
- 01
Air layer in spring. Choose a healthy branch and a point 30–45 cm (12–18 in) from its tip, and remove the leaves just there.
- 02
Wearing gloves, cut a ring of bark about 2.5 cm (1 in) wide all the way around the branch and scrape the exposed wood clean.
- 03
Dust the wound with rooting hormone and pack one or two handfuls of damp sphagnum moss around it.
- 04
Wrap the moss in clear plastic and tie it firmly above and below.
- 05
Check for roots through the plastic. They can take several weeks to several months.
- 06
Once a good cluster of roots shows, cut the branch just below the lower tie, remove the plastic and pot the new plant in potting mix.
All weeping fig guides
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Common questions
What is the best way to propagate a weeping fig?
Take semi-ripe cuttings in spring or summer and root them in a warm, covered pot. For a larger new plant, air layer a thicker branch while it stays on the plant.
Why did my weeping fig drop leaves after I took cuttings?
Weeping figs shed leaves when they are moved or when their conditions change. Take cuttings where the plant stands and keep it in the same bright spot afterward.
Is weeping fig sap harmful?
The RHS lists weeping fig as a skin allergen that is harmful if eaten. Wear gloves when you take cuttings and keep them away from pets.
Sources: the RHS Ficus benjamina profile supports leaf-bud and semi-hardwood cuttings and the skin-allergen warning. The RHS ornamental figs guide supports cuttings in spring or summer, a heated propagator, gloves for the sap and leaf drop after moving. The RHS semi-ripe cuttings guide supports the cutting length and sandy mix. NC State Extension supports stem cuttings and leaf drop after a move. Iowa State Extension supports the air-layering position, bark ring, moss, wrap and timing. The UF/IFAS Ficus production guide (archived copy) supports air layering for weeping figs grown into large trees.
Sources: RHS.
7 steps · Varies with warmth. Pot on after new growth · Last reviewed: