Plant Care Curly Fig

Curly Fig

4.0 out of 5 (27 experiences)

Curly Fig has a Fast grower plant personality Fast grower
Curly Fig has a Survivor plant personality Survivor

About Curly Fig

Did you know that all plants in the Ficus genus produce figs? In fact, the word Ficus quite literally means figs! Even cooler, all figs are pollinated by tiny wasps that use the fruits as a safe place to raise their young. 🐝 Ficus plants also contain latex which emerges as a milky sap when twigs are broken. This latex makes them toxic, so be sure to keep a close eye out if you have children or pets!

Taxonomy

Ficus pumila
Ficus
Moraceae
Rosales

Also known as

Creeping Fig, Creeping Fig, Climbing Fig, Ficus ripens, Ice Caps and String of Frogs

How to care for Curly Fig

💦 Water

How often to water your Curly Fig

Water needs for Curly Fig
0.5 cups
every 9

Curly Fig needs 0.5 cups of water every 9 when it doesn’t get direct sunlight and is potted in a 5" pot.

Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.

Calculate water needs of Curly Fig

Water 0.5 cups every
9

Does your plant get direct sunlight?

Select the pot size

5"
☀️ Light

Finding light for Creeping Fig in your home

Light needs and placement for plant Curly Fig: 1ft from a window
1ft or less from
a window

Curly Fig love being close to bright, sunny windows 😎.

Place it less than 1ft from a south-facing window to maximize the potential for growth.

Curly Fig does not tolerate low-light 🚫.

Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement of Curly Fig in your home 🏡.

🪴 Nutrients

How to fertilize Curly Fig

Nutrient, fertilizer, and repotting needs for Curly Fig: repot after 2X growth

Most potting soils come with ample nutrients which plants use to produce new growth.

By the time your plant has depleted the nutrients in its soil it’s likely grown enough to need a larger pot anyway.

To replenish this plant's nutrients, repot your Curly Fig after it doubles in size or once a year—whichever comes first.

Browse #Ficus
💡 FAQs
⭐ Difficulty Level

Curly Fig is generally easy to care for, though some plant parents report facing challenges with growing it. Check out the reviews down below to read more about their experiences!

Benefits of Growing Creeping Fig →

Common Creeping Fig Problems →


💦 Water Needs

Curly Fig prefers for the soil to dry out between waterings and should be watered regularly. Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.

Creeping Fig Water Frequency →

Creeping Fig Root Rot →


☀️ Sunlight Needs

Curly Fig requires abundant, bright and direct light. Place it less than one foot from a window to ensure it receives enough light to survive 💪. Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement in your home 🏡.

Creeping Fig Light Requirements →

Creeping Fig Direct Sunlight Needs & Tolerance →


🐶 🐈 👶 Toxicity

Curly Fig is not safe to consume. If you, a family member, or a pet has ingested any amount of plant material contact Poison Control, US (800) 222-1222, or your veterinarian. If you have children, cats, or dogs in the home, we suggest keeping this plant out of reach.

Creeping Fig Toxicity to Cats →

Creeping Fig Toxicity to Dogs →

Creeping Fig Toxicity to Humans →


💨 Humidity

Curly Fig prefers dry environments. Providing extra humidity or misting your plant allows water to linger on leaves, which can create the perfect environment for harmful types of fungi.

Creeping Fig Humidity Needs →


🪴 Soil

Curly Fig does best in well-draining soil. A good soil will contain lots of organic matter such as coco coir as well as perlite or vermiculite to help with drainage. Adding a handful of perlite to regular store-bought potting soil should do the trick!

Best Soil Mix for Creeping Fig →

When and How to Successfully Repot Creeping Fig →


💩 Fertilizer

Curly Fig should be repotted after it doubles in size or once a year, whichever comes first. Fresh potting soil has all the nutrients your plant needs, so as long as it’s refreshed yearly, you shouldn’t need to use fertilizer. Remember, plants get their energy from sunlight, not fertilizer!

How Much and When to Fertilize Creeping Fig →


❄️ Dormancy

It’s common for Curly Fig to go dormant in the wintertime and you may notice their growth slow down. Waterings should be spaced out more during this time.


🌎 Native Region

Curly Fig is native to worldwide Tropics.


🌸 Flowers

Yes, you may see your Curly Fig bloom with the right amount of sunlight and water.

Creeping Fig Flowers →


⬆️ ⬇️ Growth Pattern

Curly Fig is a naturally climbing plant and can be trained to climb indoors if you provide a moss pole or trellis. The newest growth will emerge from the end of the stems.

How and When to Prune Creeping Fig →


🌦️ Growing Outdoors

USDA Hardiness Zone
Curly Fig can be grown outdoors in USDA Hardiness Zones 8a-11b. Find your local hardiness zone here.

Creeping Fig Temperature Tolerance →


🌱 Propagation

Curly Fig can be propagated by the stem method. To propagate:

  • Make a cut just above the node. The node is the break in the stem where the leaf emerges.
  • To get the cutting to root, you can either:
    • Place the cutting in water until roots emerge and are ~2” long and then transplant into well-draining soil, or
    • Place the cutting directly into well-draining soil and water when dry.

How to Propagate Creeping Fig →


🍂 Yellow Leaves

Yellow leaves aren’t always a reason to panic, and can be a normal part of a plant’s life cycle. Unless brand new leaves are turning yellow or all the leaves change color at once, it’s likely just your plant shedding old leaves.

Overwatering and root rot are the most likely cause of problems in Curly Fig, since they are sensitive to wet soil. The leaves may also appear to be curling or drooping. Less often, yellow leaves are caused by underwatering, nutrient deficiencies, or pests.

Replace soggy soil with fresh, dry soil and download Greg to make sure your plant never gets overwatered again!


🧐 Troubleshooting

When troubleshooting a sad-looking houseplant, start by checking for signs of distress in its leaves, such as yellowing, browning, or drooping, which can indicate overwatering or nutrient deficiencies.

Inspect the soil moisture; too dry or too wet soil can cause problems.

Ensure the plant is getting the right amount of light, as too much or too little can stress it.

Finally, consider environmental factors like temperature and humidity, and adjust care routines accordingly to revive your plant.


Care Summary for Curly Fig

Curly Fig

Curly Fig


Greg recommends:

Water

0.5 cups every 9 days

Placement

< 1ft from a window

Nutrients

Repot after 2x growth

Based on the 4” pot your plant is in, and that it doesn’t get direct sunlight.

What other plant parents say

Curly Fig has a Fast grower plant personality Fast grower 10
Curly Fig has a Survivor plant personality Survivor 9
Curly Fig has a Browns easily plant personality Browns easily 7
Curly Fig has a Easy to propagate plant personality Easy to propagate 5
@strawberrymoon avatar
@@strawberrymoon
leaf-1 22 Plants
xp 18,698 XP
03/29/2022

ridiculously easy plant!! keeps their variegation even in lower light (there’ll be less but it’s still there) , i water them around the same time as i water my pilea :) they don’t seem picky about anything tbh and they grow very fast

Fast grower Fast grower
Survivor Survivor
@Growingforbuns avatar
@@Growingforbuns
leaf-1 97 Plants
xp 2,866 XP
globe Chicago, IL
11/14/2021

Super cute plant. I love the look of it and the trailing leaves are beautiful. Pretty easy to care for too. I have mine under a grow light in the winter and in a pot with good drainage watering it every week.

@ojoj65 avatar
@@ojoj65
leaf-1 25 Plants
xp 384 XP
globe Cincinnati, OH
09/24/2021

Lovely vining growth, airy and delicate, likes brighter light.

Fast grower Fast grower
Easy to propagate Easy to propagate
Survivor Survivor
@liz.white.121 avatar
@@liz.white.121
leaf-1 8 Plants
xp 208 XP
globe Sandown, England
07/30/2021

The leaves are naturally quite dry so it’s difficult to tell whether you’re watering it too much or not enough. This guy can survive a fair while without watering though, and perks up quickly! Some fronds brown really easily but if you keep an eye on it, it’s a beautiful trailing plant which I love to drape on my bookshelf! 📚

Fast grower Fast grower
Survivor Survivor
Browns easily Browns easily
@Gabooty avatar
@@Gabooty
leaf-1 4 Plants
xp 82 XP
globe Cortland, NY
07/17/2021

Super easy care! On par with a succulent in terms of ease

Survivor Survivor
@mollylphillips avatar
@@mollylphillips
leaf-1 4 Plants
xp 149 XP
globe Omaha, NE
06/09/2021

very easy and nice to look at

Fast grower Fast grower
Easy to propagate Easy to propagate
@soul avatar
@@soul
leaf-1 5 Plants
xp 99 XP
05/26/2021

I keep mine in the shower, needs bright indirect and humidity. I rotate it every time I water so the leaves don’t grow all one direction.

Fast grower Fast grower
@Destinyyyy avatar
@@Destinyyyy
leaf-1 4 Plants
xp 439 XP
05/20/2021

It’s really nice

Easy to propagate Easy to propagate
Ava avatar
@Ava
leaf-1 1 Plants
xp 26 XP
globe Zumbrota, MN
05/18/2021

idk guys i really like this plant although after a while it completely dried up so i’m working on fixing it.

@Maddiemledford avatar
@@Maddiemledford
leaf-1 24 Plants
xp 815 XP
globe Eau Claire, WI
05/11/2021

This plant genuinely hates me

Browns easily Browns easily
@alex avatar
@@alex
leaf-1 4 Plants
xp 10,538 XP
globe Los Angeles, CA
05/01/2021

I want to like these plants so much because they’re cool climbers, but they brown pretty easily. They need to be watered every 1-3 days depending on environment (sunlight, pot size).

Browns easily Browns easily
@liam avatar
@@liam
leaf-1 19 Plants
xp 1,266 XP
globe Lake Forest, CA
03/03/2021

cute baby <3

Regina avatar
@Regina
leaf-1 4 Plants
xp 77 XP
globe Amityville, NY
03/02/2021

Resilient

Survivor Survivor

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