Ficus Audrey is a ficus plant that has been popular in the gardening world for many years. These plants are simple to care for, requiring little attention from their owners. With proper care and maintenance, ficus audrey can live up to 40 years! This article will cover ficus audrey identification, best practices of ficus audrey care, and what you should do if your ficus audrey is not doing well. Read on for everything you need to know about audrey ficus!
And when you’re ready to take a chance on this beauty, you may find audrey ficus for sale on Amazon.
What is a Ficus Audrey?
Ficus Audrey is a ficus tree that grows to about 12 feet in height. It can be classified either as an indoor or outdoor ficus, though it prefers the latter environment and generally will not fare well indoors for long periods of time. Ficus audrey has been shown to thrive outdoors with direct sunlight exposure all day every day.
Origins of Ficus Audrey
Ficus Audrey is an indoor fern that originates from the country of Guyana. It was first discovered in 1928 by Frits Winge and named after Mrs. Audrey Iberia Westphalen, a botanic artist who went on expeditions with her husband to collect specimens for his plant illustrations.
Ficus Audrey common names include ficus tree fern, lace feren and ficus benghalensis audrey.
Ficus Audrey Care Guide
There are ficus audrey plants that grow outside. One way you can tell if your ficus audrey is happy or not is by looking at the colour of its fronds. They should be bright green in colour, with no yellowing or brown spots on them. Read on for the full care guide.
Soil
The ficus audrey likes to have soil with a lot of organic material and not too much sand. It doesn’t like rich, heavy soils that are high in fertilizers or peat moss. There should be about three parts potting mix, one part loam and one part leaf mould for ficus audreys grown outside (or those that are inside but near a window).
Also, ficus audreys like their soil to be moist before you water them and dry after watering. They don’t want it wet all the time because it can rot easily if there’s too much moisture in the soil.
Lighting
Lighting is not an important ficus audrey care detail. However, ficus audreys need the right amount of light and should be placed in a room with access to natural sunlight. Avoid placing ficus audrey near windows or doors that get direct sun for prolonged periods of time as this may scorch leaves.
Place ficus plants in a room with access to natural light or near windows that get indirect sun exposure during only the morning hours.
Watering
One of the most common ficus care mistakes is overwatering. The ficus will tell you whether or not it needs more water by drooping its leaves, so if your ficaus seems unhappy and thirsty, then give it some time between watering sessions. Focusing on a plant’s natural potting mix instructions is a good start to ficus care. If it is time for your ficus audrey’s once-a-month watering, then they will be thirsty and need the water more than ever.
Temperature
A ficus will thrive in a range of temperatures. The ficus audrey is happiest when it is between 68-77 degrees Fahrenheit, so do not worry about the ambient temperature as long as you keep your ficus where they are most comfortable.
The ficus has thrived for over 150 years and remains near extinction due to its ficus care and ficus plant requirements.
Humidity
Ficus are not fussy about the humidity around them and will happily thrive in a range. Since ficus plants are native to warm, humid climates, they will need at least 50% humidity in order to thrive. Uric acid buildup can sometimes occur in the leaf of a ficus audrey causing the plant to wither and droop its leaves.
Fertiliser
Ficus Audrey ficus trees are very slow growing and fickle, which is why they need to be fertilized. Fertiliser should be applied at least once a month in the summer months with good quality potting mix or organic compost being used as a substitute.
In winter this can be reduced to about twice a year. Good quality potting mix or organic compost is usually used as a substitute for fertiliser.
Toxicity
As ficus plants are so common in homes, they’re also the most toxic. Ficus trees tend to be more sensitive than other houseplants and have been found to release a chemical called vernix caseosa that can cause irritation, burning sensations and skin inflammation. It is possible for ficus to release the ficus vernix caseosa when in contact with water, fertilizers, soaps and other chemicals.
This is a result of fysis natural defense system called allelopathy that protects against herbivores. The most common symptoms for those who have become sensitive to ficus plants are skin irritation or rashes.
Pruning
Pruning ficus audrey is a necessary part of maintaining the plant. Pruning keeps ficus plants healthy and helps them grow taller. Because ficus trees are large, it can be difficult to prune without damaging other branches or leaves.
Tools needed for ficus trimming: step one, remove large branches with a saw; step two, use scissors to cut smaller limbs and leaves. Make sure you always have clean foliage and tools so that your ficus can stay healthy.
Propagation and Growth
Propagating ficus plants is relatively easy and ficus Audrey are no exception. The ficus plant should be allowed to grow for about a year before the technique of propagation may even come into consideration, but once it reaches this point then there are various techniques that can be used.
- Cut the ficus back by one third in early winter with pruners or scissors
- Remove a ficus’s branch by cutting it cleanly from the parent plant, and use that as your new ficus Audrey. (Be sure to leave at least one leaf on the lower end of this stem)
- Dig up a ficus which is dormant in winter. Place these roots into water for two weeks before transplanting into soil.
- Ficus Audrey can also be grown by layering ficus plants, this is done by bending a branch over to the ground and burying it in dirt so that new roots will grow up from the buried stem. In time these ficusses will become rooted and you may cut them off of their mother plant for propagation.
Repotting
The ficus audrey tree needs repotting every year or two. The pot should be about one size larger than the previous container and made of lightweight material, such as plastic to reduce weight on the plant’s roots. If reusing an old container that has been cleaned well, drill drainage holes in it near where water is likely to collect.
Plant Diseases
Ficus Audrey are known to suffer from fusarium wilt and root rot. These diseases can be treated with a fungicide, but the plant may still die if it is left untreated for too long. Other common problems include leaves turning yellow or brown, wilting foliage , small twigs emerging from old woody branches that have died back, and ficus audrey leaves that are dropping.
UV light is the ficus’ worst enemy, so make sure that your houseplant gets at least 12 hours of filtered sunlight. If you don’t have a window with this kind of exposure, try to find one room in your home that does and rotate it around periodically. The ficus will also need about eight hours of total darkness each day.
Ficus Audrey Variegated
Ficus audrey variegated is a ficus tree with variegated leaves, which is why it’s called ficus audrey variegated. The ficus trees are slow growers and can survive in low light conditions. Ficus Audrey Variegated plants need to be watered about once every two weeks or so but the soil needs to drain well because they cannot withstand standing water.
If you want ficus audrey variegated to turn green, then it needs a little bit more light and would be best in an office or living room type of environment. When the ficus plant is too cold, it can turn brown and drop all of its leaves. The ficus plant is perfect for an office or living room type environment because the ficus plants need a little bit more light to stay green than other ficus trees like ficus benjamina.
Ficus audrey varieties can bear fruit and ficus benjamina varieties cannot. If you want to get a ficus plant for your office or living room, then ficus audrey variegated would be the best option because it needs more light than other ficus trees like ficus benjamina that are better in low-light conditions.
Common Issues with Ficus Audrey
The ficus is prone to problems with spider mites and scale, but these can be prevented by keeping the plant in a humid environment (50% relative humidity). If you are combating an infestation of either pests, wash the leaves of your ficus down with warm water, then spray with an insecticide (available at garden centers) that is recommended for ficus plants.
Ficus audrey leaves curling is another common problem. This ficus tree is more prone to curling than others, so if a ficus audrey has curled leaves it needs to be watered regularly and the soil should not have too much fertilizer in it.
Tips for Keeping Ficus Audrey Happy
Ficus plants prefer warm, humid conditions and don’t thrive in cool environments. In dry air conditions, mist the leaves regularly to keep them hydrated and healthy. It’s also a good idea to place the ficus in an east- or south-facing window.
Other tips to keep your audrey ficus plant happy: water when the soil is dry but not too wet; use a lukewarm shower or faucet spray rather than cold tap water in order to avoid shocking sensitive roots; if you need to prune ficus audrey to control its size, make cuts at a 45-degree angle and leave the pruned branch on the ficus tree for two weeks to ensure it heals properly.
Do not fertilize the ficus plant too much because they cannot stand up to fertilizer in soil with high nitrogen content like other ficus trees can; if you want green leaves then try putting ficus Audrey in a brighter room.
Ficus Audrey Frequently Asked Questions
How do you care for Audrey Ficus?
Ficus Audrey is a fiddle leaf fig tree. It’s easy to care for and can grow in both high and low light conditions.
How big does a ficus Audrey get?
A ficus Audrey can grow anywhere from a foot to six feet, with the average ficus Audrey being about three and half feet. Generally speaking, it will take at least five years for your ficus audrey to reach its full potential height in adulthood so don’t be alarmed if you plant one today and it only grows two inches.
Is Ficus Audrey hard to care for?
One of the many ficus species, ficus audrey is a very popular indoor houseplant. It has a thick trunk with glossy leaves that grow from it and droop down. This ficus plant is actually one of the most low maintenance plants around which makes them a good choice for those who don’t have much time to care for houseplants or want an easy plant that won’t need any special treatments in order to survive.
Ficus not only grow well under artificial light, ficus audrey actually prefers this type of light as a natural ficus will not grow well in an office setting with artificial lighting.
Is Ficus Audrey slow growing?
Ficus Audrey is not a slow growing ficus. Its growth rate has been described as moderate to fast, with some plants maturing in three years or less.
Are ficus Audrey pets safe?
Ficus Audrey pets are safe and pose no significant threats to their owners.
Is Ficus Audrey rare?
Ficus Audrey is not rare and can be found in some specialized nurseries. You may also find ficus audrey for sale on Amazon for just $21.99.
Conclusion
The ficus audrey is one of the most popular houseplants and for good reason: they’re easy to care for! It’s even said that ficus plants can improve your home’s air quality by removing toxins such as formaldehyde, styrene, and benzene from the air. To really take care of ficus Audrey, the ficus audrey needs a location with plenty of indirect sunlight and to be watered sparingly.
The ficus plant is also relatively safe for pets, as long as they are not eaten by your feline friend!
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