Edit Plant: Ficus benjamina

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'''''Ficus benjamina''''', commonly known as the '''Weeping Fig''' or '''Benjamin's Fig''' and often sold in stores as just a '''"Ficus"''', is a species of [[ficus|fig]] tree, native to south and southeast [[Asia]] and [[Australia]]. It is the official tree of [[Bangkok]], [[Thailand]]. It is a [[topiary]] [[tree]] reaching {{convert|30|m|ft}} tall in natural conditions, with gracefully drooping branchlets and glossy [[leaf|leaves]] 6–13&nbsp;cm (2–5&nbsp;in) long, oval with an acuminate tip. In its native range, its small fruit are a favorite food of some birds, such as the [[Superb Fruit-dove]], [[Wompoo Fruit-dove]], [[Pink-spotted Fruit-dove]], [[Ornate Fruit-dove]], [[Orange-bellied Fruit-dove]], [[Torresian Imperial-pigeon]], [[Purple-tailed Imperial-pigeon]] (Frith ''et al.'' 1976). In tropical latitudes, the Weeping Fig makes a very large and stately tree for parks and other urban situations, such as wide roads. It is often cultivated for this purpose. It is a very popular [[house plant]] in temperate areas, due to its elegant growth and tolerance of poor growing conditions; it does best under bright, sunny conditions but will also tolerate considerable shade. It requires a moderate amount of watering in summer, and only enough to keep it from drying out in the winter. It does not need to be misted. The plant is sensitive to cold and should be protected from strong drafts. When grown indoors, it can grow too large for its situation, and may need drastic pruning or replacing. The leaves are very sensitive to small changes in light. When it is re-located it reacts by dropping many of its leaves and replacing them with new leaves adapted to the new light intensity. The miniature cultivars, especially 'Too Little', are among the most popular plant for [[indoor bonsai]]. Weeping Fig has been shown by [[NASA]] to effectively filter indoor air [[toxins]].<ref name="nasastudy">{{cite web|url=http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/ssctrs.ssc.nasa.gov/foliage_air/foliage_air.pdf|title=Foliage Plants for Removing Indoor Air Pollutants from Energy-efficient Homes|author=B. C. Wolverton, Rebecca C. McDonald, and E. A. Watkins, Jr|accessdate=2007-05-03|format=PDF}}</ref> The United States Forest Service [http://hort.ufl.edu/trees/FICBENA.pdf] in Fact Sheet ST-251 states "Roots grow rapidly invading gardens, growing under and lifting sidewalks, patios, and driveways." They conclude its use in tree form is much too large for residential planting, therefore in these settings, this species should only be used as a hedge or clipped screen. {{Inc| Ficus benjamina, Linn. A tree with small lvs., and smooth throughout: lvs. thin, not much coriaceous, shining, ovate-elliptic, entire, the apex sharply acuminate, 2-4½ in- long; lateral primary nerves very numerous, freely intermingling near the margins of the lvs.: frs. in pairs, axillary and sessile, smooth and blood-red when ripe. Malayan Penins. K. 52. 83h. Ficus benjamina Var. comosa, Kurz. Sepals lanceolate-acuminate rather than spatulate: fr. ¾ in. diam., narrowed at base rather than globose or ovoid. {{SCH}} }} ==Cultivation== {{edit-cult}}<!--- Type cultivation info below this line, then delete this entire line --> ===Propagation=== {{edit-prop}}<!--- Type propagation info below this line, then delete this entire line --> ===Pests and diseases=== {{edit-pests}}<!--- Type pest/disease info below this line, then delete this entire line --> ==Cultivars== ==Gallery== {{photo-sources}}<!-- remove this line if there are already 3 or more photos in the gallery --> <gallery> File:Ficus benjamina (Weeping Fig) in Hyderabad W IMG 8314.jpg|tree in [[Hyderabad, India]]. File:Ficus benjamina (Weeping Fig) in Hyderabad W IMG 8313.jpg|fig in [[Hyderabad, India]]. File:Ficus benjamina (Weeping Fig) in Hyderabad W IMG 8308.jpg|leaves in [[Hyderabad, India]]. File:Ficus benjamina (Weeping Fig) trunk in Hyderabad W IMG 8310.jpg|trunk in [[Hyderabad, India]]. File:Weeping-fig Ficus-benjamina.jpg|Leaves </gallery> ==References== *[[Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture]], by L. H. Bailey, MacMillan Co., 1963 <!--- xxxxx *Flora: The Gardener's Bible, by Sean Hogan. Global Book Publishing, 2003. ISBN 0881925381 --> <!--- xxxxx *American Horticultural Society: A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants, by Christopher Brickell, Judith D. Zuk. 1996. ISBN 0789419432 --> <!--- xxxxx *Sunset National Garden Book. Sunset Books, Inc., 1997. ISBN 0376038608 --> ==External links== *{{wplink}} __NOTOC__

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