Ficus exasperata
Forest sandpaper fig · Sandpaper tree · Brahma's Banyan
Description
Source: leafsnapFicus exasperata, also called the sandpaper tree, forest sandpaper fig, white fig, or sandpaper leaf tree, is a deciduous, and dioecious species of plant in the mulberry family Moraceae, native to tropical Africa (an area from Senegal east to Ethiopia and south to Angola and Mozambique) and southern Asia (India, Sri Lanka, Yemen).
Care Guide
💧 Water
☀️ Light Partial sun
King's fig comes from habitats like forest understories and rocky locations where it grows under natural shade. It prefers partial sun but can tolerate full sun or full shade, illustrating its hardy, adaptable nature.
🌡️ Temperature 20–37.8°C
King's fig comes from tropical areas, where the weather is usually warm and humid. Because of this, it is adapted to high temperatures and humidity. It does not tolerate sudden temperature changes and prefers a consistent temperature, so keeping indoor temperatures stable is important. It generally cannot withstand cold and needs higher temperatures to grow. If the ambient temperature falls too low, the plant may stop growing or even die.
💨 Humidity
🪴 Soil 6-7
🌱 Fertilizer
The best time to fertilize a King's fig is in early spring as it breaks dormancy. This encourages overall growth and the development of flowers. Fertilizing improves the leaves, stems, and branches, and encourages flowers that are large, vivid, and long-lasting. It also helps transport nutrients from the roots to the blooms and enhances the plant's health and resistance to disease.
🪴 Pot & Repot
✂️ Pruning
🌿 Propagating
🐛 Diseases & pets
☠️ Toxicity
Characteristics
- Plant Type
- Tree
- Life Cycle
- Perennial
- Genus
- Ficus
- Family
- Moraceae
- Hardiness Zone
- 10-12
- Mature Height
- 20.12 m
- Mature Spread
- 4.88 m to 10.06 m
- Leaf Color
- Green
- Leaf Type
- Evergreen
- Bloom Time
- Late spring, Summer, Early fall, Mid fall
- Planting Time
- Spring, Summer
- Harvest Time
- Mid summer, Late summer, Fall, Early winter
- Native Area
- India, Indonesia, Japan, Philippines, Bangladesh, China