FICUS microcarpa hillii (Ficus Hilii Flash)

Ficus Hillii 'Flash' (Ficus microcarpa var. hillii 'Flash') is the fastest way to put a solid evergreen wall across a boundary. Supplied as a 4m ex ground specimen, it is a mature field grown tree lifted with its root ball, so the screen arrives finished. Left unpruned it becomes a spreading tree of 10m or more, which is exactly why it is usually kept clipped.

Why you'll love it

• Instant height. A 4m tree gives immediate privacy above a standard fence line, with none of the waiting smaller stock asks of you.
• It clips like a hedge, at any scale. Dense small leaves and constant reshooting make it the standard choice for pleached screens, cubes, balls and formal columns.
• Hard to knock over. Wind tolerant, salt tolerant, humidity tolerant and drought tolerant once established, so exposed coastal and inland sites both suit it.
• Evergreen and glossy all year. The canopy never thins out seasonally, and the bright flush of new growth gives this selection its name.

Where it works best

Screening and hedging. For a clipped screen from smaller stock, plant 1.5m apart in a single row. At 4m specimen size, space trees 2m to 3m apart along a boundary where each tree carries its own canopy.

Topiary, avenues and windbreaks. It takes shaping better than almost anything else at this size, which is why it lines so many commercial driveways and forecourts. On an open block it filters wind well.

The one caveat. The root system is aggressive and opportunistic. Keep it at least 5m from pipes, pools, paving, retaining walls and foundations, because ficus roots find water and lift hard surfaces.

Growing Ficus Hillii in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun and open ground. It belongs in tropical, subtropical and warm temperate gardens, and takes light frost only, so cold inland districts, the tablelands and hard frosting southern gardens are not suitable. Coastal exposure is no problem.

Soil. Adaptable to most soils provided the site drains. The planting hole matters more than the soil here: dig twice the width of the root ball, backfill firmly with the native soil, and guy the tree until the roots anchor.

Water and feed. A freshly transplanted tree of this size needs deep, consistent watering for its first full year while the cut roots regenerate. Feed a complete fertiliser in spring and again in late summer, and mulch widely, clear of the trunk.

Pruning. Trim two or three times through the warm months for a formal face, less often for an informal screen. It reshoots readily from old wood, so a neglected specimen can be cut back hard.

What to expect when it arrives

This is a single size, a 4m ex ground tree, currently on backorder. It is heavy, so plan for machinery or several people, and have the hole dug before it arrives.

Expect leaf drop and a quiet month or two after planting while the root system rebuilds. That is normal transplant behaviour, not a fault, and strong growth follows in the first warm season. Advanced and large stock is freighted at cost and delivered Australia wide, with a minimum order of $300 before delivery. Every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Shaping and maintaining ficus hillii topiary
• Browse the ex ground tree range
• Compare other ficus varieties
• Mature plants for immediate privacy

Common questions

How close can I plant it to the house or a pool?

Keep at least 5m of clearance from any structure, pipe, pool shell or paved surface. The roots are strong enough to lift concrete over time, so this is the single most important decision you will make with this tree.

Can it be kept at a set height?

Yes. With two or three trims a year it holds anywhere from 3m upwards as a clipped hedge or screen. Left alone it will keep going well past 10m.

What does ex ground mean for planting?

The tree has grown in a field and been lifted with a wrapped root ball, so it needs prepared ground promptly and heavy watering through its first year. Keep the wrapping intact until the tree sits in the hole.