Sabre Tooth Fig

Sabre Tooth Fig (Ficus binnendijkii, still widely sold as Ficus longifolia) carries long narrow leaves on softly weeping branches, reaching about 5m tall and 3m wide in the ground. It is the fig to choose when you want the movement of a weeping tree at a manageable scale, indoors or out. Grown in a container it stays far smaller.

Why you'll love it

• A weeping habit at a usable size. Slender leaves hang from arching branches, giving the look of a large weeping fig on a 5m frame.
• It works indoors or out. Tolerant of low light and dry indoor air, so the same plant suits a warm courtyard or a bright corner inside.
• Low maintenance once settled. Drought tolerant, humidity tolerant and slow to complain, needing little beyond water and an occasional trim.
• A soft, quick screen. Planted 2m apart it forms a green wall without the hard formality of a clipped hedge.

Where it works best

Screening and privacy. Plant 2m apart for a dense screen. Keep the row well clear of pipes, paving and pool shells, because like all figs the roots are vigorous and will find a crack.

Pots and interiors. A container holds it to a fraction of its garden size and keeps those roots contained, which is the safest way to use it on a small block, a balcony or inside.

Growing Sabre Tooth Fig in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun to bright part shade outdoors, bright indirect light inside. It suits tropical, subtropical and warm temperate gardens only. It is frost tender, so in cooler districts grow it in a pot and move it under cover for winter.

Soil. Free draining garden soil with compost worked through, or a premium potting mix in a container with real drainage holes. Figs sulk in wet feet.

Water and feed. Keep the soil evenly moist through the first summer, then water deeply and less often. A balanced slow release fertiliser in spring and again in midsummer is enough. Indoors, let the top few centimetres dry before watering.

Pruning. It takes pruning well and reshoots readily, so trim in the warm months to control height or thicken the canopy. Cuts bleed milky sap, so wear gloves.

What to expect when it arrives

It is grown in 300mm and 400mm pots. The 300mm plants have a developing canopy on a single leader and are the practical choice for a screening row or a first indoor pot. The 400mm plants arrive as substantial specimens with real presence from day one.

Some leaf drop in the first fortnight is normal for a fig responding to a change of light, not a sign of a failing plant. Keep the watering steady and it refoliates within a month or two. Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95 and a minimum order of $300 before delivery, and every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Read the complete fig and ficus care guide.
• Compare varieties in the ficus collection.
• Browse companions in the indoor plants range.
• See other screening plants that reach 4m to 8m.

Common questions

Are the roots a problem near a house or pool?

Treat them with respect. Fig roots are vigorous and can lift paving or find their way into pipes, so plant well clear of services and pool shells, or grow it in a pot where the root system stays contained.

Can I grow it indoors permanently?

Yes. In bright indirect light it will sit happily at a fraction of its garden height for years. Rotate the pot every few weeks and wipe dust off the leaves so it can use the light it has.

Why did it drop leaves after delivery?

A change in light triggers leaf drop in figs, and transit is a big change. Give it one stable position, water when the surface dries, and resist moving it again. New leaves follow within weeks.