Ficus hillii ‘Emerald’

Ficus hillii 'Emerald' (Ficus microcarpa var. hillii 'Emerald') is the fastest way to a tall, dense, dark green screen. Left untrimmed it reaches around 9m tall and 3.5m wide, but its real job is as a clipped hedge or pleached screen held at whatever height you choose. One warning up front: the roots are vigorous and invasive, so siting matters more here than with any other screening plant.

Why you'll love it

• Height without width. Naturally tall and narrow at about 9m by 3.5m, so it screens a two storey outlook from a narrow strip of garden.
• Takes clipping beautifully. It reshoots readily from old wood, which is why it is the standard choice for formal hedges, pleached screens and topiary.
• Fast, and evergreen with it. Growth is quick in warm weather and the canopy stays dense all year, with no bare winter period.
• Handles coast, wind and humidity. Salt and wind tolerant, so exposed coastal boundaries suit it. This northern Australian native also brings fruit eating birds in.

Where it works best

Screening and formal hedging. Plant 1m apart in a single row. That spacing gives a continuous face within two to three seasons and lets you hold the hedge anywhere from 2m to 6m with two trims a year.

Windbreaks and coastal boundaries. A staggered double row at 1m spacing filters wind on an exposed block rather than creating turbulence behind a solid barrier.

Topiary and driveway avenues. It shapes cleanly into columns, cubes and pleached panels, and lines a drive well provided the roots have room away from the pavement.

Growing Ficus hillii Emerald in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun for the densest hedge, part shade if you accept a looser screen. It is a tropical, subtropical and warm temperate plant that takes light frost only, so cold tableland, inland and southern gardens should choose a hardier screen instead.

Soil and siting. Almost any soil with reasonable drainage will do. The critical point is placement: keep plants at least 5m from pipes, pools, paving, retaining walls and house foundations, because fig roots lift and crack hard surfaces and will find drains.

Water and feed. Deep soak twice a week through the first summer, then taper off as it becomes drought tolerant. A complete slow release fertiliser in early spring and mid summer keeps growth even.

Pruning. Trim from the first year to build density. Two cuts a year hold a formal face, and because it reshoots from bare wood a neglected hedge can be cut back hard and will recover.

What to expect when it arrives

This ficus is grown as tube stock and in 200mm pots sold in packs of six. Tubes are the economical way to plant a long boundary, closing about a season behind the larger size. The 200mm plants are branched and give a faster start on a shorter run.

Plants are packed to travel upright and delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Expect a quiet few weeks after planting, then rapid growth through the first warm season. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Using Ficus hillii for topiary and formal shapes
• Compare the full ficus range
• Tall and narrow screening plants
• Browse hedging and screening options

Common questions

Will the roots damage pipes or paving?

They can. Fig roots are vigorous and invasive, so keep this plant at least 5m from drains, pools, paving and foundations, or install a root barrier. On a small block, choose a different screen.

How far apart should I plant it for a hedge?

One metre apart in a single row. Tighter spacing does not close the gap faster and makes feeding and watering the row harder.

Can I keep it at 3m?

Yes. Two trims a year hold it anywhere between 2m and 6m, and it stays furnished to the ground rather than lifting into bare trunks.