Midnight Beauty Ficus

Midnight Beauty Ficus (Ficus benjamina 'Midnight Beauty') is a weeping fig with foliage so deep a green it reads almost black. Grown in a container, the way most Australians should grow it, it holds around 3m tall and 1.5m wide, a dense, glossy column that gives a room or courtyard instant structure. The dark leaf sets it apart from every standard green ficus.

Why you'll love it

• Foliage in the darkest green. Small glossy leaves in a shade close to black give it a formal, expensive look that ordinary weeping figs cannot match.
• A manageable size in a pot. Contained, it sits at about 3m tall and 1.5m wide, and regular tip pruning holds it lower with no complaint.
• Happy indoors or out. It works as an indoor tree in a bright room anywhere in the country, and outdoors in warm, frost free gardens.
• Built for warmth and humidity. Heat and humid summers suit it, a reliable choice from Sydney north.
• Low maintenance once settled. Water, an occasional feed and a light trim are the whole job description.

Where it works best

Indoors. Give it a bright room and it becomes the anchor plant: a small tree with real presence, not another pot on a shelf.

Pots on balconies and courtyards. A pair either side of a door, or a row along a terrace, makes a portable screen about 3m tall in warm climates.

Feature planting, with a caution. In warm frost free ground it will grow into a large tree with vigorous roots. Only plant it in the garden well away from pipes, paving and pools, where a big fig can be a big fig.

Growing Midnight Beauty Ficus in Australia

Position and climate. Bright filtered light indoors, or morning sun to light shade outside. It is frost tender, so outdoor growing suits tropical, subtropical and warm temperate gardens. In cooler areas keep it potted and indoors, which it handles indefinitely.

Soil. A quality potting mix in a pot with real drainage holes. In the ground it is unfussy, provided water moves through.

Water and feed. Water when the top few centimetres of mix dry out, then water deeply. Feed with a liquid or slow release fertiliser through spring and summer, nothing over winter.

Pruning. Tip prune any time in the warm months to keep the shape tight and the size in hand. Wear gloves: the milky sap can irritate skin.

What to expect when it arrives

We grow Midnight Beauty from tube stock through 140mm, 200mm and 250mm pack sizes to single 300mm pots and advanced 45L trees, so you can start small or buy immediate presence. Weeping figs famously drop leaves when they move house. Expect some leaf drop in the first fortnight, keep the plant in one bright spot without draughts, and it re-clothes itself within a few weeks.

Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Advanced and large stock is freighted at cost, and every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• How to care for Ficus benjamina
• Browse the indoor plants range
• Compare the classic green Weeping Fig
• More plants for pots and balconies

Common questions

Why is it dropping leaves?

Almost always a change of position, a draught or a swing in watering. It is the standard weeping fig response. Settle it in one bright spot and new leaves follow within weeks.

Is it safe around pets?

No. The milky sap is an irritant and toxic to cats and dogs if leaves are chewed. In a home with a plant chewer, keep it out of reach or choose something from our pet safe range.

Can I plant it in the garden?

Only in a warm, frost free climate with serious room. In the ground it becomes a large tree with vigorous, water seeking roots, so keep it well away from pipes, paving, pools and boundaries.

Can I hold it at 2m in a pot?

Yes. Tip prune two or three times through the warm months and it stays a dense 2m column. The smaller you keep it, the fuller it looks.