Ficus Audrey

Product Description

CARE INSTRUCTIONS

• Origin: Native to Southern Asia, found growing in the tropical forests of the subcontinent.
• Height: Approximately 2 metres height / 1 metre spread potted indoors. In their natural habitat, Audrey is one of the largest canopy in the world! She can grow to over 30m tall and an even larger spread.
• Light: A bright spot is ideal, as is indirect filtered light near a window. Protect from very harsh sun which can scorch the foliage. In darker conditions growth will slow and leaves will be small.
• Water: Water moderately during the growing season, allowing the top layer of soil to dry out between watering. In their rest period (winter), water lightly to prevent the plant from drying out but don’t overwater.
• Humidity: Moderate humidity and regular misting during Summer will be beneficial. A good level of humidity contributes to healthy growth and larger leaves on your Ficus Audrey.
• Temperature: Ideal temperatures range between 16-25°C, try to avoid sudden drops in temperature and be wary of draughts and open windows.
• Soil: A free-draining organic potting mix with added perlite which allows breathability for the roots is ideal, and this houseplant also grows extremely well in coco chips or bark.
• Fertilizer: This houseplant responds well to regular fertilising during the growing  season. Use a balanced fertiliser twice a month during Spring and Summer and be sure to dilute correctly as over-feeding can cause some damage to the plant. If the potting medium is particularly dry, water lightly before feeding to avoid fertiliser burning the roots.
• Repotting: Ficus Audrey doesn’t require frequent repotting, and quite likes being slightly root-bound. Once every two years or so is completely fine; the ideal time to re-pot is early Spring when the plant has actively started growing after its winter rest. Roots ‘circling’ around the bottom of the nursery pot is an indication that repotting is needed. Increase pot size by just a few centimetres.
• Pruning: Pruning is rarely required with these houseplants, but you can cut the top off the plant to encourage branching, in turn creating a bushier ‘tree-like’ plant. You can then propagate the cutting…(read below!)
• Propagation: There are two options here. The most popular way is using stem cuttings; place in water to root and wait until the roots are a few centimetres long before potting on. This can be a fairly slow process! If the stems are very woody you can air layer them (a more advanced propagation process).