Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Herbs
Origin
Southern Asia, Southeastern Asia, India, Melanesia, Australia
Southern Europe
Types
Ficus benjamina
Melissa officinalis
Number of Varieties
8005
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Temperate Regions, tropical environments, Tropical regions
Dappled Shade, Mediterranean region, Shady Edge, Woodland Garden
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-154-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-10
12-1
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 13, 23, 24
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Thicket/Colonizing
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
2,440.00 cm30.50 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
3,050.00 cm45.70 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
-
White, Light Pink
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Yellow, Red, Green, Pink, Orange Red, Black
Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Dark Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Elliptic
Ovate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Very Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Spring
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Full Sun, Shade areas, Variety of soil types
Deer resistant, Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Cuttings, Layering
Cuttings, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Low
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Water carefully
Medium
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead flowers, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
10-10-10, All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Any balanced general purpose fertilizer, slow-release fertilizers
Nitrogen, Potassium
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch, Soft scales
Gray leaf blight, Gray mold, Leaf spot, Powdery mildew
Plant Tolerance
Drought, Full Sun, Shade areas, Variety of soil types
Deer resistant, Drought
Flowers
Insignificant
Insignificant
Flower Petal Number
-
Single
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Medium
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
Sometimes
Sometimes
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds
Bees
Allergy
Rhinoconjunctivitis, wheezing
Avoid during Pregnancy, Skin irritation
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Bonsai, Cottage Garden
Beautification, Cottage Garden
Beauty Benefits
Reduce Bruises
Good for skin, Skin Problems
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Deer resistant, Insect Repellent
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antibacterial, Aphrodisiac, Dysentry
Antiemetic, Anxiety, Appetite enhancer, Digestion problems, Insomnia, Sedative
Part of Plant Used
Bark, Fruits, Leaves, Root
Flowers, Leaves
Other Uses
Container
Can be made into a herbal tea, Medicinal oil, Used as insect repellent, Used for its medicinal properties, Used in herbal medicines
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Hedges, Houseplant, Screening / Wind Break, Shade Trees, Topiary / Bonsai / Espalier, Tropical
Container, Edible, Herb / Vegetable
Botanical Name
FICUS benjamina
MELISSA officinalis
Common Name
Weeping Fig, Benjamin's fig, Ficus tree
Lemonbalm, balm, common balm, balm mint
In Hindi
रो अंजीर
नींबू बाम
In German
Birkenfeige
Lemonbalm
In French
figuier pleureur
mélisse
In Spanish
higo llorón
Lemonbalm
In Greek
κλάμα σύκο
Lemonbalm
In Portuguese
chorando fig
Lemonbalm
In Polish
płacz rys
Lemonbalm
In Latin
Plorans ficum
CITRAGO
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Urticales
Lamiales
Family
Moraceae
Lamiaceae
Genus
Ficus
Melissa
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
Ficeae
-
Subfamily
-
Nepetoideae
Number of Species
8504
1
27800
👆🏻