Family: Ficus Benjamina belongs to the Mulberry family.
Common Name: It is commonly known as the weeping fig because of its drooping branches.
Flowering period: The weeping fig rarely produces flowers.
Habitat: The weeping fig is native to India and can tolerate adverse climatic conditions. However, the tree is sensitive to cold and prefers longer days and rather high or moderate day temperatures.
Uses: The weeping fig is a very popular houseplant in temperate regions because of its elegant growth and tolerance of poor growing conditions. It also removes the gaseous toxin formaldehyde from indoor air.
Key features: Ficus benjamina is an evergreen tree that grows only around 1m tall. It is the official tree of Bangkok and has a light gray smooth bark with brown young branches. The tree has glossy and oval leaves with tapering ends. Young leaves are light green and wavy while older ones are green and smooth. The tree has both male and female flowers which are spherical or egg shaped. In favourable conditions, the tree can grow very fast but it can also cause allergic asthma and eye disorders like rhinoconjunctivitis. Consumption of any part of the tree excluding the edible fruits can lead to nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.