Chinese Banyan (Ficus microcarpa)
Formerly Ficus thynneana, Ficus dahlii, Ficus hillii
Chinese banyan, Ficus microcarpa, needs medium water, and its growing media should be kept moist. It is an evergreen tree listed for zones 9a–11b. Indoor light needs are not documented on this page. Pet toxicity for cats and dogs is not documented on this page either.
Photo: H. Zell, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Quick facts
| Water: | Medium11 source |
|---|---|
| Soil: | Well drained and moist21 source |
| Minimum temperature: | 68 °F (20 °C)21 source |
| Size: | 2–50 ft (0.61–15.24 m) × 2–40 ft (0.61–12.19 m)21 source |
| Bloom: | Yellow and green21 source |
| Cats: | Not documented by major sources |
| Dogs: | Not documented by major sources |
| Native range: | AND, ASS, BAN, BIS, BOR, CBD, CHC, CHH, CHS, CKI, CRL, EHM, IND, JAP, JAW, LAO, LDV, LSI, MLY, MOL, MRN, MRS, MYA, NCB, NEP, NNS, NWC, NWG, PHI, QLD, SCS, SOL, SRL, SUL, SUM, TAI, THA, VAN, VIE, WHM, XMS6 |
| Family: | Moraceae |
How often to water a Chinese Banyan
Aim for a medium amount of water, and keep the growing media moist. Root rot can occur from overwatering. The listed soil conditions are well drained and moist, and the entry names good drainage. Medium is both the lowest and the highest water level recorded for this plant.
- Water: Medium1
Best soil for a Chinese Banyan
Soil drainage for Chinese banyan is listed as well drained and moist. Good drainage is the quality the listing names for its soil. The growing media should be kept moist, and the water need is medium. Root rot is among the listed diseases and can occur from overwatering. Soil pH is not documented for this page, so no range is given here. No soil mix or amendment is named in the cited facts.
- Soil drainage: Well drained and moist2
Temperature and humidity
Humidity is listed as high, with a relative humidity of 60 to 100%. Temperatures should stay above 68 °F (20 °C) all year long. Outdoors, the plant is listed for USDA zones 9a to 11b. Zone 9a is the coldest zone listed and 11b the warmest. Cold tolerance below 68 °F is not documented in the cited facts.
Fertilizing a Chinese Banyan
Feed this plant once a month during the growing season. The suggested application rate is 3 lbs of nitrogen per 1,000 sq ft (1.4 kg per 93 sq m) per month. No indoor feeding rate is documented for this page. Feeding outside the growing season is not documented.
- Fertilizer: Monthly in the growing season1
Repotting a Chinese Banyan
Repotting is suggested when Ficus become pot-bound, every two to three years. The recorded interval is 2–3 years. No pot size, potting mix or season for repotting is documented on this page. The soil conditions listed for the plant are well drained and moist.
- Repotting: Every 2–3 years3
How to propagate a Chinese Banyan
Stem cuttings and layering are the propagation methods listed. Rooting of cuttings and air layering are primary methods of fig propagation. Tissue culture is also named as a primary method of fig propagation. Both listed methods apply to Chinese banyan, Ficus microcarpa. No rooting hormone, medium or timing is documented.
- Propagation: Stem cuttings and layering1
Common problems
The pests listed are aphids, spider mites, mealybugs, scale insects, ficus leaf rolling psyllid and Cuban laurel thrips. Cuban laurel thrips mostly galls this species. The diseases listed are root rot, leaf spot, gray mold and ficus canker. Root rot can occur from overwatering. When stressed, this plant is highly susceptible to ficus canker.
| Problem | Kind |
|---|---|
| Aphids | Pest |
| Spider mites | Pest |
| Mealybugs | Pest |
| Scale insects | Pest |
| Ficus leaf rolling psyllid | Pest |
| Cuban laurel thrips | Pest |
| Root rot | Disease |
| Leaf spot | Disease |
| Gray mold | Disease |
| Ficus canker | Disease |
Is Chinese Banyan toxic to cats and dogs?
Recommended supplies
- Soil: a free-draining mix, and a pot with a drainage hole.
- Humidity: it wants humid air; a pebble tray or a humidifier is the usual fix.
Questions and answers
- How much water does a Chinese banyan need?
- Its water need is listed as medium, and the growing media should be kept moist. Root rot can occur from overwatering. Soil drainage is listed as well drained and moist.
- How often should I repot Ficus microcarpa?
- Repotting is suggested every two to three years, when the plant becomes pot-bound. The repotting interval is recorded as 2–3 years. No pot size or mix is documented here.
- What humidity and temperature does it like?
- Humidity is listed as high, at 60 to 100% relative humidity. Temperatures should stay above 68 °F (20 °C) all year long. Zones 9a to 11b are listed for outdoor growing.
Sources
- University of Florida IFAS Extension (EDIS). https://ask.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/EP136. Accessed 21 October 2026.
- NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox. https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/ficus-microcarpa/. Accessed 13 October 2026.
- Brooklyn Botanic Garden. https://www.bbg.org/article/the_genus_ficus. Accessed 13 October 2026.
- UC Statewide Integrated Pest Management Program. https://ipm.ucanr.edu/home-and-landscape/cuban-laurel-thrips/. Accessed 13 October 2026.
- UC Statewide Integrated Pest Management Program. https://ipm.ucanr.edu/home-and-landscape/ficus-canker/. Accessed 13 October 2026.
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (World Checklist of Vascular Plants). https://sftp.kew.org/pub/data-repositories/WCVP/wcvp.zip. Accessed 4 June 2026.
How this page was made
- Written with AI assistance from the sources listed on this page. AI is never the source of a fact.