Ficus benghalensis ‘Audrey’ XL

Ficus benghalensis ‘Audrey’ is an ornamental tropical plant that is becoming increasingly popular as a houseplant, appreciated for its matte, velvety leaves with a subtle sage-green hue.

Key characteristics:

• Leaves: large and oval, with a velvety texture and prominent white central veins. The leaf surface is matte, with a pleasant soft-green shade.

• Stem: woody, with a light-colored appearance that often becomes more ornamental as the plant matures.

• Growth: it has a moderate to fast growth rate and can become a shrub or small tree indoors, reaching 1.5–2 m in height in a pot. In nature (India), it becomes a huge tree, considered India’s national tree.

• Light: prefers bright, indirect light; it also tolerates medium light, but insufficient light may cause it to lose leaves.

• Watering: allow the substrate to dry out by 40–50% between waterings. It is sensitive to excess water, which can cause the leaves to turn yellow and fall.

• Temperature: moderate; it does not tolerate temperatures below 12°C.

• Humidity: prefers moderate humidity but tolerates indoor air. It adapts more easily than Ficus lyrata.

• Soil: an airy, well-draining mix based on peat, universal potting soil, and perlite or bark.

Additional care:

• Rotate the pot regularly to maintain a symmetrical shape.

• Wipe the leaves regularly with a damp cloth to remove dust and allow efficient photosynthesis.

• It is more tolerant of environmental changes than other ficuses, but it may still react by losing a few leaves if moved abruptly or subjected to excessive stress.