Weeping figs, otherwise known as 'ficus benjamina', are a low-maintenance variety of indoor tree native to Asia and Australia. With their abundance of delicate leaves, they're a great beginner tree for homes with lots of natural sunlight.
If you know how to follow correct weeping fig indoor plant care and want to expand your collection of greenery, learning how to propagate this plant is simple and doesn't require too many tools.
Here, two plant experts break down the step by step process of how to propagate a weeping fig, so you can set yourself up for success.
Step 1: Select your cutting
The first step towards successfully propagating a weeping fig is to select a healthy stem from your parent plant to cut off and use for new growth. A common houseplant propagation mistake is to just choose any stem or one that already looks out of place, but this isn't the best approach.
It's important to choose a healthy stem for propagating your weeping fig as using a weak stem may grow a weaker new plant or fail to produce new growth at all.
Vickie Christensen, master gardener and plant doctor at Léon & George, says, 'Avoid cutting any stems with signs of stress or disease, and instead look for four to six inches of sturdy stem with at least two to three healthy leaves sprouting from it.'
Step 2: Collect your cutting
Once you have selected the stem, it's time to carefully remove it from your parent plant. Doing this carefully with a precise, clean cut will ensure your cutting is in the best possible condition, as well as prevent any unnecessary damage or stress from occurring to the parent plant.
'Using a pair of sterilized cutting shears, cut just below a leaf node on your weeping fig's stem,' says Vickie. 'Look for the small bump where leaves emerge and you'll know you're in the right place.'
Sterilizing a pair of pruning shears like the 3-pack of stainless steel pruning shears from Amazon with the McKesson isopropyl rubbing alcohol from Walmart will keep your cutting in safe hands. Isopropyl is a form of disinfectant that's effective against most plant pathogens.
Step 3: Prep your cutting
To keep your weeping fig cutting hydrated and healthy, it needs to be placed in water or moss. But first, there are a couple of important steps to take.
'Before going any further with your weeping fig propagation, remove any lower foliage that would otherwise end up sitting in the water or getting in the way,' says Vickie. This will keep unneeded foliage out of the way of your cutting, allowing it to drink better and have more space. Simply snip these leaves off of your stem as close to their shoot as possible using your pruning shears.
Then, optionally, you can apply rooting hormone powder to the bottom of your cutting. This isn't a must but it's highly recommended by expert gardeners and it can speed up houseplant propagation.
Andrew Bunting, vice president of horticulture at the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, says, 'If you wish to apply a rooting hormone to your cutting, dip the bottom of your cutting in room temperature water, and then dip it into the rooting hormone powder.' Doing this will help the powder to adhere to your cutting, facilitating better results. 'Aim to cover the lower half an inch of your cutting stem with your rooting hormone.'
Andrew recommends using the Hormodin 1 rooting compound from Amazon to do this, as the powder comes in a convenient container for dipping your cutting into.
Step 4: Place your cutting in water or moss to grow
Two of the most common ways to propagate a weeping fig cutting involve placing a fresh cutting into water or moss.
If you're seeking to propagate your cutting through using water, Vickie suggests using filtered water for the job to keep chlorine and other chemicals from the tap away from your plant. The PUR 30 cup dispenser filtration system from Walmart is ideal for filtering small amounts of water for your cutting whenever it needs a top up.
'To propagate your weeping fig cutting in water, submerge the cut end in a glass of filtered water, ensuring no leaves are underwater,' says Vickie. 'Keep the glass in a warm, bright spot with indirect sunlight, and replace your water every three to four days to prevent bacteria buildup.' Failing to switch out your water is a definite mistake to avoid when propagating plants in water.
If your local climate isn't particularly sunny, you can supplement the extra warmth and brightness your cutting needs using an indoor grow light. These clip grow lights for seed starting with timers from Amazon are perfect as they are small and you can monitor how many hours of light your weeping fig cuttings are receiving.
To propagate your weeping fig cutting using moss, gently remove some of the bark at the end of your cutting and pack moist sphagnum moss around it. Secure this in place using saran wrap.
'Using a scalpel or knife, it's best to remove one to two inches of bark around the stem if you're propagating your weeping fig cuttings this way.' says Andrew. This will help your cutting's new roots develop stronger.
This sphagnum moss for plants from Amazon is Amazon's Choice product, and will work for your cutting despite saying 'for orchids'. If you don't already have saran wrap it's available in most food stores, including the glad press'n'seal plastic food wrap from Target.
Step 5: Wait for roots to develop
After you've followed through these steps, all that is left is to wait for roots to emerge. If you opted for the water method this should take between three and six weeks, and if you opted for moss expect to spot developing roots after three to five weeks.
'Once roots are well-established you can cut below the roots and remove the roots intact with the leaves above and put this new plant into a pot with potting soil,' says Andrew. This Miracle-gro indoor potting mix from Amazon is a good choice.
If you plan to propagate more plants, you might want to try out this little trick to help your success rates. All you need is a pothos plant to pair your cuttings with, and it's the ultimate propagation hack to speed up rooting.
