Creeping Fig “Variegated” (Large) – (Ficus pumila)

A climbing fig that, if grown outside in tropical regions, can become incredibly invasive and even smother other trees and plants, as well as damaging any man made structures it scrambles over. The properties that make it invasive make it an ideal inhabitant of our bioactive setups, as it will tolerate humid or quite dry atmospheres, and is happy to grow in lightly damp or very soggy ground. It climbs with aerial roots that attach to anything, including glass.

We have found that when this plant is used, it seems to take a long time to establish. It sits and appears to do nothing, until you look in the terrarium one morning and it’s half way up the wall! Probably the best plant for covering multiple surfaces, but will sometimes need to be cut back hard. Each piece with an attached root can be used to propagate new specimens, but after you’ve got one of these established in your tank you won’t need to buy another one…ever. If grown in screen top enclosures it will squeeze out between the wires in an attempt to reach the light. 

Is available as an attractive variegated form, but this must be kept under very bright light to keep the white portions of the leaves from turning green. If grown in darker conditions it goes all green, and needs exposure to bright light to restore the leaf markings.

Along with pothos, this is one of the failsafe terrarium plants.