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Ficus populifolia

Ficus populifolia is a small fig tree, up to about 10 m, with heart-shaped, poplar-like leathery leaves. It grows in arid savanna woodland, often on rocks, inselbergs and cliffs, from West Africa to the Horn of Africa, Tanzania and south-western Arabia. It is a sun-loving, drought-tolerant fig, suited to a bright spot or bonsai treatment.

At home, aim for

Day IntermediateTargets in Plantistry

Night Close to the dayTargets in Plantistry

Humidity Dry airBand in Plantistry

Light Full sunDLI and PPFD in Plantistry

Expects a seasonal restGrows in the ground

Where it grows wild

It grows in arid savanna woodland and forest edges, often in rocky places: on granite inselbergs, in rock clefts and even in fossil coral on the Farasan Islands, where its roots wedge into cracks.

From near sea level (Red Sea islands) to about 2,100 m in Ethiopia; typically 200-1,500 m.

West Africa (Côte d'Ivoire to Benin)EthiopiaSomaliaKenyaTanzaniaYemenSaudi Arabia

🔒 Growing it like that

The wild conditions above, turned into targets for a shelf, a tent or a greenhouse. The full profile has:

✓ Day and night temperature targets, and the limits it tolerates

✓ Humidity band, and how to hold it

✓ Light as DLI and PPFD for a grow light

✓ Wet and dry seasons, and whether to rest it

✓ Substrate and airflow

✓ A step-by-step setup to grow it like the wild

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Profiles are drafts built from measured range and climate and from published sources; each section carries its own confidence in the app. Photo from Wikimedia Commons, used under its CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, unmodified.