Don looked at a row of standard Hill’s weeping figs (Ficus microcarpa var. hillii) growing by the side of a driveway. These large, evergreen trees come from the rainforests of coastal Queensland. They have large, short main trunks or several main trunks supporting a dense canopy of lustrous dark green leaves on slightly pendulous branches. In autumn they produce small green figs which ripen to salmon pink with greenish yellow warts on the surface. A mature specimen of this tree may grow as tall as 15-20m (45-60′) and 12-15m (36-45′) wide.
Hill’s weeping figs make good container plants which can be clipped and shaped for Bonsai, topiary or standards. However they have very vigorous root systems, and you’d only consider planting them in the ground in a very large park or garden, well away from any hard landscaping. If they are planted in the ground, left unpruned and allowed to grow big the roots can break driveways, crack paving and cause damage to nearby buildings and structures.
Thrips
Hill’s weeping figs are also very susceptible to attack from thrips. These tiny insects (up to 2mm long) have cigar-shaped bodies. They damage leaves with their rasping and sucking mouthparts, and often cause leaf edges or whole leaves to roll up. They leave black blobs of excrement on the foliage, and sometimes they carry viruses from plant to plant.
Thrips trivia: two thrips are called ‘thrips’. So, what is one thrips called? A thrips!
What to do
To avoid problems with over-vigorous root systems and insect attack, plant lilly pillies (eg Syzygium spp.) instead of weeping figs.
