How to Grow a Weeping Chinese Banyan Tree

Find the best spot to grow a weeping Chinese banyan tree.

Capable of growing to 60 feet tall with a spread 60 to 100 feet wide, the weeping Chinese banyan tree requires plenty of room to grow. Commonly called weeping fig, Ficus benjamina is a member of the Moraceae family, and native to India. This evergreen tree forms a thick, rounded crown with spreading weeping branches and grows best in U.S. Department of Agriculture hardiness zones 10b through 11. Growing a weeping Chinese banyan tree starts with selecting the best planting site.

Things You'll Need

• Shovel
• Mulch
• Fertilizer
• Pruners

Instructions

1. Select a planting site with enough space in all directions for the fully grown tree. The weeping Chinese banyan tree grows in partial shade to full sun, and most soil types as long as it is well draining.

2. Stay clear of underground utilities, sidewalks, driveways, gardens and outdoor living spaces. The roots of the weeping Chinese banyan tree expand quickly, and the falling fruits are messy and will stain.

3. Dig a hole to plant the weeping Chinese banyan tree at the same depth and at least twice as wide. Place the tree in the center of the hole, backfill the hole and then water well to settle the tree in place.

4. Add a mulch layer, 2 to 4 inches thick, encircling the tree and covering the entire planting area. Keep the mulch 2 inches away from the weeping Chinese banyan tree’s trunk to prevent rotting.

5. Water the entire area beneath the canopy regularly during the first season to allow the weeping Chinese banyan tree’s roots to establish. The amount of water needed varies dependent on rainfall and soil conditions. Water slowly and deeply when the soil beneath the mulch layer dries until the middle of fall, and then only water during extended dry periods during winter.

6. Prune the weeping Chinese banyan tree only as needed to remove damaged, frail or dead branches at planting. Wait until the tree has grown for an entire season to start any type of corrective pruning.

7. Apply a general-purpose fertilizer, as instructed on the packaging, beginning of spring of the second season. Spread the fertilizer to cover the entire area beneath the tree’s canopy and then water the area well.

References

• University of Florida Extension: Ficus Benjamina: Weeping Fig
• Desert Tropicals: Ficus Benjamina, Weeping Chinese Banyan
• Urban Forest Ecosystems Institute: Weeping Chinese Banyan
• Trees are Good: New Tree Planting

Resources

• University of Hawaii: Ficus Plants for Hawaii Landscapes