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trimmings can keep it as tall or as small as you Pot Belly Figs (Ficus microcarpa retusa)
want. Stems can grow 10 to 30cm per year, these can be cut as often as required to any length or removed completely. The plant on The ‘Pot Belly Fig’ or Banyan Fig is a
the left is an untrained specimen that has very hardy go anywhere plant that will
been cut back many times, the plant on the suit a wide range of conditions from
first page has been deliberately trained to cold southern climates to the extreme
allow only certain branches to grow, the rest tropics, from outdoors in full exposure
are removed. With time figs can be trained to any well lit indoor position, Ficus are
into incredible specimens that can be kept as noted as one of the hardiest of all
indoor plants. Pot Belly Figs are found
Pot Belly Figs also come in a grafted form throughout South East Asia and are
with the graft being a round leafed fig that also called ‘The Banyan Fig’, movies like
has much tighter and more compact growth, Tomb Raider show the plant growing
this form can be grown 2 or 3 years without over ancient ruins.
Repotting is only required for cosmetic reasons or to speed up growth, after a few Where can I keep my Pot Belly Fig.
years the pot will become a mass of roots and have no room for new root growth, Figs are very hardy and will tolerate full sun to almost total shade, indoors they will do this will slow down growth, in some cases this is beneficial. Repotting can be into well in any well lit position and can be kept without natural sunlight for up to a month. any good potting mix that suits the environment that the plant will be grown in, not Ficus can tolerate minor frosts, if heavy frosts are predicted move plants under cover the plant itself. Roots can be cut savagely or not at all, plant can also be raised if grown in the open, frost will only damage the outer leaves and the thinner stems, the plant will recover in spring if this occurs. If moved around the plant may loose some Pot Belly’s can be grown on rocks and will wrap around the rock eventually, there leaves, this is not a problem and will soon stop once the plant has adjusted to the are many interesting ways to grow pot bellies. A popular way is to raise the plant a few inched every year, this way the roots can create weird and wonderful shapes.
Why does the plant have a pot belly.
This fig species quickly forms a strong and thick tap root Pot Belly Figs can be kept for life, in china there are collectors who only collect Pot which can swell rapidly, this allows young plants if trapped in Belly Figs and have amazing collections. The most valuable are the ones that take on rocky areas to break the rocks or grow across the rocks to human shapes, the figs are also call Ginseng Figs as the roots closely resemble the seek new areas to find soil, the thick roots also allow the human like roots of the Mandrake , famous the Ginseng plant of Korea plant to dry out for short periods without suffering, even if Good Growing!

Growing you Pot Belly Fig
Collectors Corner, Gardenworld
Figs prefer regular moisture and but can dry out for a 810 Springvale Rd, Braeside
very short time, once leaves droop water immediately. Soil should be moist or almost dry and not wet before rewatering. Outdoors in hot sunny positions watering may be required daily whereas indoors in cool positions once a week may be enough. Water well so that the soil becomes thoroughly moist, do not allow the plant to sit Feeding is essential for growth, if you prefer the plant to stay small and the leaves reduce in size then feed very little or none at all, for good growth use a general plant food at the recommended rate for outdoor plants and at quarter strength for indoor plants. Figs make great pot plants, they can also grow into trees that may not fit into a pot, your plant will continue to grow for the next 500 years until it is a monster, or

Source: http://www.paradisia.com.au/Instruction%20sheets/Pot%20Belly%20Figs.pdf