5 Benefits of Weeping Fig Plant

Did you know Buddha sat under the Weeping Fig tree for 49 days before gaining enlightenment?

It is one of the reasons why the Weeping fig plants are considered the symbol of peace and spirituality in countries like Indonesia and Thailand.

This popular houseplant dominates many households for its decorative, medical, and environmental benefits.

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Moreover, its evergreen foliage remains bushier around the year, adding natural appeal to your room.

There are many more benefits to adding this exotic plant to your home.

Read on to find out more about your Weeping fig, its benefits uses, and dangers.

Is Weeping Fig Good for Indoors?

Indeed, weeping figs make a great houseplant.

When kept indoors, they make a bold statement! Their tall stature, lush dark leaves, and smooth branches provide aesthetic appeal to the interior.

They are great houseplants for cleansing toxins emitted from home appliances, gadgets, and carpets.

Weeping figs are also one of the few plants you can keep in your bedroom because they prevent the growth of deadly microbes and fungus.

A 2014 study Chemical Central Journal suggested that Weeping figs are rich in antimicrobial properties that ward off disease-causing microorganisms.

Moreover, keeping them indoors proves to be more conducive for their growth and enrichment because they thrive in indirect sunlight, a humid atmosphere, and average room temperature.

However, you should be extra careful around the plant because contacting the plant’s sap can cause severe skin and eye irritations that do not even spare your pets.

5 Benefits of Weeping Fig Plant

When properly cared for, your Weeping fig plant will provide you with many benefits, ranging from health to decorative.

Each part of the Weeping fig plant offers specific benefits, from releasing antioxidants to antimicrobials, beneficial in cleansing air and relieving stress.

Here are five benefits to plating a Weeping fig in your home in detail.

1. Cleanse Air Toxins

The Clean Air Study conducted by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) concluded that growing Weeping fig indoors cleans airborne toxins.

Weeping fig clears the air from common toxins found inside our houses, such as formaldehyde, xylene, and toluene.

Home appliances like refrigerators and gadgets such as laptops and smartphones emit toxins that could end up in your lungs through nostrils.

If you are wondering, Weeping fig will remove air toxins by photosynthesis, where the green leaves will take in the contaminants and release fresh oxygen.

Moreover, the healthy soil microorganisms found in potted plants help to trap these containments in the soil.

Accompanying a Weeping fig with other air purifying plants such as Boston fern and Golden Pothos may help cleanse the air thoroughly.

2. Provides Medicinal Benefits

Also a medicinal plant, the Weeping fig is used for many different ailments and health conditions in different parts of the world.

According to a study done on Chemical Composition and Biological studies on Ficus benjamina, many indigenous communities in Asia use the plant to treat skin disorders, inflammation, vomiting, leprosy, malaria, cancer, piles, and cancer.

The same study found that the latex and fruit extracts of the Ficus plant contain essential oil significantly rich in antioxidants, antinociceptive, and antimicrobial properties that have multiple medicinal and insecticidal uses.

• The ficus plant oil is used as an anti-dysentery remedy when used as a general tonic.
• The root extracts contain flavonoid contents rich in antioxidant activity that helps contain diabetes mellitus, renal failures, and degenerative diseases.
• The antioxidant properties found in the flavonoid can treat various oxidative stress-related diseases such as neurodegenerative and hepatic diseases.
• The phenolic acids found in the stem, root, and leaves contain antimicrobial and antifungal properties that help to prevent the growth of deadly microbes and fungus inside the house.
• The leaves and twigs are used as an insect repellant

According to another study, the plant leaves can be used for treating ulcers, heart disease, sexual dysfunction, and promoting bone health and healthy liver function, and preserving vision.

3. Enhance Aesthetic Appeal

Let’s admit, one of the reasons that we buy houseplants is to enhance the décor.

They definitely make a bold statement!

The tall and wide stature of this plant alone may separate it from the rest of the room decorations and capture the eyes of the onlookers.

In a suitable growing condition, they manage to become a 6-10 feet tall plant with bushy foliage, arching branches, and pointed leaves approximately 4 inches long.

You can strategically place them close to the window where they can receive enough indirect sunlight. The exposure to daylight will also make it a constantly visible item in your room.

When planted outdoors, you can add it to other plants to make a perfect cottage garden.

4. Provide Miniature Decoration

Ficus Benjamina does not always need to be tall and wider to look prettier. Instead, you can contain its size to create an even more beautiful Bonsai plant.

You heard it right! Weeping fig makes a great Bonsai.

Get yourself a young Ficus Bonsai ASAP if you have mastered the skills of pruning plants to a minimal size! Otherwise, you can already buy a matured Ficus Bonsai that would need occasional pruning and maintenance.

The best thing about Ficus Bonsai is that you can place it anywhere –over the table, fireplace, wall drawers, and more.

However, Bonsai plants are very selective with potting, fertilizing, pruning, and watering, so make sure you follow the expert guide to maintain your beloved plant.

Find out:  How to take care of your Ficus Bonsai Plant?

5. Use for Culinary Purposes

Weeping fig fruits and flowers are rich in vitamins and sweetness that can be used for culinary purposes.

You would find medium-sized fruits in the second to third year of the tree. These can be eaten raw or added to daily cuisines to enhances their zest.

Here is how you can consume Weeping fig fruits.

• You can directly eat them from the tree. Do not forget to rinse it with water before.
• Cut the fruit in half and put them into the dryer to eat later. Drying helps to preserve the vitamins in the fruit.
• Add the cuttings in your morning porridge to make it extra delicious.
• Add the fruits when baking cookies or cakes at home.

Can Weeping Fig be Poisonous to Humans and Pets?

Consuming different parts of Weeping figs can prove to be fatal to both humans and pets.

According to the list published by Realtor.com, Weeping fig makes one of the most  8 poisonous houseplants.

However, simply touching the plant or its leaves will not harm you unless exposed to the sap.

The sap oozing out of broken stems and leaves is highly toxic, and any direct contact may lead to itchiness in the eyes, wheezing, coughing, and skin irritations.

The effects are even more deadly in pets—especially parakeets, dogs, and cats.

Accidentally consuming the leaf or stem may cause eye and skin irritation along with vomiting, salivation, and oral irritation.

How to Protect Yourself and Your Pets from Weeping Fig?

• Always wear gloves and eye-protectors when pruning the plant.
• Do not forget to disinfect your pruning shears after trimming the plant and gardening tools.
• Carefully dispose of trimmed residue so that your pet does not accidentally consume it when scouring through the dustbin.
• Display your weeping fig while keeping it away from your pet, such as over a medium stool, table, or chair.
• Seek immediate veterinary help if your pet accidentally consumes any part of the plant.

Tips to Take Care of Weeping Fig

Weeping fig is a low-maintenance plant that efficiently grows indoors, but you need to care about few things to ensure they do not slow down.

Read more about 12 Weeping Fig Problems and Solutions

Here is a list of tips to care for Weeping fig.

Conclusion

Weeping Fig is one of the few houseplants that fit perfectly in any location inside the house. You can showcase them in the living room or keep them privately inside your bedroom.

These plants may become a great addition to home décor, daily cuisines, and cleansing air toxins.

However, avoid coming in contact with milky fluid or sap that is dangerous to humans and pets.

For the most part, Weeping figs are easy to care for. However, stick to the watering, pruning, fertilizing, and lighting routine to ensure a healthy and prosperous plant.