The birch fig shows itself from its most beautiful side when it can enjoy the natural light conditions outdoors. Here, mild rays of sunshine in the morning or evening caress the pretty foliage, which promotes harmonious growth without wilting. Since the exotic plant does not tolerate frost, its stay in the open air follows certain premises. You can find out what these are here.
Ficus Benjamini cannot be planted outdoors in Germany
Temperature gives the start signal for outside
Because of its tropical origins, the Weeping Fig is unfamiliar with winter conditions. Even at temperatures below 16 degrees Celsius, the evergreen rainforest plants shiver. This applies equally to green and variegated Benjamini species. A Ficus benjamina should therefore only be outdoors under the following conditions:
- Temperatures do not drop below 16 degrees Celsius at night either
- The location is sunny to semi-shady
- Protected against cold drafts and windthrow
In our latitudes, the time window for spending time outdoors is open from mid-May to mid-September. However, the final start signal for the move outside is not given by the calendar, but by the thermometer. Since no one likes to get up at night to check nighttime temperatures, a min-max thermometer comes in handy. Correctly adjusted, the device shows the next morning how cold it was the night before.
Yellow leaves indicate sunburn
A Weeping Fig's desire for bright light is a balancing act when it comes to outdoor siting. If your Benjamini gets direct sunlight at midday, the evergreen leaves will suffer from sunburn.
The damage manifests itself as light brown to yellow spots with a brown border. Please move the birch fig to a semi-shady place immediately or provide shade during the critical midday hours. Unless you are bothered by the mottled leaves, please do not cut them off. The green tissue parts are still involved in the vital photosynthesis.
tips
As a bonsai, your Ficus benjamina feels particularly at home outdoors, as long as the temperatures do not fall below the minimum of 16 degrees Celsius. Since your mini fig will be submerged in the slightest downpour, please choose a spot under the canopy or an awning.