Ficus microcarpa 'Panda'Panda Fig

Sold across Asia simply as Ficus panda, the Ficus microcarpa 'Panda' is a compact round-leaved selection of the Chinese banyan. The leaves are small, thick and glossy, held so densely that the canopy takes clipping like a solid surface, which is why the form is the standard subject for cloud-pruned and topiary work.

It is specified as a shaped feature specimen in courtyards, hotel forecourts and lobbies, and as a dense clipped screen where a hard green wall is wanted quickly.

Specifications

• Height2 to 5 metres as commonly grown and shaped, with the species capable of considerably more if left unpruned
• Width2 to 4 metres
• Native toA cultivated selection of Ficus microcarpa, a species native to southern Asia and northern Australia
• FoliageSmall, thick, rounded glossy dark green leaves held very densely; evergreen
• Growth rateModerate

Conditions

• SoilPrefers free-draining loam and adapts to a wide range of soils
• LightFull sun to partial shade
• WaterModerate; drought-tolerant once established
• ClimateThrives in tropical and subtropical regions, and performs well in conditioned interiors

Additional Features

• FormDense rounded canopy that holds a clipped surface, readily cloud-pruned or trained as a standard
• UsesIdeal for cloud-pruned and topiary specimens, courtyard and forecourt features, interior atriums, and clipped screening
• SpacingPlant 2 to 3 metres apart for a screen or display singly as a shaped specimen
• Low MaintenanceClips readily and recovers fast; note that Ficus roots are vigorous, so site well clear of paving, services and structures
• Pest ResistanceGenerally robust, with scale the usual concern under cover
• VersatilityPerforms as a shaped specimen, a hedge, an interior tree or a large container plant

The Panda Fig is the workhorse of shaped Ficus specimens, holding a clipped form better than almost anything else in the genus.