# Climbing Fig (*ficus pumila*)

The Climbing Fig is a fun plant that can grow up walls and trees! Its heart-shaped leaves are great for hiding and playing peek-a-boo!

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Snaps:** 2
- **Habitat:** Tropical and subtropical rainforests, often climbing on trees and structures.
- **Also known as:** Climbing Fig Tree, Creeping Fig

![Climbing Fig](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/%28Arya%29_Ficus_pumila_in_front_of_hotel_citradream_Cirebon_2019_0.jpg&width=800)

Photo: Aris riyanto, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:%28Arya%29_Ficus_pumila_in_front_of_hotel_citradream_Cirebon_2019_0.jpg)

## Appearance

The Climbing Fig has small, heart-shaped, dark green leaves when young, maturing to larger, oval ones. It forms a dense, mat-like cover, clinging tightly to surfaces with its sticky aerial roots, often appearing as a vibrant green tapestry.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Magnoliopsida
- **Order:** Rosales
- **Family:** Moraceae
- **Genus:** Ficus

## Interesting facts

- A tiny fig wasp must enter the fig to lay its eggs and pollinate the plant.
- It can grow so strongly that it can sometimes crack walls or damage buildings!
- The 'fruit' is actually a special structure holding hundreds of tiny flowers inside!
- Young Climbing Fig plants look completely different from the mature ones!

## Special abilities

- **Sticky Feet:** Climbing Fig can scale walls and rocks using tiny, adhesive aerial roots that grip almost any surface, helping it reach sunlight.
- **Shape-Shifter Leaves:** Climbing Fig has small, heart-shaped leaves for climbing, which transform into larger, oval leaves once it matures.
- **Root Power:** Climbing Fig can root at every node it touches, allowing it to spread widely and quickly cover large areas.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 1500-2000 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Spring to fall
- **Edible:** No
- **Toxicity:** Mild
- **Lifecycle:** Perennial
- **Pollination Method:** Insect

## Ecological connections

- **Pollinates:** Climbing Fig Wasp (*Wiebesia pumilae*) — Crucial for the plant's reproduction.
- **Eats:** Lesser Short-nosed Fruit Bat (*Cynopterus brachyotis*) — Disperses seeds by eating its fruit.
- **Shelter:** Common House Gecko (*Hemidactylus frenatus*) — Hides within its dense foliage.

## Traits

- [Arboreal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/arboreal): Arboreal animals live primarily in trees, utilizing them for shelter, food, and protection from predators.
- [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors.
- [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material.
- [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life.
- [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night.

## Collections

- [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

No special safety notes yet.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Climbing Fig?

Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is Climbing Fig?

1500-2000 cm

### When does Climbing Fig bloom?

Spring to fall

### Is Climbing Fig edible?

No

### Is Climbing Fig toxic?

Mild

### What is Climbing Fig's lifecycle?

Perennial

### How is Climbing Fig pollinated?

Insect

### Where is Climbing Fig usually found?

Tropical and subtropical rainforests, often climbing on trees and structures.

## Where to spot

- [Summerville Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/summerville-historic-district) — South Carolina, US · Historic District
- [South Carolina Aquarium](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/south-carolina-aquarium-us) — US · Zoo
- [Orlando Loch Haven Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/orlando-loch-haven-park) — Florida, US · Park

[View all places to see Climbing Fig](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/climbing-fig)

## More Plants

- [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*)
- [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*)
- [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*)
- [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*)

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Source: [Climbing Fig: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/climbing-fig)