Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Creeping fig staked
Creeping fig is an evergreen vine that clings flat to block, brick and stucco with tiny rootlets, covering a wall in small heart-shaped leaves with no trellis. It is slow for the first while, then grows fast and can cover 20 feet or more of wall.
In the Valley it does best on a north or east wall or in part shade. Hot afternoon sun on a west or south wall yellows the leaves. It needs regular water and is hardy to about 15°F. Once it grips, it is hard to remove, so plant it where you want permanent cover.
Best for: covering north and east walls, softening block walls in shaded courtyards and entries, greening a fence, and large pots in shady spots.
Creeping fig does best in part or full shade, so a north or east wall is the ideal spot. Plant it at the base of the wall and it climbs on its own with tiny rootlets, no trellis or wires needed. Plant 6 to 8 feet apart along a long wall.
It turns a plain block or stucco wall into a flat sheet of small green leaves, which softens a courtyard, entry or side yard. It stays green all year in a normal Valley winter. Trim it regularly so it stays flat and neat.
It climbs chain link, wrought iron and wood fences as well as walls, filling a fence into a green screen over time. Growth is slow at first, then speeds up quickly once it is rooted. Plant 6 feet apart for faster cover.
It grows well in a large pot, which works in a shady patio corner or next to a tree where roots make digging hard. Set the pot at the base of a wall, post or pillar and let the stems climb.
Afternoon sun on a west or south wall yellows and stresses the leaves, so keep it on the shady side. Once it grips, it is hard to remove, marks paint and can damage wood, and its roots can crack slabs. Put it on a garden wall you want covered for good, not your house.
- Faster wall cover6 ft apart
- Standard wall or fence run8 ft apart
Water a new vine every 3 to 4 days for the first two weeks, and more often in summer heat, then stretch it out over about two months. Once rooted, water about every 7 to 10 days in summer, every 10 to 14 days in spring and fall, and every 2 to 3 weeks in winter. It is not drought tolerant, so do not let it dry out in summer heat.
Trim it regularly to keep it out of roofs, eaves and windows. Cut back stiff stems that stick out from the wall, since they carry the large leaves. Every few years, prune it hard in spring to shrink it and renew the small leaves.
Plant it on a north or east wall or in part shade. Hot afternoon sun on a west or south wall yellows the leaves in summer. If a sunny wall is your only option, choose a different vine.
Alkaline Valley soil often locks up iron, which turns new leaves yellow with green veins. Give it an iron product in spring when you see this. Hot afternoon sun also yellows the leaves, so check where it is planted.
Drainage test first. Dig the hole and fill it with water. If water is still sitting in the hole a day later, you likely hit caliche, clay or hard soil, so fix the drainage before planting. If it drains very fast, the soil is sandy. Standing water around roots is a common reason new plants fail.
Weed cloth. Cut it away from the planting hole and where the roots will spread. Remove any plastic sheeting completely, since it keeps water and air out of the soil.
Rock or decomposed granite with no soil underneath. Bring in soil close in texture to your native soil, mix it with the soil below, and build up enough depth for roots before planting.
If you can break through. Use a breaker bar, pick, or jackhammer. Dig through the caliche and break out the solid chunks. Backfill with the soil you dug out, with no compost or manure in the hole. Confirm drainage before planting.
If you cannot break through. Dig narrow holes through the hard layer beside the root ball, not under it, and refill them with the same soil, not gravel. If it still will not drain, plant on a low mound of the same soil.
Root ball. Check the outside edges for any roots circling around. Loosen or cut those so they grow outward. Do not break up the center of the root ball.
Depth. The top of the root ball should sit at or just slightly above the surrounding soil level. Planting too deep can lead to rot and kill the plant.
Drip emitters. At planting, put the emitters on the root ball, on different sides of the plant. After about 2 months, move them to the outer edge of the root ball. Over the first year, add emitters farther out toward the edge of the branches as roots grow. Once a plant is rooted, never water only at the trunk.
Does creeping fig need a trellis?
No. It clings to block, brick and stucco on its own with tiny rootlets along the stems. Plant it at the base of the wall and set the stems against the surface so they can grab.
Can creeping fig take full sun in Phoenix?
It does best in part or full shade on a north or east wall. Hot afternoon sun on a west or south wall turns the leaves yellow, so plant it on the shady side of the yard.
Will it damage my wall?
Yes, it can mark or damage surfaces. Once it grips, it is hard to remove and leaves marks on painted walls, it can damage wood, and its roots can crack slabs and lift patios. Plant it on a garden wall you want covered for good, not on the house.
Why are some leaves much bigger than others?
Older stems turn stiff, stick out from the wall and grow leaves two to three times larger. Cut those stiff stems back to bring back the small, flat leaves.
How often should I water creeping fig?
Water a new vine every 3 to 4 days for two weeks, and more often in summer heat, then slowly space it out. Once rooted, water about every 7 to 10 days in summer and every 2 to 3 weeks in winter. It is not drought tolerant, so do not let it dry out in summer.
Why are the leaves turning yellow?
Yellow leaves usually mean too much hot sun or a lack of iron from alkaline Valley soil. If the plant sits in hot afternoon sun, that spot is too harsh for it. If it is in shade, give it an iron product in spring.
How fast does creeping fig grow?
It grows slowly at first, then its growth speeds up dramatically once it is rooted. Plan on a slow first stretch before it starts to cover the wall.
How cold hardy is it?
It is hardy to about 15°F, and older plants have taken cold near 10°F. That makes it far tougher than its tropical look suggests in a Valley winter.
How far apart should I plant it?
Plant about 6 to 8 feet apart along a wall or fence. Use 6 feet for faster cover.
How do I keep it in bounds?
Trim it regularly so it does not grow into roofs, eaves and windows. Every few years, prune it hard in spring to reduce its size and renew it.
Can I grow creeping fig in a pot?
Yes. It grows well in a large pot in a shady spot. This works well in a patio corner or next to a tree where roots make digging hard.
Creeping fig staked for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Creeping fig is the classic vine for covering a wall in a flat, fine layer of small green leaves. It clings on its own, stays green all year and loves the shady side of the house. This page covers which wall to use, spacing, watering, pruning, yellow leaves and what to know before it goes on a wall.
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Creeping fig for Valley walls
Creeping fig is an evergreen vine that clings flat to walls with tiny rootlets and covers them in small heart-shaped leaves. It does best on shaded north and east walls with regular water.
Does creeping fig need support?
No. It grips block, brick and stucco on its own, so it needs no trellis or wires. Plant it at the base of the wall and it climbs from there.
Best wall for creeping fig in Phoenix
North and east walls are best. Hot afternoon sun on a west or south wall yellows the leaves, so keep it on the shady side of the yard.
How far apart to plant creeping fig
Plant about 6 to 8 feet apart along a wall or fence. Closer spacing covers the wall sooner.
How to keep small creeping fig leaves
Older stems turn stiff and grow much larger leaves. Cut those stems back to bring back the fine, flat look.
Is creeping fig bad for walls?
It is hard to remove, marks paint and can damage wood, and its roots can crack slabs. Use it on garden walls you want covered for good.
Why creeping fig turns yellow in Arizona
Alkaline soil often causes a lack of iron, and hot afternoon sun also yellows the leaves. Give it shade and an iron product in spring.
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