Banyan & Ficus Trees
Banyan and ficus are the broad-canopy workhorses of large-scale interior greenery — heavy multi-stem trunks, aerial roots and a wide spreading crown that fills volume the way no upright species can. These are the trees specified when a double-height lobby has to look planted rather than decorated, and they are the most common choice above ten feet for exactly that reason.
What is the difference between a banyan and a ficus?
Botanically none — banyan is Ficus benghalensis — so the distinction in this range is about form. What is sold as banyan is the aerial-root type: a thick, buttressed, often multi-trunked base with descending roots and a wide flat crown, built to look ancient. What is sold as ficus is usually a single clean trunk carrying a rounded canopy of small glossy leaves, the classic office tree. Banyan reads as a specimen and insists on being the focal point; ficus reads as furniture and sits quietly in a corner. For the fiddle-leaf branch of the family, see Ficus & Fiddle Leaf Trees.
Do artificial ficus trees work in low light?
They are the reason the category exists. A living ficus is notoriously intolerant — move it, draught it or under-light it and it sheds most of its leaves within a fortnight, which is why so many office ficus trees end up half bare. Faux versions hold a full canopy in a windowless core, a basement meeting room or a corridor lit only by downlights, and hold it identically in year five. The one trait they share with the living plant is dust: glossy ficus leaves show it, so plan a wipe-down two or three times a year. See For Offices & Workspaces.
How to choose the right size
Canopy spread is the constraint here, not height, and on these species it is severe. A 10 ft banyan commonly spreads 1.8 to 2.5 m — wider than it is tall in some multi-stem forms — so draw a circle on the floor before you measure the ceiling. Keep the crown clear of walls by at least 30 cm, or the branches on the wall side get compressed and the tree looks lopsided from every other angle in the room. Below 7 ft, ficus is the better buy; above 8 ft, banyan earns its price. Both sit at the top of Large Artificial Trees.
Frequently asked questions
Can a banyan or ficus tree go outside?
Only where the product page states outdoor or covered-outdoor placement — this range is built primarily for indoor lobbies, offices and living spaces, and a wide flat banyan crown or a glossy ficus canopy generally isn't the form built for weather exposure. Where a piece is rated for it, check for UV-stabilised foliage and a base weighted for the wide spread these species carry. See UV Resistant & Outdoor Safe for the part of the range that's built for it.
Does a banyan or ficus arrive assembled?
No. At the sizes this range specialises in, the trunk ships in multiple sections and branch or aerial-root elements ship separately, then need slotting into marked points and fanning out to open the canopy after transit compression — a longer process than a narrower species, given how wide these crowns spread. See our unboxing and shaping guide for what to expect by size.
Does a banyan or ficus tree include a planter?
Check the individual product page — it varies across this range, and most large specimens ship in a plain nursery pot with a planter chosen separately to suit the space. Given the canopy spread these trees carry, a base needs real weight and a wide enough footprint to counter a top-heavy crown, not just a decorative finish. Multi-stem banyan forms in particular need a stable, properly sized base.
Will the height we order match the height we receive?
Yes — the height stated on the product page is what ships. Because canopy spread on these species can exceed the stated height, as explained above, judge scale by both figures rather than by the product photo alone, where a wide multi-stem banyan photographed against a plain background can be hard to read for true size. Where several heights are offered as variants, select deliberately rather than assuming the pictured tree is the only option.
What should we check before buying a banyan or ficus tree?
Canopy spread first, since it's frequently the real constraint in a room, not ceiling height, as this page explains. Then check whether the base includes aerial roots or a multi-stem trunk, since those need more floor footprint than a single clean trunk. Confirm placement (indoor, covered outdoor or outdoor) and whether a planter ships with the tree. Finally measure your delivery route — these are large, multi-section trees that need a clear path indoors.
