{"product_id":"ficus-microcarpa-var-hillii","title":"Ficus microcarpa var. hillii","description":"\u003ch2\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHill's Weeping Fig\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBotanical Name:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cem\u003eFicus microcarpa\u003c\/em\u003e var. \u003cem\u003ehillii\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFamily:\u003c\/strong\u003e Moraceae\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOrigin:\u003c\/strong\u003e Tropical and subtropical eastern Australia (northern Queensland); widely distributed through SE Asia and Pacific Islands\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePlant Type:\u003c\/strong\u003e Large evergreen tree; widely grown as a formal hedge, tall privacy screen, and large-scale landscape specimen\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOverview\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eHill's Weeping Fig is Australia's most-planted large-scale hedging and privacy-screening tree, prized for its exceptionally fast growth, year-round dense glossy foliage, and near-unbeatable adaptability to urban conditions. Left unclipped it matures into a majestic spreading shade tree reaching 15–30 m; maintained with regular trimming it forms a tight, wall-like green screen from 2 to 8 m — faster than any other reliable hedging species in the country. Its naturally weeping, pendulous branching delivers a softer, more layered hedge appearance than strictly upright alternatives, while intermittent lime-green new-growth flushes bring seasonal colour without the plant ever dropping its canopy.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eKey Features\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMature Size:\u003c\/strong\u003e 15–30 m H x 10–20 m W unclipped (landscape specimens commonly 8–15 m H); as a maintained hedge: 2–8 m H x 1–3 m W\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eGrowth Rate:\u003c\/strong\u003e Very fast; 60–100 cm per year once established; upright main structure with a naturally pendulous, cascading outer habit\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFoliage:\u003c\/strong\u003e Dense, glossy, elliptic leaves 5–8 cm long; mid-green at maturity with bright lime-green new-growth flushes several times per year; tightly overlapping leaf arrangement creates an opaque screen rapidly; evergreen\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFlowers:\u003c\/strong\u003e Tiny flowers enclosed within small 5–8 mm figs; not visible or ornamentally significant; figs ripen from green to yellow-orange through summer–autumn; non-fragrant\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSeasonal Interest:\u003c\/strong\u003e Year-round dense evergreen coverage; intermittent lime-green new-growth flushes throughout the growing season; ripening figs attract fig-eating birds through summer and autumn\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWildlife Value:\u003c\/strong\u003e Ripe figs attract pigeons, figbirds, currawongs, and lorikeets; dense branching structure provides nesting habitat and year-round shelter for small birds\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eTolerance:\u003c\/strong\u003e Drought tolerant once established; heat tolerant; coastal tolerant (salt-laden winds and sandy soils); light frost tolerant on mature specimens — protect young plants from frosts below −3°C; wind tolerant when established; highly adaptable to clay, compacted, and urban soils\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePlanting Density:\u003c\/strong\u003e Fast dense privacy screen: plant 80 cm apart (1.3 plants per linear metre); standard privacy hedge: plant 100 cm apart (1.0 plants per linear metre). Root caution: roots are vigorous — keep at least 4–5 m from buildings, paving, underground pipes, and pool structures.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePet Friendly:\u003c\/strong\u003e Toxic — all parts, especially the milky latex sap, contain ficin and furocoumarins that can cause vomiting, diarrhoea, and skin or oral irritation in dogs, cats, horses, and rabbits; keep pets away from freshly pruned material and fallen figs\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhere It Works Best\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSunlight:\u003c\/strong\u003e Full sun to part shade; performs best with at least 4–5 hours of direct sun daily; tolerates dappled shade but hedge density reduces in deeper shade\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSoil:\u003c\/strong\u003e Highly adaptable — thrives in well-drained loam, sandy soils, clay, and compacted urban soils; incorporate compost at planting to accelerate early establishment in heavier soils\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWater Needs:\u003c\/strong\u003e Establishment (first 12–18 months): water deeply 2–3 times per week in summer, tapering to once per week in cooler months. Established: summer — one deep watering per week during hot dry spells (omit if rainfall ≥ 20 mm that week); winter — reduce to fortnightly; drought tolerant once deep-rooted but responds to consistent summer watering with stronger growth flushes.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMaintenance:\u003c\/strong\u003e Clip 2–3 times per year to maintain a tight even hedge; light frequent trims are preferable to infrequent hard cuts; avoid heavy pruning during winter cold or extended dry spells\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eLifespan:\u003c\/strong\u003e 50–150+ years as an unmanaged landscape tree; indefinitely as a managed hedge with consistent annual maintenance\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eClimate Zones:\u003c\/strong\u003e Excellent for coastal SA (Adelaide metro, Fleurieu Peninsula, Yorke Peninsula, Eyre Peninsula coastal belt) and warm temperate inland areas (Riverland, Barossa lowlands, McLaren Vale, Murray River towns); suitable in sheltered Adelaide Hills sites below 300 m elevation; not recommended for high-altitude Hills sites above 450 m or areas with regular heavy frosts\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSoil pH:\u003c\/strong\u003e Adaptable; performs reliably from mildly acid to mildly alkaline (pH 5.5–8.0); handles the alkaline soils common across Adelaide's plains and northern suburbs without amendment\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLandscape \u0026amp; Design Ideas\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePlant a single row at 80 cm spacing along a boundary fence to create a dense, wall-like privacy screen 2–3 m tall within two growing seasons — the fastest-establishing formal hedge available for Adelaide suburban lots\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGrow as a large feature specimen in open parks, commercial streetscapes, or school grounds, where the broad spreading canopy and naturally weeping form create dramatic shade and a sense of permanence without the overhead of constant clipping\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eInstall a double-offset row at 1 m within-row and 1 m between-row spacing along exposed coastal or rural boundaries to build a living windbreak that simultaneously creates a sheltered alfresco microclimate and reduces wind chill on tender plantings behind it\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhy You Will Love It\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eHill's Weeping Fig delivers what most hedging plants only promise: genuine wall-to-wall density within two to three seasons, a glossy evergreen backdrop that stays polished year-round, and the toughness to shrug off Adelaide's hot dry summers, salty coastal winds, and alkaline plains soils without complaint. Whether you need a crisp 2 m boundary screen on a suburban block or a commanding 15 m canopy specimen for a large open space, no other hedging tree in Australia combines raw establishment speed, reliable density, and sheer climate adaptability quite like this one.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Adelaide Plant Co","offers":[{"title":"400mm Pot","offer_id":68039636812028,"sku":"FICU-MICR-VAR-HILL-400MM-SO","price":159.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"100L Grow Bag","offer_id":68039636844796,"sku":"FICU-MICR-VAR-HILL-100L-SO","price":585.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/9282\/0220\/files\/ficus-microcarpa-var-hillii-hill_s-weeping-fig-100L-pot-adelaide-plant-co.jpg?v=1793352690","url":"https:\/\/adelaideplantco.com.au\/products\/ficus-microcarpa-var-hillii","provider":"Adelaide Plant Co","version":"1.0","type":"link"}