In areas where fig trees cannot survive outside climates, they are common houseplants. Weeping figs, rubber trees, and fiddle leaf figs are especially popular as for indoor growing. They are also used in creating bonsai. Many species of Ficus have aerial roots and are epiphytes (plants that grow on other plants) or hemiepiphytes (plants that begin as epiphytes, but send down roots that eventually reach the ground). These species often smother their host trees. Here are nine fig tree types to consider for your garden. MNStudio / Getty Images These trees are epiphytic—they absorb moisture from the air. The trunks are massive, fluted structures with smooth light-gray bark. The dark green, leathery leaves are elliptical, 4 to 8 inches long. The branches form roots that stretch towards the ground to penetrate and take hold, forming alternate trunks. This effect can make the tree spread out over quite a large area; some specimens are among the largest trees in the world in terms of canopy coverage, covering several acres. This is a common street plant in tropical Asian countries, occasionally grown as a interesting specimen tree in large private landscapes.

Native Area: India and tropical AsiaUSDA Growing Zones: 10 to 12Height: Over 100 feetSun Exposure: Full sun

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Native Area: India and MalaysiaUSDA Growing Zones: 9 to 11Height: Up to 40 feetSun Exposure: Full sun to part shade

Native Area: South pacific, tropical AustraliaUSDA Growing Zones: 10 to 11Height: 10 feet to 50 feetSun Exposure: Full sun to part shade

This is a deciduous tree or large shrub with smooth white bark and 5 to 10-inch-long lobed leaves. It forms the same wide, dome-shaped canopy found in banyans and many other Ficus species. In landscape applications, the common fig is often positioned in areas with run-off ravines and gullies, since it has an extensive root system that can seek out water while stabilizing banks and slopes. This plant will do very well in any climate consistent with the conditions of the Mediterranean or Middle Eastern region. It can survive in some more temperate regions if planted in a sheltered south or west location.

Native Area: Western Asia and the MediterraneanUSDA Zones: 8 to 10; depending on the cultivar, you may be able to grow these down to zone 6Height: 10 feet to 30 feetSun Exposure: Full sun

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Native Area: East AsiaUSDA Growing Zones: 8 to 11Height: 8 to 15 feet longSun Exposure: Full sun to part shade

Native Area: Western AfricaUSDA Growing Zones: 10 to 11Height: Up to 40 feetSun Exposure: Bright shade; does best in bright, filtered light, especially when grown indoors

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Native Area: Eastern AustraliaUSDA Zones: 9 to 11Height: 200 feet or moreSun Exposure: Full sun to part shade

Native Area: India and MalaysiaUSDA Zones: 10 to 11Height: Can be over 100 feet tall in the wildSun Exposure: Full sun to part shade; indoors, potted specimens require plenty of bright light

Native Area: South Asia and AustraliaUSDA Growing Zones: 10 to 11Height: up to 60 feetSun Exposure: Full sun to part shade; indoors, it requires plenty of bright light