Creeping Fig

Question from Patty:

Me again. I wanted your thoughts on creeping fig. We have a half wall on the east side of our property and I’m considering planting creeping fig as coverage. I’ve read mixed reviews…some saying the plant is unruly, invasive, and harmful to pipes and hardscape. Is it as cumbersome as some say? If so, any other suggestions?

By the way, my dwarf wheelers and india hawthorns are making a strong come back! Thanks for all the great advice. Gardening is becoming a wonderful passion of mine. 🙂

Answer from Pat:

My mother planted creeping fig (Ficus pumila, F. repens) on a low wall such as you have described and said “This is a plant one can have a love-hate relationship with.”

As long as one cuts it to the ground every three years or so it will grow juvenile foliage only, which is charming. Once you let the mature wood and rank foliage take over, it morphs into a monster. The roots are invasive, but seemed not to be a problem on the side of the house where my mother grew it. It’s up to you, the gardener, if you want something that demands eternal vigilance. My mother’s husband cut their ficus back the ground every three years so they enjoyed the juvenile foliage most of the time. Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus inserta) and Boston ivy (P. tricuspidata) are other vines that cling, but these, too, are aggressive. No plant is perfect. A third suggestion is clipped pyracantha espaliered onto wires.