Ficus pumila (also known as Ficus repens)
Chinese name: 薜荔 (pinyin: bì lì)
Other Chinese names: 爬山虎榕, 贴地榕, 爬墙榕
Common English name: Creeping Fig
Ficus pumila is a popular climbing foliage plant with small, dense leaves. It is native to East Asia, including southern China, Japan, and Vietnam. 🌿 Common Uses in Home Gardening:

• Wall covering / Vertical landscaping:
  In warm climates, it is widely used for exterior green walls. Indoors, it can be mounted on wooden boards or moss walls.
• Moss walls / Terrarium decoration:
  A favorite in tropical-style terrariums (rainforest tanks), where it serves as foreground coverage or a climber for vertical hardscapes.
• Trailing potted plant:
  It can also be grown in hanging pots as an attractive trailing houseplant.
• Companion planting:
  Pairs well with ferns, mosses, ivies, and peperomias to create a lush, natural atmosphere.

🍁 Climate Suitability in Toronto:
Toronto has cold winters, and Ficus pumila is not frost-tolerant (minimum safe temperature: 5°C).
It should be grown indoors year-round, except for temporary outdoor use during warm summer months. 🛠 Care Guide for Toronto:
🌞 Light

• Prefers bright, indirect light.
• Tolerates low light, but grows slowly.
• Avoid strong direct sunlight to prevent leaf burn or dehydration.
• Indoors: place near a window with filtered light, or use grow lights.

💧 Watering

• Keep the soil lightly moist; avoid waterlogging.
• In spring and summer, water when the top layer begins to dry.
• In winter, allow the soil to dry slightly between waterings.
• In moss walls or terrariums, maintain humidity but ensure good airflow to prevent mold.

💨 Humidity

• Prefers high humidity (>50%).
• In dry winter indoor air, consider using a humidifier, misting the plant, or using a sphagnum moss ball setup for localized humidity.

🌡 Temperature

• Ideal temperature range: 15–25°C.
• Keep above 10°C in winter; avoid exposure to cold drafts, which may cause leaf yellowing or drop.

✂️ Pruning & Training

• Regular pruning helps maintain shape, encourages bushier growth, and prevents overgrowth.
• Can be trained to climb moss poles, trellises, or wall panels.
• In terrariums, it may quickly cover the background if left untrimmed.

🌱 Soil

• Prefers loose, well-draining media. Examples:
  • For potted use: peat-based mix with perlite.
  • For terrariums: sphagnum moss, orchid bark, coco coir.
• pH: slightly acidic to neutral (5.5–7.0).

⚠️ Additional Notes

• Avoid soggy soil to prevent root rot.
• Produces aerial roots for climbing—pinch off new shoots if you wish to control its spread.
• The plant contains white sap that may cause mild irritation; wear gloves when pruning and avoid contact with eyes or mouth.

📜 Cultural Background:

• "薜荔" (bì lì) is a classical Chinese plant name found in ancient poetry and traditional medicine texts.
• For example, Tang poet Bai Juyi wrote:
  “薜荔依墙绿，榕阴覆地寒”
  “Creeping fig greens the wall, banyan shade cools the earth.”
• In traditional Chinese medicine, its roots have herbal applications, though it is mainly used today as an ornamental plant.

🌿 Growth Forms:

• Juvenile phase:
  The plant has small, thin leaves that cling closely to surfaces. This is the typical form seen in pots, hanging baskets, or terrariums, and it stays in this phase indefinitely indoors.
• Mature phase (only in tropical/subtropical climates):
  After 5–10 years of outdoor ground planting, it may develop thicker, larger leaves and woody stems, eventually flowering and fruiting like a semi-shrub. This does not occur indoors or in cold climates like Toronto.

薜荔，拼音是(bì lì)，英文是Ficus pumila或Ficus repens，英文俗称是Creeping Fig，中文名还有：爬山虎榕、贴地榕、爬墙榕，它是一种很受欢迎的攀爬性观叶植物，叶片小巧、茂密。原产地是东亚（中国南部、日本、越南等地）。
薜荔在家庭园艺中的用途：
墙面绿化 / 立体造景：在温暖地区，它是墙面绿化的常见植物；在室内可贴挂板种植。
苔藓墙 / 雨林缸点缀：在热带雨林缸中常作为前景或爬附背景墙的植物。
盆栽垂吊植物：也可以种在吊盆中，作为室内观叶植物垂挂下来，非常好看。
搭配其他植物：可与蕨类、苔藓、常春藤、胡椒属植物搭配种植，营造自然氛围。
多伦多冬季寒冷，薜荔 Ficus Repens 不耐寒（最低温度不能低于5°C），通常只能作为室内植物养护，除非夏季短期户外装饰。
在多伦多地区的养护建议：
🌞 光照
喜明亮散射光，可以适应微弱光线，但生长速度较慢。
避免直射强光，以免叶片灼伤或脱水卷曲。
在多伦多室内，可放在靠窗但不直晒的位置，或使用植物生长灯补光。
💧 浇水
保持微润，忌积水。
春夏生长期保持土壤略湿润，冬季适度干燥。
若种在苔藓墙或雨林缸中，可高湿环境，但要注意通风防霉。
💨 湿度
喜高湿度，室内建议维持湿度在50%以上。
冬季多伦多空气干燥，可使用加湿器、喷水保湿，或采用水培苔球等形式提高周围湿度。
🌡 温度
适宜温度为15～25°C。
冬季需避免低于10°C；冷风吹到时易叶片发黄脱落。
🌱 修剪与造型
定期修剪可控制体积、促进分枝，维持造型。
可绑在苔藓棒、藤架或墙板上攀附生长。
若用在雨林缸中，不修剪时会迅速覆盖整个背景板。
🌿 土壤
喜疏松、排水良好的介质，例如：
室内盆栽可用泥炭土 + 珍珠岩；
雨林缸中可用苔藓、树皮、椰糠等。
pH略酸性至中性（5.5–7.0）最适宜。
💡 其他注意事项
不可长期积水，否则易烂根。
容易长出气生根攀附，若不希望其攀爬，可以及时摘除新生茎。
有轻微毒性（乳白色汁液），修剪时注意戴手套，避免触碰眼睛和口鼻。

顺便说一下，
·  “薜荔”是古汉语植物名，在古代诗词和药典中常有提及；
·  比如唐代白居易诗中有句：“薜荔依墙绿，榕阴覆地寒”，说的就是这类藤本榕属植物；
·  在中医中，“薜荔”根茎有药用价值，但作为家庭观赏植物，主要还是看其观赏价值。
·  薜荔在不同生长阶段有明显的形态
幼年：叶子小而薄，贴附性强。在盆栽、吊盆或雨林缸里，它会长期保持幼年形态，也就是小叶藤蔓状态；
成年：在热带或亚热带地区，地栽多年后（5到10年以上）会从“爬墙藤蔓”变成“半木本大叶灌木”，并开花结果。在室内养护的薜荔（尤其在多伦多这样寒冷地区）是不会进入这种成年状态的。

Source from chat.openai. Organized and translated by Qiuye. Not for reprint.  不得转载！