Ficus virens 'Snowstorm'- Spotted Fig (Variegated Fig #3)

[Eric in Orlando]

This is Ficus virens 'Snowstorm', Spotted Fig. F. virens is native to a wide region from India to southern China, S.E. Asia, Taiwan, the Philippines and northern Australia. This is a large tree growing 50ft or more. It was formerly known as F. lacor.

'Snowstorm' has speckled leaves that often emerge a pink color then fade to a creamy white variegation.

[DoomsDave]

Whoa!

Well-named. Hmm. Wonder what the Indians who've never seen snow think?

dave

[fastfeat]

Interesting-looking. Suppose spider mite infestations could just be ignored...

Green-leafed specimens are slow in CA. Probably much faster with humidity and warmth.

[Eric in Orlando]

We have a coule green leafed specimens too. The variegated is much slower growing than they are.

[epiphyte]

beautiful tree!  how's it doing?  recently this was mass-produced, but in many, if not most, cases it's being sold as the clown fig, which is the common name for ficus aspera.  not sure if this was intentional or accidental.  

[mnorell]

Nearly 20 years ago, when I was living in Natchez, Mississippi, I received a catalogue from (the now defunct) YuccaDo Nursery in Texas, featuring a plant identified as this species (the green-leaf form), but with extraordinary cold-hardiness, said to withstand a significant freeze, presumably with little to no damage. Since that nursery was a serious and respected outfit that was not usually given over to hyperbole in their advertising, I ordered it. Lo and behold--it burned to the ground just like any other tender Ficus. I was also growing F. roxburghii/auriculata at the time and it actually did much better. The YuccaDo F. virens did come back from the roots each spring and grow a bit, but eventually it was fully killed out, probably in the 2010 winter.

I have never seen it on the market since, and certainly not this variegated type...but earlier this year I noticed an eBay listing for this species, from a fellow in South Carolina, in which he noted his offering as the "cold hardy type" that would behave as a large shrub or small tree in zone 8 (and by extension, I presume a good-sized tree throughout zone 9). I ordered one from him, mostly for old time's sake, and now have it growing in a container here in the desert...it's a very attractive tree with nice reddish new leaves and a somewhat unusual leaf-quality, less thick and leathery than many Ficus species. Although I have to admit I'm afraid to plant it out anywhere due to the huge potential size in a frostless climate as @Eric in Orlando had noted above.

I wonder if anyone knows how the claims of cold-hardiness evolved/began for this species and whether anyone has found it to have more leaf-hardiness in a marginally frost-free (e.g., 9b) area. As I remember this species comes from a large area of very warm temps, something like Indonesia to northern Australia. An area not known for producing cold-hardy species! Frost isn't an issue where I am now except once in a blue moon, but it interests me how any of these may have performed in hard winters or if anyone has any further info on the supposedly hardier strain of this species and its background.