Ficus Audrey Temperature and Humidity Tolerances (Ultimate Guide)

The Ficus benghalensis, more commonly known as the Ficus Audrey or Banyan Fig, is a beautiful woody plant with a lightweight trunk and brightly colored green leaves. It’s the cousin of the trendy Fiddle-leaf Fig, but it is equally striking and easier to care for. In this guide, we will take you through everything you need to know about Ficus Audrey temperature and humidity tolerances indoors. 

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Ficus Audrey Temperature and Humidity Tolerances: The Essentials

Ficus Audrey plants thrive best in moderately humid environments between 40% to 60%, with temperatures ranging between 60 and 80F. Avoid locating your plant near cold drafts or doorways and boost humidity if necessary with a small in-room humidifier or humidity tray for optimal plant health.

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Typical Temperature And Humidity Ranges Ficus Audrey Plants Receive In Their Native Habitats

Native to Pakistan and India, Ficus Audrey plants grow naturally in humid and warm climates. This can give you a better sense of the ideal indoor growing conditions they will need at home. In their native habitats, they are used to temperatures between 70 degrees Fahrenheit and 90 degrees Fahrenheit throughout much of the year. 

Signs Your Ficus Audrey Plant Is Exposed To The Wrong Temperature And Humidity

Keep an eye on several tell-tale signs that indicate your Ficus Audrey plant is exposed to inappropriate environmental conditions. 

Common signs of temperature issues include:

• Limp or drooping leaves, a problem also caused by overwatering or under watering
• Loss of color or pattern, especially if leaves darken rather than turn light-colored
• Slow growth and a lack of new leaves
• Leaf drop if the temperature drop is severe or extended in length.

When the problem is a lack of humidity instead, Calathea plants exhibit problems like:

• Crispy brown edges on older leaves, which indicate both under-watering and a lack of moisture in the air
• Wilted leaves that don’t perk up from temperature improvements
• Rapid drying of ficus audrey soil between watering, making it hard to maintain a proper level of moisture
• Slow growth
• Pale leaves with a lack of color or pattern.

Ideal Temperature And Humidity Considerations For Ficus Audrey Plants

A Ficus Audrey plant will be comfortable in most average room temperatures, as long as temperatures don’t drop below 65 degrees Fahrenheit or above 85 degrees Fahrenheit. 

The perfect humidity range is somewhere between 40% and 60%. 

Drafty windows, air conditioning units, and the prevailing light conditions can all contribute to the prevailing environmental conditions. 

Monitoring Temperature and Humidity at Home

It’s prudent to monitor the temperature and humidity in your home to ensure your Ficus Audrey plant is in the ideal growing conditions. Using a greenhouse thermometer and hygrometer will allow you to monitor two essential variables in your plant’s development. From experience, it’s generally easier to follow and record a digital system if available as they are also able to measure the maximum and minimum temperatures and humidity levels over 24 hours, so you will exactly know how these levels fluctuate in your home.

How To Boost Humidity In Your Home 

Without reasonable humidity control, it’s hard to get tropical houseplants like Ficus Audrey to thrive indoors. A lack of humidity is a common cause of brown, wilted, or discolored plants. Yet it’s hard to raise humidity throughout the entire home and risk mildew growth just to help a few houseplants thrive. 

Instead, try humidifying just the area where the Ficus Audrey and similar plants are located. If you can’t take advantage of a naturally high humidity area like a bathroom, try a reliable method for keeping humidity high.

Humidity trays are commonly recommended, but they’re of limited effectiveness, like misting. These methods will only provide a boost of a few percentage points of humidity directly around the plant. 

For a bigger boost when indoor humidity levels are 50% or below in the rest of the house, try a humidifier instead. 

Desktop-sized humidifiers are an excellent choice for individual or small groups of moisture-loving plants. Larger humidifiers may be needed for extensive collections of houseplants.

Caring For Ficus Audrey Plants In Spring And Summer 

Spring and summer are the primary growing seasons for these plants. Long days and warmer temperatures encourage them to maintain good color and growth rates. 

Make sure humidity stays high but don’t be afraid if temperatures occasionally dip below 70. As long as the plant isn’t exposed to temperatures below 60 degrees, it should take relatively little extra care to thrive in the spring and summer.

Now’s also the best time of year to repot your Ficus Audrey plant if needed.

Caring For Ficus Audrey Plants Over Winter 

Drafts are a significant problem for sensitive Ficus Audrey plants in the winter. One blast of cold air from a window or door can lead to dropped leaves. A slow but constant low level of exposure to cool air slowly threatens the plant’s health. 

Keeping the plant in a central location in the winter can protect it from temperature fluctuations when doors and windows are opened. Calatheas need less watering in the winter, but they prefer nearly the same humidity and temperature levels as summer. 

Avoid temperatures below 60 degrees at all times to prevent leaf loss and sudden wilting from shock. If you decide to use a space heater to ensure the plant stays warm enough, be prepared to use a humidifier to counter the drying effect.

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Wrapping Up

Ficus Audrey plants need plenty of warmth and humidity to thrive indoors. Unfortunately, home heating tends to strip humidity from the air rather than adding to it. Don’t be afraid to use a small humidifier or constant misting to compensate. With some practice and a battery-powered temperature and humidity meter, you can easily make these plants happy all year round.

For more, see our in-depth guide on where to position Ficus Audrey plants in the home for optimal care and Feng Shui benefits.

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