Creeping Fig: A Field Guide

In a tight space, creeping fig vines will cover a fence with a flat green curtain of heart-shaped leaves. 

Plant creeping fig against a wall where you can’t spare the square footage for a shrub or a hedge. Tiny and tough, Ficus pumila is a dwarf member of the Ficus family. As it grows, creeping fig will latch onto a vertical surface with tiny tendrils and can be trained by pruning to stay flat. Two or three times a year, clip away new layers to encourage more horizontal growth and to prevent leaves from turning leathery.