Soil & potting mix

Best soil for Ficus Audrey (Ficus benghalensis)

Also called banyan tree, Indian banyan, Audrey fig.

About Ficus Audrey

Ficus benghalensis · also called banyan tree, Indian banyan · houseplant

Ficus Audrey is the sacred banyan tree of India, sold as a sturdy indoor tree alternative to the fiddle-leaf fig. Velvety oval leaves on a pale trunk and less drama than its cousin. Mildly toxic to pets through ficin in the milky sap.

Ficus benghalensis, the Bengal fig or sacred banyan of the Indian subcontinent, where mature trees drop aerial roots that thicken into accessory trunks; indoors in the UK it must stay under glass year-round (RHS hardiness H1a, minimum 15C).

Use a peat-free, loam-based compost with added bark chippings for the open, free-draining structure these vigorous roots need.

Preferred mix: Free-draining houseplant mix

Watch for — Brown leaf edges: Low humidity or dry soil.

Sources: rhs.org.uk, hgtv.com

Why ficus audrey needs this mix

Ficus Audrey is an easy-going houseplant — it just wants a free-draining general mix that holds some moisture but never stays soggy.

Ficus Audrey is adaptable, but like most houseplants it still needs air at the roots — a mix that drains freely while holding a working moisture reserve.
A little perlite or bark stops ordinary compost compacting into an airless block over time, which is the slow, common cause of decline.
It is not fussy about pH or special ingredients; getting the air-to-moisture balance right is what matters.

For the full picture on what makes up a good mix, see our guide to the main types of soil and potting media — it explains why each ingredient above behaves the way it does.

What goes wrong with the wrong mix

The wrong soil is one of the most common reasons ficus audrey struggles, and the damage often shows up weeks later as a watering problem. For this species specifically:

Plain garden soil or a cheap, claggy compost compacts in the pot and slowly suffocates ficus audrey's roots.
A pure peat mix that dries to a hard, water-repelling block is hard to re-wet and stresses the plant.
No drainage hole turns even a good mix into a stagnant, root-rotting sump.

Reusing tired, compacted old compost or skipping the perlite. A free-draining mix in a pot with a hole solves most "why is it struggling" cases for ficus audrey.

pH — does it matter for ficus audrey?

Ficus Audrey is not fussy about pH — a slightly acidic to neutral mix (around pH 6.0-7.0), which a standard peat-free compost provides, is perfectly fine. No testing needed.

If you want to check or adjust it, the soil pH guide walks through testing and the safe ways to nudge a mix more acidic or more alkaline.

DIY mix vs a bagged one

A decent bagged houseplant compost works for ficus audrey as long as you mix in perlite for air. The simple DIY ratio above is cheap and more reliable than a budget bag alone.

Drainage and the pot

A pot with a drainage hole and a saucer you empty after watering is all ficus audrey needs — the free-draining mix does the rest.

Refresh ficus audrey's mix every 18-24 months; even good compost slumps and compacts, and fresh, airy mix is often the simplest fix for a tired plant. When the time comes, our repotting guide for ficus audrey covers the timing and technique step by step.

Ficus Audrey soil — frequently asked questions

What is the best soil mix for ficus audrey?

3 parts peat-free houseplant compost : 1 part perlite : 1 part orchid bark or coco chips (optional). Ficus Audrey is adaptable, but like most houseplants it still needs air at the roots — a mix that drains freely while holding a working moisture reserve.

Can I use normal potting soil for ficus audrey?

Plain garden soil or a cheap, claggy compost compacts in the pot and slowly suffocates ficus audrey's roots. A decent bagged houseplant compost works for ficus audrey as long as you mix in perlite for air. The simple DIY ratio above is cheap and more reliable than a budget bag alone.

Does ficus audrey need a special pH?