Ficus binnendijkii 'Amstel King'

Ficus maclellandii ‘Amstel King’

Often sold as Ficus binnendijkii ‘Amstel King’.

Ficus maclellandii ‘Amstel King’ has long, glossy, narrow leaves that hang from upright woody stems. New growth often emerges bronze or reddish before maturing green, so the shoot tips show a warmer colour while they expand. Compared with compact Ficus benjamina cultivars, this plant builds a taller, narrower frame.

You may also see this plant sold as Ficus binnendijkii ‘Amstel King’. It was selected in Aalsmeer, Netherlands, from a narrow-leaved ficus plant and remains in trade as a long-leaved indoor ficus.

Long narrow leaves and upright growth

• Leaf shape: long, lance-shaped and glossy
• Leaf size: often around 22 cm long and 4–5 cm wide at the broadest point
• New growth: bronze or reddish before turning green
• Structure: upright woody stems with a narrow canopy
• Size and pace: taller and stronger-growing than many compact weeping fig cultivars
• Pruning: needed to control height and encourage side branches

Ficus maclellandii is native from Assam to Yunnan and Peninsular Malaysia, where it grows as a tree in wet tropical habitats. Indoors, ‘Amstel King’ needs warmth, bright filtered light and a root zone that drains cleanly. Dense, wet substrate around the lower roots quickly leads to yellowing leaves and root decline.

Care for a narrow-leaf indoor ficus

• Light: Give bright indirect light. Soft direct sun is fine once the plant is used to the position, but harsh sun can mark leaves.
• Watering: Water when the upper 2.5–5 cm of the mix has dried. Water deeply, then let the pot drain fully.
• Substrate: Use a well-drained, airy mix. Heavy soil keeps the lower root ball wet and increases root problems.
• Temperature: Keep warm and steady. Avoid cold draughts, cold floors and cold window glass in winter.
• Humidity: Average indoor humidity is usually enough. Dry air can brown the narrow leaf tips.
• Feeding: Feed lightly during active growth. Avoid heavy feeding when winter light is weak.
• Pruning: Shorten tall stems to control height and encourage branching lower down.
• Repotting: Repot when the roots have filled the pot, using a stable pot only slightly larger than the old one. Tall plants need weight at the base, but not a large mass of wet substrate.
• Winter: Growth slows in low light. Water less often, reduce feeding and keep the plant away from cold air.

Leaf drop, brown tips and bare stems

Leaf drop usually follows relocation, cold air, sudden light change or irregular watering. Yellow lower leaves suggest wet roots or compacted substrate. Brown tips come from dry heat, salt build-up, missed watering or hot sun through glass. Long bare stems develop when the plant has too little light or is never pruned.

Inspect scale along midribs and stems. Mealybugs hide at leaf bases and branch joints. Whitefly may lift from the canopy when the plant is moved. Thrips and spider mites show as speckling, scarring, silvery marks or fine webbing.

Sap, rooted cuttings and fig biology

Larger cuts can release a noticeable amount of white latex. Use gloves for pruning, wipe tools clean, and keep cut material away from pets. The plant is not safe for pets that chew foliage.

‘Amstel King’ is propagated from rooted cuttings so the long narrow leaves, upright growth and bronze-toned new flush remain consistent. In normal indoor conditions, it remains a foliage tree; figs are not expected. The flowers are enclosed inside fig structures and do not appear as ordinary blooms.

Name background

Ficus belongs to Moraceae, the mulberry and fig family, and Ficus is Latin for fig. The name binnendijkii commemorates S. Binnendijk, a 19th-century horticulturist at Bogor Botanic Gardens. ‘Amstel King’ is the cultivar name used for this long-leaved ficus.

‘Amstel King’ develops a narrow tree form with upright stems, long leaves and bronze-toned new growth.