Family: Moraceae

Ficus binnendijkii, commonly known as sabre ficus or sabre-leaf fig, is an evergreen tree native to tropical Asia. It is often grown as an ornamental or indoor plant for its elegant, drooping leaves and graceful, upright form. The narrow, glossy foliage gives it a refined, tropical appearance that makes it a popular choice for homes, offices, and shaded landscapes. In cultivation, sabre ficus prefers bright, indirect light, moderate watering, and well-drained soil. It can be sensitive to overwatering and sudden environmental changes, which may cause leaf drop.

In Hawaiʻi, sabre ficus is occasionally used as a landscape or container plant but is not known to be naturalized or invasive. Unlike some other Ficus species that have become problematic in tropical environments, it does not appear to spread aggressively or form aerial roots that damage structures. Because it reproduces primarily through cuttings and lacks a compatible pollinator wasp in the islands, its risk of escaping cultivation is considered low. This attractive species can be grown responsibly when properly maintained and contained, making it a suitable ornamental option for Hawaiʻi gardens and interiors.

High Risk Traits:

• High climate match to tropics/subtropics
  
• Tolerates a wide range of soil conditions
  
• Bird-dispersed seeds that survive gut passage (where pollinator is present and seeds are produced)
  
• Congeneric species are invasive weeds

Low Risk Traits:

• Requires specific pollinator wasp (limits reproduction)
  
• Not self-compatible
  
• No evidence of naturalization or weediness
  
• No spines, toxins, or parasitic traits
  
• Limited unintentional dispersal (no hooks, not wind-dispersed)
  
• Not broadly climate versatile (USDA zones 10-11 only)