Bangkok Ficus Alii

Your Alii likes plenty of bright indirect light. It neither likes extended periods of direct sunlight nor will it tolerate low light conditions. Ideally, place it a few feet away from a big window that gets plenty of light.

The best way to water is to fully soak the soil until water drains out of the drainage hole at the bottom of the pot. This promotes healthy root growth as the lower roots get nourished too.

Wait for the soil to dry to about one or two inches before watering again. Poke your finger into the soil to check its moisture level. If it's dry, it's time for a drink.

Start with about twice a week – more in summer and less in the monsoon and cooler months. It’s a bit of experimenting to get to the right balance but don’t worry, you’ll get it after a bit of trial and error.

1. Trim off any brown leaves snipping closely to the central stem.

2. The best feature of this plant is that it lets you play hairdresser. We trim the bottom of the stem off to get this mop top shape. Take a pair of shears to trim off the lower branches and maintain the oval shape. Don't be scared! The more you prune, the fuller it grows back.

3. Scrape off any white mould on top of the soil. It’s just harmless fungi that lives in the soil. Lightly dust the soil with ground cinnamon.

3. Poke holes in the soil with a chopstick to aerate it and and give your plant a bit of extra breathing room. Sprinkle a tablespoon of vitamins in the soil and massage in.

4. Shine its leaves with a damp cloth, gently removing any dust. Front and back. This not only makes your plant look nicer but also helps it to soak in light more easily.

5. Spin it around to make sure its leaves are sunned evenly as it tends to grow towards sunlight.

If they’re dusty. Don’t wet them too much.