• The Ficus genus encompasses some 800 species.Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
  
  The term "ficus" is actually a genus of plant that contains more than 800 species, some of which are small trees. A large number of the trees in this genus are fig trees. Some, when left to grow naturally in the landscape, can reach towering heights. With diligent care, these trees can be pruned and trained to smaller sizes. Some can even be manipulated as bonsai trees.
  
  

Weeping Fig

• Ficus benjamina, or weeping fig, is commonly grown as a houseplant. It is diverse enough to be grown as a small, medium or large tree, or it can be allowed to develop into a many-stemmed bush. It has shiny leaves and arching branches that evoke elegance. If grown indoors, the plant requires bright light in the winter and protection from the strong sunlight of summer. Problems with watering, light and drafts can cause leaf drop.
  
  

Rubber Plant

• Ficus elastica, or the Indian rubber tree, can grow to 100 feet in the landscape, though it normally ranges between 25 feet and 40 feet in height. The tree develops many trunks, which can be trained to grow in any number of combinations and designs. By training these trunks and pruning carefully, you can maintain the tree at the shorter end of its growth range outdoors or even smaller for patio or indoor use.
  
  

Fig Tree

• Ficus carica, or the fig tree, is naturally a small tree, reaching a mature height of just 10 feet to 30 feet. The trunk is narrow, with a typical diameter of just 7 inches. The tree is deciduous and produces small synconium, which are commonly called the fruit of the tree, or figs. The figs come in greenish-yellow, copper or deep purple, adding another element of interest to the tree's display. It produces fruit twice a year.
  
  

Ficus Bonsai Trees

• For small trees, you can't get much smaller than a bonsai tree. Bonsai is Japanese for "tree in a pot." Young trees are groomed for several years to simulate older trees through pruning, pinching and wiring of stems. Many ficus trees make excellent candidates for bonsai, including the Ficus benjamina, Ficus neriifolia and Ficus retusa.