Ficus afghanistanica 'Silver Lyre' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
Afghan fig 'Silver Lyre'

Ficus afghanistanica 'Silver Lyre'

£21.99
Hardy in the UKSun-loving
Pot size
17cm / 2L £21.99

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Description

Ficus afghanistanica 'Silver Lyre' is a hardy ornamental fig valued for its foliage rather than its fruit. The leaves are deeply cut into narrow, fingered lobes, a little like a snowflake or a maple leaf, and carry a soft silver-green sheen that catches the light. Selected at Cistus Nursery in Oregon from seed of the Afghan fig, it is far more refined than the common fig and one of the few figs that is grown purely as an architectural shrub.

Hardiness and seasons. The RHS lists the cultivar but does not yet give it a hardiness rating. US growers report it surviving roughly -12 to -15C, and other UK nurseries describe it as hardy in most of the country, so we treat it as H4 (to around -10C) and suggest protecting young plants in their first couple of winters. It is deciduous: leaves emerge in late spring, hold their silver colour through summer and fall in autumn. Small dark figs may follow in an exceptionally hot summer, but do not count on them.

How and where to grow. Plant in full sun, or sun for most of the day, in a sheltered spot with free-draining soil. It is very drought tolerant once established and dislikes wet feet in winter. Growth is fast, with stems reaching 1 to 2m in a season; left alone it becomes a large multi-stemmed shrub or small tree of 4 to 5m, but it responds well to pruning and can be kept to 2m or grown in a big container.

Using it in the garden. The pale, lacy leaves are a perfect foil for bold exotics such as bananas, cannas and Tetrapanax, and for dark-leaved shrubs. Use it as a specimen in a gravel or Mediterranean planting, at the back of an exotic border, or in a large pot on a hot terrace where the silver foliage stays cool-looking all summer.

Live Arrival Guarantee

All plants are covered by our 7-day live arrival guarantee. We pack every order in protective, sustainable packaging designed to keep your plants safe in transit, and every plant is checked before it ships. On the rare occasion something is not right on arrival, we will make it good, provided the plant is still in its original nursery pot.

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What to Expect

Seasonal by nature: what to expect

  • Grown outdoors, the way nature intended. Weather-tested and hardened in real UK conditions, so they thrive in your garden. A few marks on the older leaves are normal, the sign of a tough, real plant rather than a flaw.
  • It follows the seasons. Depending on when you order, your plant may arrive cut back, dormant or leafless. That's healthy: dormancy is the ideal time to plant.
  • Posted, not posed. Big leafy plants like bananas and gingers may be trimmed or gently folded to travel safely. It does the plant no harm, and it powers away again in spring.

Not sure what to expect from yours? Dormant, cut-back or weather-marked plants are all perfectly healthy and normal. Read what to expect through the seasons

Delivery & returns

Order by 1pm Monday to Friday for same day dispatch. Every plant travels in protective, plant-safe packaging with tracked delivery.

Changed your mind? See our Return Policy.

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How to care for Afghan fig 'Silver Lyre'

Plant me in full sun and I will stand a UK winter outdoors.

In their words

What our customers say

Arrived just like the photos - maybe even fuller. Healthy, well-acclimated, and straight into my collection with no issues.

Emily P.

Flawless leaves, stunning variegation, and clearly cared for by experts. It’s already a talking point in my home office.

James R.

Hard to find rare plants that are pet-safe. Ours arrived in perfect condition and looks amazing without any worry.

Sophie L.
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About Afghan fig 'Silver Lyre'

Ficus afghanistanica 'Silver Lyre' needs full sun and well-drained soil. It is hardy to around −10°C, standing an average UK winter outdoors.

Good for

Architectural Dry & Gravel Gardens Exotic Borders Pots & Containers

Hardiness

TenderVery hardy

Hardy Exotic (H4 (estimated)): down to around −10°C. Hardy through an average UK winter.

Treated as H4, hardy to around -10C once established. Protect young plants with fleece in the first two winters and site out of cold winds. Deciduous, so bare stems in winter are normal. Read moreShow less

Treated as H4, hardy to around -10C once established. Protect young plants with fleece in the first two winters and site out of cold winds. Deciduous, so bare stems in winter are normal.

Position

Full sunSouth-facingWest-facingSheltered
Full sun in a warm, sheltered position; south or west facing is ideal. Read moreShow less

Full sun in a warm, sheltered position; south or west facing is ideal.

Soil

ChalkLoamSandWell-drainedAcid pHAlkaline pHNeutral pH
Free-draining soil of any pH; sandy and chalky soils suit it well. Avoid heavy, wet clay unless improved with grit. Read moreShow less

Free-draining soil of any pH; sandy and chalky soils suit it well. Avoid heavy, wet clay unless improved with grit.

Watering

Water well in the first summer while the roots establish, then only in prolonged drought. Very drought tolerant once settled. Potted plants need regular summer watering. Read moreShow less

Water well in the first summer while the roots establish, then only in prolonged drought. Very drought tolerant once settled. Potted plants need regular summer watering.

Mature size

Height4 to 5m (easily kept to 2m)
Spread2.5 to 4m

Reaches full size in 5 to 10 years

Growth habit

Bushy

Seasonal colour

Foliage

Deciduous

Pruning

Prune in late winter or early spring while dormant, wearing gloves. Remove weak stems and shorten the rest to keep it within its space; it regrows strongly from hard pruning.

Toxicity

Fig sap is a skin irritant, especially in sunlight, so wear gloves when pruning. Figs (Ficus) are listed by the ASPCA as toxic to dogs and cats if eaten.

Native range

Selection of a species from Afghanistan, Iran, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan

Family

Moraceae

Also known as

Ficus afghanistanica 'Silver Lyre'

Genus

Ficus →
Good to know

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Ficus afghanistanica 'Silver Lyre' hardy in the UK?

Growers report it surviving around -12 to -15C and UK nurseries rate it hardy in most of the country. The RHS has not yet assigned a rating, so we treat it as H4 and recommend fleece for young plants in cold spells.

Does it produce edible figs?

Only occasionally, in a very hot summer. The small dark fruits are edible and sweet but this plant is valued for its silver, deeply cut leaves rather than for a crop.

How fast does it grow and how big will it get?

Fast. Stems can put on 1 to 2m in a season and an unpruned plant reaches 4 to 5m. It prunes easily and can be kept to about 2m or grown in a large container.

Is it evergreen?

No. It is deciduous, leafing out in late spring and dropping its leaves in autumn.

Is the sap harmful?

Like other figs, the milky sap can irritate skin, particularly in sunshine. Wear gloves when pruning and keep the plant away from pets that chew.

Does my plant come with a pot?
Your plant will arrive in its nursery grow pot — the plastic pot it's been growing in. We don't include a decorative pot as standard, and there's a good reason for that: it means you get to choose one that fits your space and style, rather than being stuck with something that doesn't suit your home.

It also means you're not paying extra for a pot you might not want. The nursery pot is perfectly fine to keep your plant in for a while, just pop it inside a decorative cover pot or cache pot and you're good to go. When you're ready to repot (usually after a growing season or when roots start poking out the bottom), you can move it into something more permanent with fresh soil.

If you're not sure what size cover pot to go for, check the pot selector tool listed above, you'll want a decorative pot that's a centimetre or two wider than that to give it a comfortable fit.
How big will my plant be when it arrives?
Every plant on our site includes the pot size (e.g. 12cm) and, where possible, an approximate height. That's the most reliable way to set your expectations, photos can sometimes make a plant look larger or smaller than it really is.

If you're thinking "that sounds quite small for the price," here's something worth knowing: younger, smaller plants almost always adapt better to your home than larger ones. They adjust faster to your light and humidity, put out new growth more quickly, and tend to establish stronger root systems long-term. A plant that grows into your space will usually outperform one that was already big when it arrived.

That said, every plant is an individual. The one you receive may vary slightly in height, shape, or fullness compared to the photo, that's the nature of living things, not a quality issue. We select healthy, well-established specimens, and if you ever feel your plant doesn't match what you were expecting, just get in touch and we'll take a look.
What makes your plants different from the supermarket or garden centre?
There's a big difference between a plant that's been sitting under on a retail shelf and one that's been looked after and cared for by people who specialise in exactly this.

Our plants are grown in house or sourced from specialist nurseries, many of them varieties you simply won't find at your local garden centre or supermarket. Before anything leaves us, it's checked over by our horticultural team to make sure it's healthy, well-rooted, and ready to thrive in your home. We're not shifting volume off a pallet, we're choosing plants we'd want to keep ourselves.

When you buy from a supermarket, you get a plant and a generic care label. When you buy from us, you get the knowledge that comes with it, detailed care guidance, a team you can actually contact if something isn't going right, and the confidence that what's arriving has been looked after properly from the moment it was grown to the moment it reaches your door.

We're a specialist nursery first, not a retailer that happens to sell plants. That's the difference, and you'll see it the moment you open the box.
What should I do when my plant arrives?
First things first, unbox it as soon as you can. Plants don't love being in dark boxes any more than you would, and the sooner yours is out and breathing, the better.

Remove all the packaging carefully, give the soil a check with your finger, and water lightly if it feels dry. Then find it a spot with appropriate light, but avoid putting it straight into harsh direct sun or next to a radiator. Think of it like arriving somewhere new after a long journey: it needs a moment to adjust.

It's completely normal for your plant to look a little tired or droopy after transit. This is called transit stress, and most plants bounce back within a week or two. You might see a yellow leaf or some drooping, don't panic, and resist the urge to overwater or start repotting straight away.

Our advice for the first couple of weeks: leave it in its nursery pot, water it only when the top layer of soil feels dry, and let it acclimatise to your home's light, temperature, and humidity. Once it's settled in and showing signs of new growth, you can think about repotting or moving it to its permanent spot.

Every plant we sell comes with a care guide on the product page so you'll know exactly what it needs going forward. And if anything doesn't look right, get in touch with our team, we're always happy to help.
Will my plant survive being shipped?
Yes! and we go to serious lengths to make sure of it. Every plant is hand-packed by our team with protective wrapping and secure, custom-designed boxes to keep it stable and safe in transit. We've shipped hundreds of thousands of plants across the UK and our packaging methods have been refined over years to handle the bumps and jolts of delivery.

During colder months, we monitor weather forecasts and offer heat packs where needed to protect against frost. In extreme conditions, we may hold your order for a day or two rather than risk sending it out, we'd rather you wait an extra day than receive a stressed plant.

That said, plants are living things, and the occasional transit wobble can happen. If your plant arrives damaged or isn't in the condition you'd expect, just get in touch within 48 hours with a photo, and we'll make it right, whether that's a replacement or a full refund. No fuss.

The short version: we treat every box like it's going to someone who really cares about what's inside, because it is.
Meet the family

Everything about Ficus

Ficus plants are a popular houseplant choice and have been for decades. With their glossy foliage and ability to adapt to indoor conditions, they make beautiful additions to homes and offices. Ficus plants belong to the Moraceae family and are native to tro...

More about Ficus care
Ficus Care Guide
Why Grow Tropicals

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Ficus afghanistanica 'Silver Lyre'
£21.99