{"product_id":"ficus-afghanistanica-silver-lyre","title":"Ficus afghanistanica 'Silver Lyre'","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFicus afghanistanica 'Silver Lyre'\u003c\/strong\u003e 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 \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/hardy-exotics\"\u003earchitectural shrub\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHardiness and seasons.\u003c\/strong\u003e 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. \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/hardy-exotics-what-to-expect\"\u003eIt is deciduous\u003c\/a\u003e: 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHow and where to grow.\u003c\/strong\u003e 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eUsing it in the garden.\u003c\/strong\u003e The pale, lacy leaves are a perfect foil for \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/exotic-border-plants\"\u003ebold exotics\u003c\/a\u003e such as bananas, cannas and Tetrapanax, and for dark-leaved shrubs. Use it as a specimen in a \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/drought-tolerant-plants\"\u003egravel or Mediterranean planting\u003c\/a\u003e, at the back of an exotic border, or in a \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/plants-for-pots\"\u003elarge pot\u003c\/a\u003e on a hot terrace where the silver foliage stays cool-looking all summer.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"GROW TROPICALS","offers":[{"title":"17cm \/ 2L","offer_id":58254032535935,"sku":"FICUSILVLYRE17","price":21.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0361\/9645\/0348\/files\/silverlyre.jpg?v=1787853679","url":"https:\/\/growtropicals.com\/products\/ficus-afghanistanica-silver-lyre","provider":"GrowTropicals","version":"1.0","type":"link"}