We Keep Spotting This Indoor Tree Everywhere—And We Mean Everywhere

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When you’re an indoor plant person, it’s difficult to ignore trends. First came succulents in the early 2010s, not too long after the birth of Instagram—and documented by many on said platform, if you scroll back far enough. Then there was the Swiss cheese–looking monstera deliciosa dotting dressers and side tables everywhere. And we all remember when fiddle-leaf fig trees came in with a bang, putting all of our green thumbs to the test. Nowadays our credenzas are graced by smaller-scale begonias and oxalis, and our large pots grow olive trees. But we’ve started to notice a new plant in town: the ficus Audrey.

To no surprise, the owners behind the buzzy Oakland plant shop BLK Girls Greenhouse were first to call the trend. The duo was drawn to the Audrey’s simple lines, muted green hue, and oval-shaped leaves. “It offers some texture, but it’s not overpowering,” says BLK’s J’Maica Thomas. And thanks to its clean shape, it fits in with just about any decor.

More forgiving with its watering and light needs than a fiddle-leaf fig, this ficus is a breeze to care for. With bright, indirect light (near an east-facing window, for example) and consistently moist soil (to avoid overwatering, make sure 2 to 3 inches of the soil surface is dry before you water), you won’t be stressing about lost leaves. You’ll also want to be sure to avoid drafts (so maybe don’t let it neighbor your AC unit).

Garden gurus aside, we’ve been seeing the ficus Audrey everywhere in the wild (and by “wild” we mean cool people’s homes). From Jenni Kayne’s Greenwich Village pop-up to Chillhouse founder Cyndi Ramirez’s bedroom, tastemakers are now leading the charge. And when our contributing editor Benjamin Reynaert puts one in his living room, you know it’s officially time to head to the plant shop.