F pumila is a clinging vine that eventually can developed a specialized adhesive pad from adventitious roots that grow along the length of the vine. These pads secrete a sticky compound that allows the plant to cling to almost any material. The adventitious roots first form in pairs at internodes on young stems. As they divide, the root hairs stick together forming the adhesive pad. If the pad doesn't come in contact with a substrate it eventually dries up. Key to you, is the fact that if they touch moist soil while they are young, they (the roots) tend to morph to a terrestrial form, which makes them one of the easiest of plants to root. Be patient. You're on people time and the plant is on plant time ...... and stop tugging on it to see if it's rooted! ;-) Al

Hi All, I find myself in a bit of a pickle. I have a small pot in which Creeping Fig\Ficus pumila is growing...quite well...and beginning to climb up an outside wall - exactly as I had hoped. However, the growth started before I had a chance to move the Fig into the ground - See photos. Can I leave it in the pot and if so will this small pot provide enough soil\room for the Ficus pumila to grow robustly and cover the wall or do I have to somehow replant? If I have to replant I don't know how I'll do it since the main trunk is not long enough and I cannot move the pot. I have about an inch of play before tension begins to build and everyone know what happens if I sever the trunk. I which I could build some redundancy into the Ficus pumila. All the beautiful growth covering the wall is dependent on one thin trunk and that makes me nervous. Any ideas?

Sorry to be so late: did you plant it anyway? We have creeping fig beautifully covering the entire eastern side of our stucco house. It reached maturity this year (12 years in); I just sheared off the large, non-clinging leaves (with figs) and am sort of terrified by the glimpses of branches now visible: 1/2 inch thick. I never want to see that stucco, but don't want to destroy it either. Think I'm in trouble.

Maybe bougainvillea? I love them, I've never noticed a strong scent. They love LOTS of sun. I had a single plant that thrived in the hot desert of El Paso. Mine was in a pot but in Florida I remember seeing them climb up trellises and on fences. They do have beautiful bright color while in bloom but are still attractive when it's just the leaves.