Sneezing at home all year, and the pollen forecast says nothing? The weeping fig, one of Europe's most popular houseplants, is a known indoor allergen. Its milky sap ends up on the leaves and in house dust. Our test checks for IgE sensitisation to weeping fig, as part of 300 allergens and allergen components, next to fig, latex, mites and moulds.
Ficus benjamina is the small-leaved tropical fig sold as a houseplant all over Europe. Like other figs, it contains a milky sap (plant latex). Proteins from that sap coat the leaf surfaces, settle in house dust and get into the air you breathe indoors.
Because the plant is inside all year, there is no pollen season. Exposure follows the plant: at home, at work, or on the job for people who care for indoor plants.
Reports look like indoor hay fever: sneezing, runny or blocked nose and itchy, watery eyes, sometimes a cough or wheeze. People often notice it is worse in the room with the plant, or better after time away.
Some people sensitised to weeping fig also report itching in the mouth or other reactions after fresh or dried figs, kiwi and some tropical fruit. Researchers call this the ficus-fruit syndrome. Swelling of the lips or throat, trouble breathing or feeling faint after eating is an emergency: call 112 (EU) or your local emergency number.
The link to fig fruit is strong: a large study from Vienna found that most people sensitised to weeping fig also reacted to fresh fig on skin testing. Protein-digesting enzymes from the fig family, such as ficin, are part of the explanation.
The link to rubber latex, from gloves and balloons, is weaker than many expect. Rubber latex comes from a different tree, Hevea brasiliensis. Most people sensitised to weeping fig test negative for rubber latex. The two are reported separately on the panel, so you see each on its own.
The lab measures IgE to a whole extract of Ficus benjamina, as part of 300 allergens and allergen components. Edible fig, kiwi, papaya, banana, rubber latex, house dust mite and indoor moulds are on the same panel, which is useful when the question is "what in my home?"
A positive result shows sensitisation, not a confirmed allergy. Each value gets a class from Negative to Very high on the lab report, a pattern to discuss with a doctor.
Page last updated
One finger-prick sample checks IgE to 300 allergens and allergen components, from birch and peanut to cat and house dust mite. Post it to the lab, and about 5 days after it arrives you get a value for every one. Our plain-English guide shows you how to read them. €399 in total, €1.33 per allergen.
Yes. The weeping fig is a well-documented indoor allergen. Proteins from its sap collect on the leaves and in house dust. A test shows whether your blood has IgE to it, next to dust mite, mould and pets.
The two are closely linked in research. Testing weeping fig and fig fruit together shows whether your blood has IgE to one, both or neither. A doctor can put the result together with what you have noticed.
Not usually. Both plants have a milky sap, but they are not close relatives, and most people sensitised to weeping fig test negative for rubber latex. The panel reports both separately.
