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Strangler Fig
- Common Name: Strangler Fig
- Scientific Name: Ficus aurea
- Family Name: Moraceae
- Origin: Florida
- Height: 50 to 60 ft
- Width: 50 to 70 ft
- Growth: Fast
- Zone: USDA Zones 9B through 11
- Light needs: Full sun to shade.
- Salt tolerance: Moderate tolerance of salt spray. Low tolerance of saltwater inundation.
- Soil/pH/Texture: Adaptable to different soil types and pH.
- Moisture: Consistently moist soil is preferred. Tolerant of occasionally wet soil.
- Drought tolerance: High
- Pests/Diseases: No major pests or diseases.
- Growing conditions: The strangler fig has a unique way of growing. It usually germinates in another tree, living as an epiphyte for a while, until its roots touch the ground. At this point, the stranger fig quickly grows and eventually kills its host tree by engulfing it. Therefore, in order to grow a strangler fig, one needs a host tree to plant it on. Strangler figs aren’t picky about soil types, and are highly drought tolerant, though moist soil is preferred. They will quickly form a large, dense canopy and sprawling surface roots, so it needs to be given space to grow.
- Characteristics: This fig will quickly overtake its host plant with smooth interwoven branches and roots. The bark, branches, and roots are all smooth and gray, often standing out against the bark of its host tree, which it tightly wraps itself around. Leaves are simple, smooth, and ovate, with an entire margin, growing alternately along the stem. Flowers emerge inside a “false fruit” which can only be pollinated by wasps. The actual fruit is small, round, and fleshy, and is usually red, yellow, or purple when ripe.
- Propagation: By seed or by cuttings.
- Wildlife: Its flowers are pollinated exclusively by fig wasps, which then die inside the fruits and are dissolved. Its dense canopy provides important habitat for many animals, which also eat the fruit. It is a host plant for several daggerwing butterfly species.
- Designer considerations: It is an excellent plant for informal gardens and backyards. Its canopy provides ample shade which is perfect for walkways and benches. It is a great perch for epiphytic plants due to its numerous, interwoven branches.
Location
Native Trees in The Gardens
Strangler Fig