FNPS Plant Database

Ficus citrifolia

wild banyan-tree
  • Photo by: Shirley Denton, Suncoast Chapter FNPS

Nomenclature

Common Name:

wild banyan-tree

Synonym(s):

Genus species:

Ficus citrifolia

Family:

Moraceae

Plant Specifics

Form:

Tree

Size:

30–40 (70) ft

Life Span:

Long-lived perennial

Flower Color:

Fruit Color:

red, purple

Phenology:

Evergreen

Noted For:

Interesting Foliage, Interesting Bark

Landscaping

Recommended Uses:

Use as a specimen tree. May be large. May produce aerial roots, but less frequently than F. Aurea.

Considerations:

Availability:

Native Nurseries, Seed

Propagation:

Seed.

Light:

Full Sun, Part Sun

Moisture Tolerance:

Always Flooded---------------------------------Extremely Dry

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Usually moist, occasional inundation -to- Not wet but not extremely dry

Salt Water Flooding Tolerance:

Unknown

Salt Spray/Salty Soil Tolerance:

Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray

Soil or Other Substrate:

Sand, Loam, Lime Rock

Soil pH:

Alkaline

Suitable to Grow In:

10A,10B,11

USDA zones are based on the average annual extreme minimum winter temperature.

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Vouchered In:

Distribution
Vouchered
Not vouchered
Selected
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Starting…
Map coded by Melissa Fernandez-de Cespedes (Paynes Prairie Chapter)

Ecology

Wildlife:

Caterpillars, Birds, Mammals

Larval host for ruddy daggerwing (Marpesia petreus) butterflies, Edwards' wasp (Lymire edwardsii) and fig sphinx (Pachylia ficus) moths. It is pollinated by a host-specific wasp (Pegoscapus tonduzi).

Many birds and other wildlife consume the fruit and find cover in this plant.

Native Habitats:

Dry-moist sites. Tropical hammocks

Natural Range in Florida:

Comments:

Ethnobotany:

General Comments:

FNPS Plant Print

Citations:

Haehle, Robert G. and Joan Brookwell. (1999). Native Florida Plants. Gulf Publishing Company. Houston, TX.


Wunderlin, R. P, B. F. Hansen, A. R. Franck, and F. B. Essig. (1999+). Atlas of Florida Plants. ( https://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/ ). [S. M. Landry and K. N. Campbell (application development), USF Water Institute.] Institute for Systematic Botany, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL.

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