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.


Minno, M., J. Butler, and D. Hall. (2005). Florida Butterfly Caterpillars and Their Host Plants. University Press of Florida, Gainesville, FL.


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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