Moreton Bay fig has an impressive appearance, not least due to its aerial roots thickening into supplementary trunks.
ance due to their many aerial roots which, upon reaching the ground, become supple- mentary trunks. In their native habitat of the Australian rainforests, the figs are epiphytic vines that germinate on host trees and then strangle and replace them. Their scientific name refers to their large, leathery, dark green leaves.
Particularly in its homeland Australia, the Moreton Bay fig is often used as a landmark tree—for example, in parks. A truly mag- nificent fig is situated close to the Perth Botanical Garden, where children and adults alike lose themselves among the multiple trunks. This fig is one of the few out of 750 species of fig trees that does well in more temperate climates. It has been planted in, for example, Italy and Portugal.
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Planting of these figs has also caused some problems, and not only because of their fast growth and damage to urban infrastruc- ture. On Hawaii 36,000 Moreton Bay Figs were planted as part of reforestation efforts between 1910 and 1960. The required pol- linator, a species of fig wasp, was introduced for this purpose. Unfortunately the fig turned out to have a high invasiveness potential due to its abundant fruits and seeds and the lack of natural predators, resulting in the replace- ment of native trees.
Nonetheless it is the sheer, magical beauty of the Moreton Bay fig, so defining in many urban settings, that prevails.
—Cecil C. Konijnendijk, Professor, Forest & Landscape, University of Copenhagen, Denmark; and Guest Professor, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Alnarp
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