Nice to be home but returning with a query. In a small public park in
Devonport near Auckland, NZ, we saw a tree that is entirely new to us called
(I think) Morton Bay fig. This seems to be Ficus macrophylla but is this
the same tree? Can any Kiwis confirm that ID? We were told it's ornamental
and the fruit is eaten only by monkeys in its original home of.....?! The
leaves look similar to some form of Magnolia and Ray heard someone tell his
friends that's what it is - but it isn't. Is it? ;-))

--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
(new website online)

On Dec 16, 2:40*am, Sacha wrote:
Nice to be home but returning with a query. *In a small public park in
Devonport near Auckland, NZ, we saw a tree that is entirely new to us called
(I think) Morton Bay fig. *This seems to be Ficus macrophylla but is this
the same tree? *Can any Kiwis confirm that ID? *We were told it's ornamental
and the fruit is eaten only by monkeys in its original home of.....?! *The
leaves look similar to some form of Magnolia and Ray heard someone tell his
friends that's what it is - but it isn't. *Is it? *;-))

--
Sachahttp://www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
(new website online)

Good to see you back, hope you both had a great time. The Moreton Bay
fig is widespread throughout Australasia and can develop into a huge
banyan, with roots growing down from the branches and developing into
supporting, trunk-like, 'stilt roots' in time. The foliage of adult
trees is somewhat similar in shape to that of evergreen magnolias, but
is deep glossy green with paler green undersides and the typical ficus
bud sheath is present at all shoot tips. In cooler climates, it does
not achieve the massive proportions of those growing in N. Queensland
and the Northern Territories, but it can still become an impressive
tree. I understand it is also grown in S. California, although as a
'street tree' it can cause problems.

It makes a very handsome 'pot plant' in this country and was widely
offered here during the 1970s. It proved to be a better behaved
'rubber plant' than the more conventional Ficus elastica, branching
readily and developing into a more balanced specimen. For some reason
it didn't 'catch on' and had all but disappeared by the early 1980s.
It appears to be more cool tolerant than Ficus elastica and may even
cope with being grown out of doors in the mildest regions of the UK. I
received a seedling from a strain that is supposedly cold tolerant and
it has grown away quite well this summer. It has coped with our
winter so far. Fingers crossed.

Sacha writes
Nice to be home but returning with a query. In a small public park in
Devonport near Auckland, NZ, we saw a tree that is entirely new to us called
(I think) Morton Bay fig. This seems to be Ficus macrophylla but is this
the same tree? Can any Kiwis confirm that ID? We were told it's ornamental
and the fruit is eaten only by monkeys in its original home of.....?! The
leaves look similar to some form of Magnolia and Ray heard someone tell his
friends that's what it is - but it isn't. Is it? ;-))

I have one grown from seed that was sent to me by a lover in Australia -
allegedly Moreton Bay Fig, very obviously from leaves and sap a Ficus. I
have it in a tub as a sort of overgrown bonsai - it's now about 25 years
old. Leaves are about 8in long, oval, leathery. It chucks out aerial
roots from near the base, and the trunk is quite thickened at the base -
in fact it looks just like the F macrophylla images on the web.

Apparently it is growing outside at Tresco.

Usher "A dictionary of plants used by man" lists 86 speces of Ficus
which have a use, but F macrophylla is not among them, which suggests it
is purely ornamental.
--
Kay

Dave Poole writes
It appears to be more cool tolerant than Ficus elastica and may even
cope with being grown out of doors in the mildest regions of the UK. I
received a seedling from a strain that is supposedly cold tolerant and
it has grown away quite well this summer. It has coped with our winter
far. Fingers crossed.

Mine copes with temperatures down to 0 deg C in a slightly heated
greenhouse. It likes to be watered throughout winter - droops its leaves
if it gets too dry.

"Plants for a future" lists it as being OK outside in Tresco but thinks
it's unlikely to survive on mainland.

It's attractive to scale insect, but otherwise isn't troubled by pests.
--
Kay

In article ,
says...
I have one grown from seed that was sent to me by a lover in Australia

:~)
--
Charlie Pridham, Gardening in Cornwall
www.roselandhouse.co.uk
Holders of national collections of Clematis viticella cultivars and
Lapageria rosea

On Tue, 16 Dec 2008 10:37:56 +0000, K wrote:


I have one grown from seed that was sent to me by a lover in Australia -

How sad - what a long way to be parted from your lover.

Fuschia writes
On Tue, 16 Dec 2008 10:37:56 +0000, K wrote:


I have one grown from seed that was sent to me by a lover in Australia -

How sad - what a long way to be parted from your lover.

It was only a few months, and we've been together ever since :-)


--
Kay

On 16/12/08 04:48, in article
, "Dave
Poole" wrote:

On Dec 16, 2:40*am, Sacha wrote:
Nice to be home but returning with a query. *In a small public park in
Devonport near Auckland, NZ, we saw a tree that is entirely new to us called
(I think) Morton Bay fig. *This seems to be Ficus macrophylla but is this
the same tree? *Can any Kiwis confirm that ID? *We were told it's ornamental
and the fruit is eaten only by monkeys in its original home of.....?! *The
leaves look similar to some form of Magnolia and Ray heard someone tell his
friends that's what it is - but it isn't. *Is it? *;-))

--
Sachahttp://www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
(new website online)

Good to see you back, hope you both had a great time. The Moreton Bay
fig is widespread throughout Australasia and can develop into a huge
banyan, with roots growing down from the branches and developing into
supporting, trunk-like, 'stilt roots' in time. The foliage of adult
trees is somewhat similar in shape to that of evergreen magnolias, but
is deep glossy green with paler green undersides and the typical ficus
bud sheath is present at all shoot tips. In cooler climates, it does
not achieve the massive proportions of those growing in N. Queensland
and the Northern Territories, but it can still become an impressive
tree. I understand it is also grown in S. California, although as a
'street tree' it can cause problems.

Thanks for the welcome and the info, David. The holiday was just brilliant!
But these trees were huge, very old and with massive root systems as well as
the aerial roots you describe. The latter had been guided into protective
pipes to keep them safe from those who might be tempted to swing on them.

It makes a very handsome 'pot plant' in this country and was widely
offered here during the 1970s. It proved to be a better behaved
'rubber plant' than the more conventional Ficus elastica, branching
readily and developing into a more balanced specimen. For some reason
it didn't 'catch on' and had all but disappeared by the early 1980s.
It appears to be more cool tolerant than Ficus elastica and may even
cope with being grown out of doors in the mildest regions of the UK. I
received a seedling from a strain that is supposedly cold tolerant and
it has grown away quite well this summer. It has coped with our
winter so far. Fingers crossed.

When and if yours has babies, please think of us!!

--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
(new website online)

On 16/12/08 10:37, in article , "K"
wrote:

Sacha writes
Nice to be home but returning with a query. In a small public park in
Devonport near Auckland, NZ, we saw a tree that is entirely new to us called
(I think) Morton Bay fig. This seems to be Ficus macrophylla but is this
the same tree? Can any Kiwis confirm that ID? We were told it's ornamental
and the fruit is eaten only by monkeys in its original home of.....?! The
leaves look similar to some form of Magnolia and Ray heard someone tell his
friends that's what it is - but it isn't. Is it? ;-))

I have one grown from seed that was sent to me by a lover in Australia -
allegedly Moreton Bay Fig, very obviously from leaves and sap a Ficus. I
have it in a tub as a sort of overgrown bonsai - it's now about 25 years
old. Leaves are about 8in long, oval, leathery. It chucks out aerial
roots from near the base, and the trunk is quite thickened at the base -
in fact it looks just like the F macrophylla images on the web.

Apparently it is growing outside at Tresco.

I must ask Mike Nelhams about that because we don't recall seeing it there.

Usher "A dictionary of plants used by man" lists 86 speces of Ficus
which have a use, but F macrophylla is not among them, which suggests it
is purely ornamental.

Many thanks for this, Kate. Glad to read in your later post that you held
onto this personal of taste and discernment who sent you the seeds......
;-))
--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
(new website online)

just some general advice for all, it's root system is just as rampant
and invasive as the f.elastica's, keep as pot culture they do very
well no need to repot when root bound root ball pruning to allow for
fresh potting mix is all that is needed.



snipped
With peace and brightest of blessings,

len & bev

--
"Be Content With What You Have And
May You Find Serenity and Tranquillity In
A World That You May Not Understand."

http://www.lensgarden.com.au/

On 16 Dec, 17:44, Sacha wrote:
On 16/12/08 04:48, in article
, "Dave





Poole" wrote:
On Dec 16, 2:40*am, Sacha wrote:
Nice to be home but returning with a query. *In a small public park in
Devonport near Auckland, NZ, we saw a tree that is entirely new to us called
(I think) Morton Bay fig. *This seems to be Ficus macrophylla but is this
the same tree? *Can any Kiwis confirm that ID? *We were told it's ornamental
and the fruit is eaten only by monkeys in its original home of.....?! *The
leaves look similar to some form of Magnolia and Ray heard someone tell his
friends that's what it is - but it isn't. *Is it? *;-))

--
Sachahttp://www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
(new website online)

Good to see you back, hope you both had a great time. *The Moreton Bay
fig is widespread throughout Australasia and can develop into a huge
banyan, with roots growing down from the branches and developing into
supporting, trunk-like, 'stilt roots' in time. *The foliage of adult
trees is somewhat similar in shape to that of evergreen magnolias, but
is deep glossy green with paler green undersides and the typical ficus
bud sheath is present at all shoot tips. *In cooler climates, it does
not achieve the massive proportions of those growing in N. Queensland
and the Northern Territories, but it can still become an impressive
tree. *I understand it is also grown in S. California, although as a
'street tree' it can cause problems.

Thanks for the welcome and the info, David. *The holiday was just brilliant!
But these trees were huge, very old and with massive root systems as well as
the aerial roots you describe. *The latter had been guided into protective
pipes to keep them safe from those who might be tempted to swing on them.



It makes a very handsome 'pot plant' in this country and was widely
offered here during the 1970s. *It proved to be a better behaved
'rubber plant' than the more conventional Ficus elastica, branching
readily and developing into a more balanced specimen. *For some reason
it didn't 'catch on' and had all but disappeared by the early 1980s.
It appears to be more cool tolerant than Ficus elastica and may even
cope with being grown out of doors in the mildest regions of the UK. I
received a seedling from a strain that is supposedly cold tolerant and
it has grown away quite well this summer. *It has coped with our
winter so far. *Fingers crossed.

When and if yours has babies, please think of us!!

--
Sachahttp://www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
(new website online)- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Welcome back Sacha, we have missed you.

Judith

On 16 Dec, 21:24, Martin wrote:
On Tue, 16 Dec 2008 13:09:06 -0800 (PIST), Judith in France

wrote:
On 16 Dec, 17:44, Sacha wrote:
Sachahttp://www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
(new website online)- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Welcome back Sacha, we have missed you.

Welcome back both of you!
--

Martin

Aah bless, thank you Martin, I am in London. The weather at home in
France is dire, my husband has been snowed in! I am going to buy
seeds this week to take back as I don't think the French ones are as
good with labelling and they are very expensive. Happy Christmas
Martin to you and Yours.

Judith

On 16/12/08 21:09, in article
, "Judith in
France" wrote:
snip

Welcome back Sacha, we have missed you.

Judith

Thanks, Judith, that's very kind. It was a fantastic trip but it's very
good to be home too!
--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
(new website online)

On 16/12/08 21:24, in article ,
"Martin" wrote:

On Tue, 16 Dec 2008 13:09:06 -0800 (PIST), Judith in France
wrote:

On 16 Dec, 17:44, Sacha wrote:

Sachahttp://www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
(new website online)- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Welcome back Sacha, we have missed you.

Welcome back both of you!

Thanks, Martin.
--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
(new website online)

"Sacha" wrote in message
Nice to be home but returning with a query. In a small public park in
Devonport near Auckland, NZ, we saw a tree that is entirely new to us
called
(I think) Morton Bay fig. This seems to be Ficus macrophylla but is this
the same tree? Can any Kiwis confirm that ID? We were told it's
ornamental
and the fruit is eaten only by monkeys in its original home of.....?! The
leaves look similar to some form of Magnolia and Ray heard someone tell
his
friends that's what it is - but it isn't. Is it? ;-))

If the fruit is eaten by monkeys, then I doubt that it would be a Moreton
Bay Fig (note spelling of Moreton) because there are no monkeys in Australia
(at least not the non human type monkeys).

The Moreton Bay Fig gets it's name from the bay in Brisbane. It's
humungeous. The fruit is edible apparently and was bush tucker for
Aboringinals. Don't bother going here unless you're really keen as I'll
retype what it says (
http://72.14.235.132/search?q=cache:...lnk&cd=8&gl=au )

"Moreton Bay fig (ficus macrophylla and Port Jackson Fig (Ficus
rubiginosa) - fruit eaten when ripe, milky sap used to cover wounds, while
the bark was used to produce string for dillybags and nets, the wood was
used for shields and canoes."

There are other edible figs such as the Sandpaper fig, the Rock fig, etc.

What did it look like?