Yet another unusual Ficus

[virtualpalm]

Anyone care to take a guess what this might be?

Jody

[Jerry@TreeZoo]

It looks like a F. microcarpa "Green Island" escapee, but the leaves look too big. Got anything for scale?

[virtualpalm]

Jerry, you can compare the leaves growing near the trunk in the mid-left of the second photo to the concrete block at the bottom right of the photo -- they are approxiimately the same distance away from the camera.

Jody

[fastfeat]

It looks like a F. microcarpa "Green Island" escapee, but the leaves look too big. Got anything for scale?

Would be my guess as well. Possible that leaves become larger if/when it has a chance to gain some elevation/maturity?? Ficus pumila and F. sagittaria (amongst others) begin as vines and develop into somewhat self-supporting shrub/trees.

Of course, it could just be a species with which I have no familiarity. With over 800 species in Ficus, odds favor this...

[virtualpalm]

You are both right. I had no idea this species could grow this large until I saw this "escapee" as Jerry called it.

If I may ask, why is the specific epithet of this species sometimes listed as "microcarpa" and other times "macrocarpa"? The former literally means "small fruit" and the latter "large fruit." I have not seen the fruit of this species, and even if I had, I wouldn't know if it was large or small because I wouldn't know what to compare it to. Obviously both names cannot be correct, but which is the correct one? And why the confusion?

Another question about "GI Ficus"... some plants here in south Florida have rounded leaves and others have pointed leaves. They are similar in overall appearance, but the shape of the leaves is distinctly different. I had heard there was a movement in the industry to list one of them as "Green Island Ficus" and change the name of the other to something else, but I can't remember all the details now. Any ideas?

Jody

[Jerry@TreeZoo]

I first learned the name as F. nitida, then F. retusa, then F. microcarpa. Then the cultivars became popular and you see the "Green Island" everywhere. I believe the rounded leaf cv is "Green Mound", but not sure.

The F. macrocarpa is the Moreton Bay Fig, a completely different animal. I googled macrocarpa and see where they interchange the two a lot and it seems mostly the Bonsai community doing it.

[tjwalters]

What's the lacy-leaved Philodendron-looking plant at the bottom of the trunk?

[Jerry@TreeZoo]

It looks like Phildendron warsczewiczii.

http://www.exoticrainforest.com/Philodendron%20warszewiczii%20pc.html

[tjwalters]

It looks like Phildendron warsczewiczii.

http://www.exoticrainforest.com/Philodendron%20warszewiczii%20pc.html

Nice! Thanks.

[Eric in Orlando]

I agree, it looks like F. microcarpa 'Green Island', just a larger specimen.

The other common shrubby Ficus in SoFL with pointed leaves is F. microcarpa var. crassifolia 'Green Mound'. I saw a specimen of what I think is 'Green Mound' at Fairchild that was about 10ft tall but couldn't find the label. We have one that is about 6-7ft tall. Both cultivars are sold as dwarfs but I think they can eventually grow as small trees.

'Green Island'

var. crassifolia 'Green Mound'

[Eric in Orlando]

Actually, the Moreton Bay Fig is F. macrophylla.

Ficus macrocarpa is an invalid name and is listed as a synonym for several Ficus species inluding F. auriculata, F. punctata, and F. carica.

[Jerry@TreeZoo]

Thanks Eric!