Largest Ficus petiolaris in SoCal?

[fastfeat]

Went to a seminar today, highlighting unusual trees in Long Beach, where I got to see this Ficus petiolaris. Planted in the 50s, this is the largest I've ever seen in CA. It would likely be considerably larger but is pruned back to rather large wood on a yearly basis. Still, a very impressive specimen. And per the homeowner, no damage yet to the foundation.

[Jerry@TreeZoo]

Quite impressive. Very few grow it over here in Floriduh. The little one we have in the Arboretum is setting some aerial roots, do they do that in California?

[BigFrond]

That's big, however, I believe Gary Levine's is bigger and I'm pretty sure his was not grown in the 50's. I have three of these in the yard (one planted). However, I kept chopping them back to the base every other year because I don't want them to be big.

[LJG]

Gary's is no where near that size. That is one big Petiolaris. This is a very tough plant to standardize as it likes to spread out more then up. Mine makes massive side branches and never leaders. Still a great looking tee.

[BigFrond]

Hmmm.. maybe you're correct. However, his is wider. Btw, the wood on this tree is kind of brittle. I hacked back the tree (not enough space) and the leaves are two to three times larger and nicer. I was thinking about removing the tree until I saw the new leaves.

[Peter]

Ken, I was at UCLA last month and noticed that one of their absolute monster Ficus in the rainforest area was labelled as petiolaris-I couldn't believe it. I was in a hurry so I didn't look too closely, but the bark was the tan colour that sure looked right. I guess that's what happens if you water the hell out of it for many, many years.

[MattyB]

No where near the size you've posed above, but I believe that this is F. petiolaris as well. Mission Hills area of San Diego, CA.

[fastfeat]

Quite impressive. Very few grow it over here in Floriduh. The little one we have in the Arboretum is setting some aerial roots, do they do that in California?

Jerry--

Only a few small superficial aerial roots present.

About the only ficus to produce aerial roots in CA (and rather uncommonly at that) are F. rubiginosa, F. macrophylla, F. benghalensis, and another species at The Huntington whose name always escapes me.

[fastfeat]

No where near the size you've posed above, but I believe that this is F. petiolaris as well. Mission Hills area of San Diego, CA.

Matt--

Kinda hard to tell, but looks more like F. religiosa to me.

[LJG]

No where near the size you've posed above, but I believe that this is as well. Mission Hills area of San Diego, CA.

Matt--

Kinda hard to tell, but looks more like F. religiosa to me.

Grows to upright to be F. petiolaris in my opinion.

Another tree that looks very similar to Petiolaris is Ficus palmeri. Red new flush it is Petiolaris. Green, it is Palmeri.

[Palms1984]

Quite impressive. Very few grow it over here in Floriduh. The little one we have in the Arboretum is setting some aerial roots, do they do that in California?

Jerry--

Only a few small superficial aerial roots present.

About the only ficus to produce aerial roots in CA (and rather uncommonly at that) are F. rubiginosa, F. macrophylla, F. benghalensis, and another species at The Huntington whose name always escapes me.

You're most likely thinking of F. thonningii. Many of the large trees here in San Diego have a lot of aerial roots. Another which produces a lot of aerial roots is F. craterostoma...my tree has so many aerial roots, it's unbelievable!

[Palms1984]

No where near the size you've posed above, but I believe that this is as well. Mission Hills area of San Diego, CA.

Matt--

Kinda hard to tell, but looks more like F. religiosa to me.

Grows to upright to be F. petiolaris in my opinion.

Another tree that looks very similar to Petiolaris is Ficus palmeri. Red new flush it is Petiolaris. Green, it is Palmeri.

My large Ficus palmeri has red new growth. I know for fact it isn't Ficus petiolaris because the leaves are a dull grey-green.

[fastfeat]

Quite impressive. Very few grow it over here in Floriduh. The little one we have in the Arboretum is setting some aerial roots, do they do that in California?

Jerry--

Only a few small superficial aerial roots present.

About the only ficus to produce aerial roots in CA (and rather uncommonly at that) are F. rubiginosa, F. macrophylla, F. benghalensis, and another species at The Huntington whose name always escapes me.

You're most likely thinking of F. thonningii. Many of the large trees here in San Diego have a lot of aerial roots. Another which produces a lot of aerial roots is F. craterostoma...my tree has so many aerial roots, it's unbelievable!

Yes, F. thonningii. And agreed about F. craterostoma-- the one I donated to Fullerton Arboretum produces copious aerial roots.

[Palms1984]

Quite impressive. Very few grow it over here in Floriduh. The little one we have in the Arboretum is setting some aerial roots, do they do that in California?

Jerry--

Only a few small superficial aerial roots present.

About the only ficus to produce aerial roots in CA (and rather uncommonly at that) are F. rubiginosa, F. macrophylla, F. benghalensis, and another species at The Huntington whose name always escapes me.

You're most likely thinking of F. thonningii. Many of the large trees here in San Diego have a lot of aerial roots. Another which produces a lot of aerial roots is F. craterostoma...my tree has so many aerial roots, it's unbelievable!

Yes, F. thonningii. And agreed about F. craterostoma-- the one I donated to Fullerton Arboretum produces copious aerial roots.

Both of these Ficus species are extremely fast growing, also.

[Justin]

My Ficus Craterstoma also throws out a lot of air roots. The Lord Howe Island Banyan Ficus Columnaris throws out some as well, but I'm not encouraging mine to do so as I don't want a beast on my hands.

[Gtlevine]

My Ficus bengalensis is now throwing out a lot of aireal roots.

My Ficus petiolaris is big but as Len says, not like the one pictured. Also I didn't train mine so it grows as a spreading tree as said above.

[Gtlevine]

Most of the Ficus will produce aireal roots in San Diego at some point.

[palmaddict]

http://i1266.photobucket.com/albums/jj525/palmaddict/c3a35c11.jpg

I bought this as Ficus petiolaris from a rare tree nursery so I am sure of ID. I planted it in a 96 gallon trash can buried in the ground hoping to contain it Otherwise I think it would be bigger. I allowed two trunks to develop as the tree tends to send up more than one primary shoot. Might weaken it but it gives it a sculptural look. Every other year I have pruned lateral growth as I wanted it upright and narrower. It really wants to spread out. Showed small damage to 30 degrees when it was younger but I am sure it woud be fine at this size.

Patrick

[Geoff]

pretty sure this one is larger... it is growing in the Fullerton arboretum and is about 30' wide and easily as tall.... and this was about 8 years ago... could be larger now.

[fastfeat]

pretty sure this one is larger... it is growing in the Fullerton arboretum and is about 30' wide and easily as tall.... and this was about 8 years ago... could be larger now.

Geoff--

That's F. palmeri, planted in 1981. It froze to the ground in the late 80s (?) and resprouted from the stump. It has beautiful whitish trunks that photograph very well, though the tree could use some pruning to raise the southern side of the crown (IMHO)...

[fastfeat]

http://i1266.photobu...ct/c3a35c11.jpg

I bought this as Ficus petiolaris from a rare tree nursery so I am sure of ID. I planted it in a 96 gallon trash can buried in the ground hoping to contain it Otherwise I think it would be bigger. I allowed two trunks to develop as the tree tends to send up more than one primary shoot. Might weaken it but it gives it a sculptural look. Every other year I have pruned lateral growth as I wanted it upright and narrower. It really wants to spread out. Showed small damage to 30 degrees when it was younger but I am sure it woud be fine at this size.

Patrick

That one looks well-formed. Two trunks aren't necessarily problematic if one is kept larger than the other by reducing the total shoot amount supported by one of the trunks.

[Palms1984]

Most of the Ficus will produce aireal roots in San Diego at some point.

I've seen many Ficus species with aerial roots here in the College District of San Diego. However, my very large F. cyathistipula trees do not produce aerial roots. I would guess in Hawai'i and Florida they may develop.

[fastfeat]

Today I received this photo of an even taller tree (though with smaller caliper) growing in the Samarkand area of Santa Barbara, planted in the 70s or early 80s. Apparently this is one of the mildest areas of SB, so it may not have sustained some of the cold temps other parts of town have.

(Photo courtesy of Randy Baldwin, San Marcos Growers.)

[Peter]

Ken is that some type of Brachychiton next to it? And I'll snap a photo next time I'm at UCLA-if I remember it right, that petiolaris is a monster.

[fastfeat]

Ken is that some type of Brachychiton next to it? And I'll snap a photo next time I'm at UCLA-if I remember it right, that petiolaris is a monster.

There is a Brachychiton rupestris just to the right of the Ficus (in the yard). The parkway tree (slim greenish trunk) is a Ceiba speciosa, I'm pretty sure.