huge Ficus aurea, Strangler Fig

[Eric in Orlando]

I came across this <i>Ficus aurea,</i> Strangler Fig, in a park in St. Petersburg, FL. This is a native tree and one of the largest Strangler Figs I have ever seen. The park is next to the Kopsick Palm Arboretum near downtown St. Petersburg.

[fastfeat]

Very nice.

At what temps does F. aurea start to show frost damage? I know they're growing at least as far north as Titusville, but were generally just near the water there, not inland. I'm wondering if they would make it to tree statue in SoCal.

[Eric in Orlando]

I would say they are are maybe slightly hardier than F. elastica.

[Jerry@TreeZoo]

Even at extreme western Ft Lauderdale/Broward County, F. aurea is stunted and usually a lot smaller than ones growing 20 miles east.

[Eric in Orlando]

Cape Canaveral is the furthest north, I see large, mature specimens. There are F. aurea in New Smyrna Beach that aren't as large. The Ponce Inlet area is about the furthest north I see them.

There is a huge specimen at the Polynesian Hotel at Disney in the luau area and a big one at EPCOT.