Ficus ID

[flplantguy]

Seen at reload gun range in Tarpon Springs, Florida.  Is the the native Ficus aurea or another species? We would get a few from time to time in North Pinellas county that were small but i never checked the ID

[Silas_Sancona]

4 minutes ago, flplantguy said:

Seen at reload gun range in Tarpon Springs, Florida.  Is the the native Ficus aurea or another species? We would get a few from time to time in North Pinellas county that were small but i never checked the ID

Could be F. aurea ..or nitida / microcarpa,  specimens of which may be growing up in that area -alongside aurea..   Short - leaf Fig, Ficus citrifolia,  might occur up there also, though no solid  iNat. observations have been made - of that species- north of Bradenton Beach.

Remember, F. aurea will have highly visible gold-ish  colored leaf veins, which will be apparent, even at a young age.  F. citrifolia leaves will resemble those of microcarpa / nitida, ...or even F. benjamina..

If you are able to,  might look around within a 2 mile radius for any, more mature Ficus sps. that could be old enough to produce fruit.

[flplantguy]

This was sent to me but that person can look for them easily. That area isnt far from the sponge docks so i would not be surprised if its either one.  Ill have him look for the leaf veins

[Silas_Sancona]

28 minutes ago, flplantguy said:

This was sent to me but that person can look for them easily. That area isnt far from the sponge docks so i would not be surprised if its either one.  Ill have him look for the leaf veins

  Hopefully it is one of the natives.  Still wish i'd have collected some cuttings of both ..or picked up seedlings.

Even if it turns out to be just a just a plain ol' F. microcarpa ..or benjamina seedling,  they make fantastic Bonsai specimens..  Grown big enough, even as a Bonsai specimen,  and you can attach smaller Orchid genera / sps ( say Brassavola or Maxillaria tenuifolia ) ..and / or smaller Bromeliad genera / sps to them.

[flplantguy]

If its the native im grabbing it and "rescuing" it. Its in a parking lot no one cares about so its not going to be there long if they do anything to the area. Maybe if it is native and does well up here the range can expand a bit.  Till the next weather shock.