Ficus citrifolia

Common Names

Wild Banyan Tree, Shortleaf Fig, Giant Bearded Fig, Wimba Tree

Summary

Shortleaf Fig is a Moraceae tree native to Florida and tropical hammocks across the Caribbean, the Bahamas, the West Indies, and parts of Central America. It often starts life as an epiphyte, with aerial roots that descend to the ground and may encircle the host before becoming a spreading, semi-evergreen canopy tree. Leaves are 2–4 inches long, oval with a rounded base and sharply pointed tip, dark green and leathery; fruits are 1/4–1/2 inch in diameter on elongated stalks, maturing yellow to purple; flowers are inconspicuous inside figs and pollination is by a host-specific wasp; the bark is light gray and sap milky.

In cultivation, the plant prefers full sun and moist, well-drained soils, and is drought-tolerant once established; it does not tolerate flooding by salty or brackish water nor salt spray. Propagation is by seed. It is used as a specimen tree and for shade in landscapes and provides habitat and food for wildlife; fruit eaten by cedar waxwings and it serves as a larval host for various butterflies and moths; occasional aerial roots may develop, contributing to its distinctive form.

Lifecycle

Perennial

Height

40-50 feet

Spread

30-40 ft

Hardiness Zones

Zones 10-11

Sunlight Requirements

Ideally full sun; tolerates partial sun and partial shade.

Soil Type

Moist, well-drained loamy soil

Soil Drainage

Moist but well-drained.

Soil pH

Alkaline or Neutral

Bloom Color

Red, Yellow

Bloom Time

Spring and Summer

Foliage Color

Dark green above; paler green beneath.

Leaf Lifecycle

Semi-deciduous

Growth Rate

Moderate to fast.

Seasons of Interest

Spring and Summer

Propagation Methods

Seeds, Cuttings, Layering

Attracts Wildlife

Birds, Butterflies, Wasps