Moreton Bay Fig Tree - photos
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About Moreton Bay Fig Tree
The Moreton Bay Fig is a large banyan tree. It can grow to heights over 60 metres and has a wide spreading canopy. It is native to the rainforests of Queensland, northern New South Wales, and Lord Howe Island.
It often begins life high up in another tree and produces roots that grow down the trunk of the supporting tree to the ground. This network of roots eventually strangles the supporting tree which dies, leaving the fig tree with a hollow trunk formed from roots. The tree eventually grows big enough to emerge from the forest canopy and tower above it.
Large Moreton Bay Fig Trees that were planted outside of their natural growing range are found around the world. Both botanic gardens in Sydney and Brisbane contain large specimens. Other notable trees exist in Pahi New Zealand, San Diego's Natural History Museum, Santa Barbara, University of Coimbra Botanical Gardens in Portugal, and Orto Botanico in Palermo Italy.
Author & photographer: David Johnson (Virtual Australia). Providing a credit or link is appreciated.
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