# Roxburgh fig (*Ficus auriculata*) The Roxburgh fig is a large tree with big, heart-shaped leaves. It grows in warm places and produces sweet fruits that many animals love to eat! - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 1 - **Habitat:** Tropical forests - **Also known as:** Banyan fig, Roxburgh fig tree ![Roxburgh fig](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Ficus_auriculata.jpg&width=800) Photo: കാക്കര, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ficus_auriculata.jpg) ## Appearance The Roxburgh fig is a medium to large tree with a broad, spreading canopy and striking, very large heart-shaped leaves. Its unique fruits are reddish-purple, flattened, and grow directly on the trunk and older branches, making them easy to spot. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Rosales - **Family:** Moraceae - **Genus:** Ficus ## Interesting facts - Animals like monkeys, bats, and birds feast on its sweet figs, scattering seeds for new trees. - In some cultures, the Roxburgh fig is considered a sacred tree, linked to ancient stories and traditions. - Its massive, heart-shaped leaves can grow over a foot long, making them truly giant! - What we call a fig is actually a 'syconium,' a fleshy container full of tiny inverted flowers! ## Special abilities - **Trunk-Bearing Fruits:** Roxburgh fig has a special trick called cauliflory, growing its delicious fruits right on the trunk for easy access by ground-dwelling animals. - **Wasp Whisperer:** The Roxburgh fig relies on tiny fig wasps for pollination, offering a safe nursery for their eggs deep inside its unique fruit structures. - **Giant Shade Maker:** Its massive leaves create expansive shade, offering a cool refuge for animals and people from intense sun in its tropical habitats. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 1000-2000 cm - **Spread:** 500-1500 cm - **Bloom Season:** Year-round - **Edible:** Yes - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** Roxburgh fig wasp (*Koebelea fusca*) — This tiny wasp lays eggs in the fig, ensuring pollination. - **Eats:** [Rhesus macaque](https://www.snappit.app/explore/rhesus-macaque) (*Macaca mulatta*) — Feasts on the sweet figs, helping to spread seeds. - **Eats:** Indian flying fox (*Pteropus giganteus*) — These large bats consume figs and disperse seeds at night. - **Eats:** [Rose-ringed parakeet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/rose-ringed-parakeet) (*Psittacula krameri*) — Parrots often feed on the figs, dispersing seeds. ## Traits - [Shade Tolerant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shade-tolerant): Shade tolerant plants are adapted to grow and thrive in areas with low light levels, requiring less direct sunlight. - [Broadleaf Tree](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/broadleaf-tree): Broadleaf trees are angiosperms characterized by flat, wide leaves that are typically shed annually in temperate climates. - [Fruit Bearing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fruit-bearing): Fruit-bearing plants produce fruits, which are the mature ovaries of flowering plants containing seeds. - [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption. - [Timber](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/timber): Timber refers to wood that has been prepared for use in building and carpentry. - [Keystone Species](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/keystone-species): Describes a species whose presence and role have a disproportionately large effect on its environment. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always admire trees from a safe distance and don't climb without an adult. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Roxburgh fig? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is Roxburgh fig? 1000-2000 cm ### How wide does Roxburgh fig spread? 500-1500 cm ### When does Roxburgh fig bloom? Year-round ### Is Roxburgh fig edible? Yes ### Is Roxburgh fig toxic? None ### What is Roxburgh fig's lifecycle? Perennial ### How is Roxburgh fig pollinated? Insect ## Where to spot - [Naples Botanical Garden](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/naples-botanical-garden) — Florida, US · Botanical Garden - [Naples Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/naples-historic-district) — Florida, US · Historic District - [El Presidio de Santa Barbara State Historic Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/el-presidio-de-santa-barbara-state-historic-park) — California, US · Historic Site - [La Orotava Acclimatisation Garden, Puerto de la Cruz](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/la-orotava-acclimatisation-garden-puerto-de-la-cruz) — Canarias, ES · Park - [Palmetum Botanical Garden](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/palmetum-botanical-garden) — Canarias, ES · Park [View all places to see Roxburgh fig](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/roxburgh-fig) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Roxburgh fig: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/roxburgh-fig)