Coffs Harbour - Meeting & talk: Australian Ficus

Phil O’Shea's topic will be illustrated by excellent slides.

Phil writes: 'The Ficus genus has over 1000 species worldwide and Australia has about 40. They occur in a wide variety of environments ranging from rain forests to deserts and even occur on Uluru. Figs have a unique symbiotic relationship with wasps which are essential for pollination. In a natural setting, figs provide a significant food resource for a wide variety of birds and mammals. The buttresses and aerial roots of some large old specimens have a unique sculptural quality to them. Figs are very useful plants in bush regeneration providing shade, soil stabilization and fire retardation. On my bush block, I have successfully planted several species of Ficus to stabilize old landslips, steep slopes and creek banks where lantana has been removed. Although they are not generally suitable in suburban gardens they can make very good bonsais and hardy container plants. Propagation can be easily done from seed or cuttings. One of our local figs, Ficus coronata (Creek Sandpaper Fig), is the most palatable.'