Ficus benjamina L., Moraceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Threat only at high elevations?  no

Risk assessment results:  Evaluate, score: 4 (Go to the risk assessment)

Common name(s): [more details]

English: baka, Benjamin tree, Java fig, weeping banyan, weeping fig

Kwara‘ae: fi‘i sirifena, sirifena

Tongan: ‘ovava Fisi

Habit:  tree

Description:  "Large banyan, glabrous; adventitious roots few to none. Leaves subdistichous, elliptic to ovate, rarely oblong, acute to acuminate, cuneate to rounded at base; lamina 3-12 cm long, 1.5-6 cm wide; laterial veins 6-13 pairs; petiole 4-16 mm long, 1-1.5 mm wide; stipules to 1.2 cm long. Figs usually sessile, ellipsoidal, ovoid, obovoid, or rarely subglobose, 8-12 mm diam., ripening dark red; pedicel if present thick; ostiole enclosed by 3 flat apical bracts in a disc 2 mm diam., often with a rim; basal bracts 2 or 3, to 1.5 mm long, concealed beneath fig-body. Male flowers abundant, pedicellate; tepals 3. Female flowers sessile; tepals free, 3 or 4. Gall flowers pedicellate; tepals 3 or 4" (Chew, 1989; p. 37).

Habitat/ecology:  A large tree with an aggressive root system, shading out plants underneath. Commonly used as a house plant but grows outdoors well in tropical and semi-tropical climates.

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  Southern and southeastern Asia to southwestern Melanesia, Australia.

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
American Samoa Tutuila Islands	Tutuila Island	introduced cultivated	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2000) (p. 35)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Saipan Island	introduced	Raulerson, L. (2006) (p. 26)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Rarotonga Island	cultivated	Sykes, Bill (year unknown)
Federated States of Micronesia Pohnpei Islands	Pohnpei Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1978) (voucher ID: BISH 661263) Taxon name on voucher: Ficus benjamina L.
Fiji Fiji Islands	Vanua Levu Island	introduced cultivated	Smith, Albert C. (1981) (p. 175) Voucher cited: DA 15962
Fiji Fiji Islands	Vanua Levu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1969) (voucher ID: BISH 32936) Taxon name on voucher: Ficus benjamina L.
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island	introduced cultivated	Smith, Albert C. (1981) (p. 175) Vouchers cited: Smith 9072, Setchell & Parks 15150
French Polynesia Society Islands	Maupiti (Maurua) Island	introduced cultivated	Florence, J. (1997) (p. 156)
French Polynesia Society Islands	Maupiti (Maurua) Island	introduced cultivated	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, M.-H. (1987) (p. 27) Voucher cited: Fosberg 64935 (US)
French Polynesia Society Islands	Raiatea (Havai) Island	introduced cultivated	Welsh, S. L. (1998) (p. 186) Voucher cited: BRY 26650
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island	introduced cultivated	Florence, J. (1997) (p. 156)
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1992) (voucher ID: BISH 662489) Taxon name on voucher: Ficus benjamina L.
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island	introduced	Raulerson, L. (2006) (p. 26)
Kiribati Tungaru (Gilbert) Islands	Tarawa Atoll	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Falanruw, M. V. C. (1980) (p. 203) Voucher cited: Adair 190 (BISH)
Kiribati Tungaru (Gilbert) Islands	Tarawa Atoll		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1968) (voucher ID: BISH 31168) Taxon name on voucher: Ficus benjamina L.
Marshall Islands Ralik Chain	Kwajalein (Kuwajleen) Atoll	introduced cultivated	Whistler, W. A./Steele, O. (1999) (p. 101)
Marshall Islands Ratak Chain	Arno Atoll	introduced cultivated	Vander Velde, Nancy/Vander Velde, Brian (2007) (p. 9) "Rare; single large tree near residence in Ine village".
Marshall Islands Ratak Chain	Majuro (Mãjro) Atoll	introduced cultivated	Vander Velde, Nancy (2003) (p. 109)
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île Grande Terre	introduced cultivated	MacKee, H. S. (1994) (p. 102) Voucher cited: MacKee 40681
Papua New Guinea Papua New Guinea (eastern New Guinea Island)	Papua New Guinea (eastern New Guinea Island)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2007)
Philippines Philippine Islands	Philippine Islands	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2007)
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Upolu Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2002) (p. 66)
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Upolu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1921) (voucher ID: BISH 161435) Taxon name on voucher: Ficus benjamina L.
Solomon Islands Solomon Islands	New Georgia Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1993) (voucher ID: BISH 634908) Taxon name on voucher: Ficus benjamina L.
Solomon Islands Solomon Islands	Solomon Islands	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2007)
Solomon Islands Solomon Islands	Solomon Islands	native	Hancock, I. R./Henderson, C. P. (1988) (p. 74)
Tonga Ha‘apai Group	Ha‘ano Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2001) (p. 72)
Tonga Ha‘apai Group	Lifuka and Foa Islands	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2001) (p. 72)
Tonga Ha‘apai Group	‘Uiha Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2001) (p. 72)
Tonga Tongatapu Group	‘Eua Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2001) (p. 60)
Tonga Tongatapu Group	Tongatapu Island	introduced cultivated	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2001) (p. 53)
Tonga Vava‘u Group	Vava‘u Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2001) (p. 66)

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Australia Australia (continental)	Northern Territory	native	Australian Biological Resources Study (2007)
Australia Australia (continental)	Queensland	native	Australian Biological Resources Study (2007)
Cambodia Cambodia	Cambodia (Kingdom of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2007)
China China	China (People's Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2007)
Indonesia Indonesia	Indonesia (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2007)
Malaysia Malaysia	Malaysia (country of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2007)
Taiwan Taiwan	Taiwan Island	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2007)
Thailand Thailand	Thailand (Kingdom of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2007)
Vietnam Vietnam	Vietnam (Socialist Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2007)

Also reported from
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
United States (continental except west coast) United States (other states)	USA (Florida)	introduced	U.S. Dept. Agr., Nat. Res. Cons. Serv. (2005)

Comments:  On Tonga, mostly cultivated but occasional trees in the forest (may have been planted there) (Space & Flynn, 2001).

Control: 

Chemical:  "Fig trees are particularly sensitive to triclopyr herbicides as a basal or cut-stump treatment.  Trees found growing on concrete or rock structures should be treated with herbicide while young to avoid costly structural damage.  Use extreme caution when applying herbicide to figs growing as epiphytes to ensure that the poison does not contact the host tree.  When exotic figs germinate high in the branches of large trees in natural forest communities, it may be extraordinarily difficult to get close enough to the fig to treat it"  (Randall & Marinelli, 1996; pp. 33-34).

Additional information:  Report (PDF format) from US Geological Survey, Biological Resources Division, Haleakala Field Station, Hawaii "Plants of Hawaii".

Additional online information about Ficus benjamina is available from the Hawaiian Ecosystems at Risk project (HEAR).

Taxonomic information about Ficus benjamina may be available from the Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN).

References:

Australian Biological Resources Study. 2007. Flora of Australia Online. Australian Biological Resources Study, Canberra.

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1921. Voucher specimen #BISH 161435 (Eames, A.J. 196).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1968. Voucher specimen #BISH 31168 (collector unknown GLBT/190/FA).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1969. Voucher specimen #BISH 32936 (Parham, J.W. 16962).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1978. Voucher specimen #BISH 661263 (Fosberg, F.R. 58550).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1992. Voucher specimen #BISH 662489 (Florence 11473).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1993. Voucher specimen #BISH 634908 (Regalado, J. 794).

Chew, W.-L. 1989. Flora of Australia. Vol. 3, Moraceae. Australian Government Publishing Service, Canberra.

Florence, J. 1997. Flore de la Polynésie française, Vol. 1. Paris. Editions de l'Orstom, Institut Français de Recherche Scientifique pour le Développement en Coopération, Collection Faune et Flore Tropicales 34. 393 pp.

Fosberg, F. R./Falanruw, M. V. C. 1980. Noteworthy Micronesian plants 4. Micronesica 16(2):201-210.

Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, M.-H. 1987. Flora of Maupiti, Society Islands. The Smithsonian Institution. Atoll Research Bulletin 294:1-70.

Hancock, I. R./Henderson, C. P. 1988. Flora of the Solomon Islands. Research Bulletin No. 7. Ministry of Agriculture and Lands, Honiara. 203 pp.

MacKee, H. S. 1994. Catalogue des plantes introduites et cultivées en Nouvelle-Calédonie. Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, 164 p.

Randall, J. M./Marinelli, J. (eds.). 1996. Invasive plants: weeds of the global garden. Brooklyn Botanic Garden Handbook 149. 111 pp.

Raulerson, L. 2006. Checklist of Plants of the Mariana Islands. University of Guam Herbarium Contribution 40:1-69. .

Smith, Albert C. 1981. Flora Vitiensis nova: a new flora of Fiji. National Tropical Botanical Garden, Lawai, Kauai, Hawaii. Volume 2. 810 pp.

Space, James C./Flynn, Tim. 2000. Observations on invasive plant species in American Samoa.  USDA Forest Service, Honolulu. 51 pp.

Space, James C./Flynn, Tim. 2001. Report to the Kingdom of Tonga on invasive plant species of environmental concern.  USDA Forest Service, Honolulu. 78 pp.

Space, James C./Flynn, Tim. 2002. Report to the Government of Samoa on invasive plant species of environmental concern. USDA Forest Service, Honolulu. 83 pp.

Sykes, Bill. 0. Bill Sykes, pers. com.

U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. 2007. National Genetic Resources Program. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). Online searchable database.

U.S. Dept. Agr., Nat. Res. Cons. Serv. 2005. The PLANTS Database, Version 3.5 (http://plants.usda.gov). National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, LA 70874-4490 USA.

Vander Velde, Nancy. 2003. The vascular plants of Majuro Atoll, Republic of the Marshall Islands. Smithsonian Institution, Atoll Research Bulletin No. 503:1-141.

Vander Velde, Nancy/Vander Velde, Brian. 2007. Arno plants [preliminary working listing of plant species]. Unpublished checklist, 13 pp.

Welsh, S. L. 1998. Flora Societensis: A summary revision of the flowering plants of the Society Islands. E.P.S. Inc., Orem, Utah. 420 pp.

Whistler, W. A./Steele, O. 1999. Botanical survey of the United States of America Kwajalein Atoll (USAKA) Islands. Prepared for Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education and the U. S. Army Environmental Center. 111 pp.