Ficus virens Aiton, Moraceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Risk assessment results:  Evaluate; score: 5 (Hawaii-Pacific Weed Risk Assessment for Ficus virens)

Other Latin names:  Ficus carolinensis Warb.; Ficus caulobotrya var. fraseri (Miq.) Miq.; Ficus cunninghamii (Miq.) Miq.; Ficus glabella Blume; Ficus glabella var. nesophila (Miq.) K.Schum.; Ficus infectoria auct. AND Willd.; Ficus infectoria var. cunninghamii (Miq.) Domin; Ficus infectoria var. fraseri (Miq.) Domin; Ficus infectoria var. psychotriifolium (Miq.) Domin; Ficus infectoria var. typica Domin; Ficus lacor Buch.-Ham.; Ficus mariannensis Merr.; Ficus nesophila (Miq.) Miq.; Ficus prolixa G.Forst. var. carolinensis (Warb.) Fosb.; Ficus psychotriifolia (Miq.) Miq.; Ficus saxophila Blume var. sublanceolata Miq.; Ficus virens Aiton var. glabella (Blume) Corner; Ficus virens Aiton var. sublanceolata (Miq.) Corner; Ficus virens Aiton var. wightiana (Miq.) V. Chithra; Ficus wightiana (Miq.) Wall. ex Benth.; Urostigma cunninghamii Miq.; Urostigma fraseri Miq.; Urostigma nesophilium Miq.; Urostigma psychotriifolium Miq.; Urostigma wightianum Miq.

Common name(s): [more details]

Chinese: huang ge shu

English: banyan, figwood, green fig, mountain fig, spotted fig, strangler fig, white fig

Habit:  tree

Description:  Ficus (genus): "Trees, shrubs, or woody climbers. Lvs usu alternate or 2-ranked (rarely opposite or whorled); blades entire or pinnately or palmately lobed, venation pinnate; stipuls usu encircling twogs, leaving ringlike scars. Infl (figs) urnlike, stalked or sessile, receptacle globose, pear-shaped, ellipsoid, or cylindrical, with tiny flws enclosed on inner surface, apical opening (ostiole) ±covered by bracts; bracts on stalk, at base, or along sides of fig. Flws: ♂ [male] perianth present, stam 1, 2, or more; ♀ [female] perianth us present, styles long or short, stigmas 1 or 2. Frt composed of tiny achenes or drupelets, enclosed in usu soft, colored receptacle." Ficus virens: "Dioecious deciduous tree. Lf peti to 2.75" long; blades ovate to elliptic, 2-8" long, apex tapering, secondary veins 7-12 pairs, tertiary veins reticulate. Figs axillary or on minute spurs below lvs, stalk to 0.1" long; receptacle globose, 0.2-0.4" ⌀, ripening pink or purple." (a tropical garden flora, p. 411)

See also Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants.

Habitat/ecology:  "Occurs in WA, NT, CYP, NEQ and southwards as far as coastal central Queensland. Altitudinal range from sea level to 1150 m. Grows in well developed rain forest, drier, more seasonal rain forest, beach forest and monsoon forest. Also occurs in Asia, Malesia and the SW Pacific islands. . . . A common and widespread species. Produces large spreading branches with numerous aerial roots. Suitable only for large parks and gardens where they make distinctive specimens." (Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants)

Propagation:  (no propagation information known by PIER)

Native range:  Ficus virens "ranges from Sri Lanka to the Solomon Islands." (A Tropical Garden Flora, p. 411)

In Australia, "[o]ccurs in WA, NT, CYP, NEQ and southwards as far as coastal central Queensland. . . . Also occurs in Asia, Malesia and the SW Pacific islands." (Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants)

Impacts and invaded habitats:  (no invaded habitats or impacts known by PIER; please let us know if you know of such information we should add here)

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Agiguan		Consortium of Pacific Herbaria (2018)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Tinian Island		Consortium of Pacific Herbaria (2018)
Federated States of Micronesia Chuuk Islands	Chuuk Islands		Consortium of Pacific Herbaria (2018)
Federated States of Micronesia Chuuk Islands	Lukunor Islet		Consortium of Pacific Herbaria (2018)
Federated States of Micronesia Chuuk Islands	Weno (Moen) Island		Consortium of Pacific Herbaria (2018)
Federated States of Micronesia Federated States of Micronesia	Federated States of Micronesia		Consortium of Pacific Herbaria (2018)
Federated States of Micronesia Kosrae Island	Lele Island		Consortium of Pacific Herbaria (2018)
Federated States of Micronesia Pohnpei Islands	Masakomani Islet		Consortium of Pacific Herbaria (2018)
Federated States of Micronesia Pohnpei Islands	Pohnpei Island		Consortium of Pacific Herbaria (2018)
Federated States of Micronesia Woleai Atoll	Falalap		Consortium of Pacific Herbaria (2018)
Federated States of Micronesia Yap Islands	Yap (Waqab) Island		Consortium of Pacific Herbaria (2018)
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island		Consortium of Pacific Herbaria (2018)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	O‘ahu Island		Consortium of Pacific Herbaria (2018)
Pacific Oceania	Micronesia		Consortium of Pacific Herbaria (2018)
Pacific Pacific	Pacific islands		Staples, George W./Herbst, Derral R. (2005) (p. 411) "ranges from Sri Lanka to the Solomon Islands"
Pacific Pacific	Pacific islands		Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants (year unknown) ("SW Pacific islands"); accessed 20180104
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Babeldaob Island		Consortium of Pacific Herbaria (2018)
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Urukthapel (Gaiangas) Island		Consortium of Pacific Herbaria (2018)
Palau Sonsorol Group	Sonsorol Island		Consortium of Pacific Herbaria (2018)
Papua New Guinea Papua New Guinea (eastern New Guinea Island)	Papua New Guinea (eastern New Guinea Island)		Consortium of Pacific Herbaria (2018)
Solomon Islands Solomon Islands	Solomon Islands		Staples, George W./Herbst, Derral R. (2005) (p. 411)
Solomon Islands Solomon Islands	Solomon Islands		Consortium of Pacific Herbaria (2018)
Vanuatu New Hebrides Islands	Pentecôte (Pentacost) Island		Consortium of Pacific Herbaria (2018)
Vanuatu New Hebrides Islands	Vanuatu (Republic of)		Ramon, Laurence/Sam, Chanel (2015) (p. 126)

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Asia Asia	Asia (southern)		Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants (year unknown) accessed 20180104
Asia Asia (Pacific rim)	Malesia		Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants (year unknown) accessed 20180104
Australia Australia (continental)	Australia (continental)	cultivated	Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants (year unknown) accessed 20180104
Australia Australia (continental)	Northern Territory	cultivated	Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants (year unknown) accessed 20180104
Australia Australia (continental)	Queensland	cultivated	Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants (year unknown) accessed 20180104

Indian Ocean
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Sri Lanka Sri Lanka	Sri Lanka		Staples, George W./Herbst, Derral R. (2005) (p. 411)

Comments:  "[Ficus virens] must have reached Hawai'i late in the 1800s; J. F. Rock knew of only one specimen in 1917, growing in Dr. William Hillebrand's former Honolulu garden.¹²⁴⁸ Today it is sometimes planted as a street tree for shade, but it is too large for the average home garden." (a tropical garden flora, p. 411)

Control:  If you know of control methods for Ficus virens, please let us know.