I love to see these plants in Sydney parks, because they are magnificent AND because Moreton Bay is in the area of Queensland where I used to live. A little reminder fo home....
Ficus macrophylla is a medium to large, spreading tree 15 to 35 metres high with a similar spread. It often has a butressed trunk. The genus Ficus consists of about 800 species distributed throughout India, parts of Asia, the Pacific islands and Australia. There are about 40 Australian species most of which are found in tropical areas
The fruits are 20-25 mm in diameter, yellowish and turning purple when ripe. They occur on stalks from 10-20 mm long.
Moreton Bay fig makes an excellent, bushy plant for a large container but it should not be planted in the ground in a normal suburban environment. In the ground it develops into a tree with a vigorous root system - it is far too large for a suburban garden and can damage pavements and house foundations. It is an excellent shade tree for parks and larger properties and is widely used as a feature tree in parks and gardens around the world. (Source: Australian Native Plant Society http://anpsa.org.au/f-mac.html)
I love the perspective of your page. Happy that you can find a touch of home, away from home, too!
ReplyDeletePuts me in mind of my one visit to Australia to visit my sister in Qld. The day everyone went out for a big seafood feast, I went down with something and didn't come out of my room for 24 hours. All my wife could talk about on her return was Moreton Bay bugs. According to her they were a little slice of heaven and I never did get a chance to sample them.
ReplyDeleteAlissa, they look like I could just pick one up! Fascinating info, too, I guess I had no idea how they grew.
ReplyDeleteThanks !
ReplyDeleteA lot of good things come out of Moreton Bay (in Queensland).The Moreton Bay Fig is endemic to the east coast of Australia within a range centred on Moreton Bay.
"Bugs" are lobsters and are delicious.
The name Morton's Bay was given by Captain Cook when he passed the area in1770, honouring Lord Morton, president of the Royal Society.The bay is also home to other abundant wildlife, including whales, dolphins, dugong, sharks and turtles.