Ficus natalensis
The Natal fig is a semi-deciduous strangler fig of tropical and southern Africa, growing to about 20 m and often starting life as an epiphyte in another tree. It is the barkcloth tree of Uganda and a popular bonsai, valued for its fast growth and tolerance. At home it is almost always grown as a bonsai or small potted tree, and it needs strong light, warmth and a cooler, drier winter slowdown.
Where it grows wild
It grows in riverine, coastal and swamp forest, in miombo woodland, and in grassland, often in rocky places. It frequently germinates in a branch or fork of a host tree and sends down aerial roots that encircle the host and become pillar roots.
Recorded from near sea level to about 2200 m, with a median of 459 m. The maximum record of 4913 m is an error.
🔒 Growing it like that
The wild conditions above, turned into targets for a shelf, a tent or a greenhouse. The full profile has:
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Profiles are drafts built from measured range and climate and from published sources; each section carries its own confidence in the app. Photo from Wikimedia Commons, used under its CC BY-SA 3.0 licence, unmodified.