Meet a Native … Shortleaf Fig (A well-behaved native ficus)

Ficus citrifolia

by Roger Hammer

When most people hear the word “ficus” They almost invariably envision massive, spreading threes from some far away land. This vision actually is not all that incorrect since some of the world’s largest trees are members of the genus Ficus, and a number of them are cultivated right here in South Florida. The species that we typically see are Ficus benjamina or weeping fig (native to India and commonly used as hedges or large, overbearing landscape trees), Ficus microcarpa or laurel fig (native to Australia and used as a large shade tree on home lots or on street along the turmnpikes), Ficus altissima or lofty fig (native to India and seen lining Old Cutler Road in the Croal Gables area), Ficus benghalensis or banyan fig ( native to India and seen occasionally as a large street or yard tree), Ficus eslastica or rubber tree (native to Africa and seen lining Old Cutler Road in the Coconut Grove area, or as a popluar indoor potted plant) and Ficus religiosa (native to India and sometimes seen in church yards or as a landscape tree, especially around Key West.

Not all ficus, however, fit into the same category as the above species. One is Ficus pumila, which is native from Japan to Vietnam. This species is the vine you see clinging tightly to the concrete Metro Rail supports along US 1 in Miami. Another species, and one that everyone has probably eaten, is Ficus carica, native to the Mediterranean area. This is the familiar edible fig, which forms a somewhat leggy shrub and is cultivated in many parts of the world for its tasty fruit.

There are two Florida native ficus. One, the strangler fig, Ficus aurea is a familiar sight to anyone who has ever walked through the hardwood forests of southern Florida. Strangler figs grow to be immense trees, have a very aggressive root system and are often found growing epiphytically on other trees. Over the years, a strangler fig will kill its host tree.

Another, more well-behaved ficus, is our native short-leaf fig, Ficus citrifolia. This is a handsome, straight-trunked tree with an attractive, well-rounded canopy. If you desire to attract birds to your yard, you will be delighted by the shortleaf fig.

The abundance of small fruit borne throughout the year are beloved by birds, especially cedar waxwings, thrushes, blue jays, mockingbirds, and other fruit-earing birds. It is also the larval food plant of the native ruddy daggerwing butterfly. You will not notice any leaf damage on your shortleaf fig by the larvae of this butterfly, but what you will notice is the attractive adult butterflies with their dark orange wings flitting gracefully around your yard.

Give the shortleaf fig the room that it requires to grow to full stature (typically 30 to 40 feet) and it will become a great shade tree for you and future generations as well. And the birds and butterflies are free.

 

Meet a Native : Seven-Year-Apple

Seven-Year-Apple
Casasia clusiifloia

By Roger L. Hammer

Most Often, common names of plants make some sort of sense but, occasionally, we encounter one that defies our imagination. This is one of them. The green, leathery fruit ripen black and wrinkled with dark brown, somewhat edible pulp that surrounds the seeds. Nothing at all like an apple. The fruit ripen very slowly, which takes the better part of a year. Someone lost count.
At least, the latin name, Casasia clusiifolia, makes sense. Casasiahonors an 18th Century Spaniard, Luis de las Casas y Arargorri, and clusiifolia refers to the leaves, which resemble plants in the genus Clusia, such as pitch-apple, Clusia rosea.
Seven-year-apple is a sparsely-branched shrub of coastal areas in the Florida Keys. Leaves are deep green, glossy and are clustered at the tips of the branches. Female trees bear solitary flowers while males produce clusters of several flowers. The flowers resemble miniature, white frandipani flowers and are sweetly fragrant. Hummingbirds and sphinx moths visit the flowers for nectar.
Some fine examples of seven-year-apple can be found along the nature trail on Elliott Key in Biscayne National Park but, unfortunately, they tend to flower at the height of mosquito season in late spring and early summer. To truly appreciate this beautiful, small tree, plant several in your home landscape. Seven-year-apple is a fine, low maintenance, salt and drought-tolerant plant perfectly suited for a sunny location.

This blog entry was taken from Miami-Dade Parks Tropical Trails magazine Fall Edition 1994

 

Meet a Native: Poisonwood

Poisonwood

Metopium toxiferum

By Roger L. Hammer

Have you ever considered planting a poisonous tree in your yard? As odd as that may sound , don’t forget that the leaves of the oleander can kill you if eaten. And let’s not forget poinsettia, lantana, dieffenbachia, fishtail palm, oyster plant and other commonly cultivated poisonous plants. Mangos anyone?

Anyway, if you are a real native plant aficionado, I think poisonwood, Metopium toxiferum, is as worthy as any other native tree for landscaping in southern Florida. Mature trees are sturdy, and the small, mustard-colored fruit are attractive to birds, especially to the endangered white-crowned pigeons that gorge themselves and their nestlings on the fruit.

Yes, the tree is poisonous, and the clear sap, which turns black when exposed to air, can cause a blistering rash similar to the related poison-ivy, Toxicodendron radicans. Other relatives of poisonwood include Brazilian pepper, mango, pistachio and cashew. Its not that I would suggest placing a poisonwood right out in your yard as a focal point or specimen tree, unless you’re even weirder than I am. Poisonwood would, however, be perfectly suitable for inclusion in a hammock re-creation, since that is its typical habitat, especially in the hardwood forests of the Florida Keys. It also occurs naturally as an invader in pine rocklands where it is kept shrubby by fire.

The compound leaves of poisonwood closely resemble gumbo-limbo, but a key diagnostic feature is that the leaflet midrib (central vein) of poisonwood divides the leaflet equally, whereas the leaflet midrib of gumbo-limbo cants off to one side. Poisonwood produces 3, 5 or 7 leaflets (usually 5), and gumbo-limbo produces 3, 5,7, or 9 leaflets (usually 7).  Like Gumbo Limbo,  poisonwood can mature into a rather large tree, and a classic example is the National champion poisonwood in Brickell Hammock (Vizcaya) that was measured at 90 feet tall prior to Hurrican Andrew.

This is not a tree that you will find in your local Home Depot garden shop. The tree in my yard came from the Florida Keys Native Nursery at Mile Marker #89 on Key Largo. And if you think you have to be mentally deranged to plant a poisonwood as a landscape tree, let me tell you about the manchineel tree in my yard.

Roger Hammer is a naturalist with the Miami-Dade Park and Recreation Dept.

This blog entry was taken from Miami-Dade Parks – Tropical Trails magazine Vol. 23 No. 2