The Ficus barteri, also known as the Indian laurel fig, is a species of fig that is native to India and Sri Lanka. It is a large tree that can reach heights of up to 60 feet tall, and it has dark green leaves that are oval in shape. The Ficus barteri is an evergreen tree that produces edible fruit, and it is used for medicinal purposes in traditional Ayurvedic medicine.
Plant Specifics
Origins: Ficus barteri is a species of fig tree native to tropical Africa, from Senegal and Gambia east to Sudan and Ethiopia, south to Angola, and west to Nigeria.
Common Names: Barter’s fig, African rock fig
Life Span: Ficus barteri is a long-lived tree, with some specimens known to be over 200 years old.
Families: Moraceae
Height: 65-98 ft
Width: 98-130 ft
Growth Rate: Fast
Leaves: The leaves of Ficus barteri are large, leathery, and oblong-elliptical in shape with a bluntly pointed tip. They are dark green and glossy on the upper surface, while the lower surface is paler with a network of veins. The margins of the leaves are entire (smooth).
Flowers: The flowers of Ficus barteri are small, greenish-yellow, and borne in groups of three to five on the leaf axils (the angle between the upper side of a leaf stalk and the stem).
Fruit: Ficus barteri fruits are small, fleshy, and orange-red when ripe. They are born singly or in pairs on the leaf axils.
Uses: Ficus barteri is grown as an ornamental plant. The fruits are edible and can be used in jams and jellies.
The leaves, fruit, and latex of Ficus barteri have been used traditionally for a variety of medicinal purposes. The latex has been used to treat wounds and skin diseases, while the leaves have been used to treat diarrhea and dysentery.
