Characteristics of Roxburgh Fig Tree (Ficus auriculata) in the Wild

Roxburgh Fig or Elephant Ear Fig (Ficus auriculata) is a member of the genus Ficus, which is native to subtropical and tropical Asia. This tree is known for its large, round leaves and edible fruit.

The native range of this species stretches from northeastern Pakistan to southern China and the Malay Peninsula. This species is found in the countries (and regions) of Assam, Bangladesh, Cambodia, southern China, the Eastern and Western Himalayas, Hainan, India, Laos, Malaya, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Thailand, Tibet, and Vietnam.

Ficus auriculata was first described by the Portuguese Botanist João de Loureiro (1717-1791), in Fl. Cochinch on page 666 in 1790.

The tree is commonly known as the Roxburgh Fig, named after the botanist William Roxburgh, who was appointed Superintendent of the Calcutta Botanical Garden by the East India Company in 1793. Experiments carried out on the fruiting Ficus auriculata trees in the Calcutta Botanical Garden by Superintendent George King and his colleagues at the Botanical Garden are described in King’s 1897 first detailed account of how dioecious figs are pollinated by fig wasps which breed on male fig trees and then fly to female fig trees to pollinate the female figs.

Ficus auriculata is also known as the Elephant Ear Fig, Elephant Ear Tree, and Giant Indian Fig, because of its leaves, and because auricle is the Latin word for ear, referring to the two ‘ears’ at the base of the heart-shaped leaves.

In China this tree is known as 大果榕, in Japan it is called オオバイチジク, and in Russia it is called Фикус ушковидный.
 

Characteristics of Roxburgh Fig Leaf

The leaves are large and round, up to 44 cm long and 45 cm wide, with a heart-shaped or rounded base, a pointed apex, and 5-7 main veins from the leaf base. The petiole is up to 15 cm long, and the stipules are about 2.5 cm long.
 

Characteristics of Roxburgh Fig Fruit

Ficus auriculata is dioecious, with male and female flowers produced on separate individuals. When ripe, the fruit changes from light yellow to purple. The fruit appears as large clusters on the trunk, branches, and also on the roots.

Ficus auriculata has an oblate syconium that is up to 4 cm wide and is covered with yellow pubescence.

The fruit extract contains many phenolic compounds.

Ceratosolen emarginatus is an insect that helps pollinate Ficus auriculata.
 

Characteristics of Roxburgh Fig Tree

This tree grows as a small tree 5-6 meters tall with many branches covered in hairs.

In its distribution area, Ficus auriculata grows in moist forests and valleys and is often found along riverbanks. This tree is the least resistant to fire but likes good sunlight.

Ficus auriculata is susceptible to attacks by Scale insects. This tree also has minor problems with galls, mealybugs, thrips, and spider mites.
 

Benefits of Roxburgh Fig

The fresh fruit of Ficus auriculata is consumed as food and has diuretic, laxative, and digestive-regulating properties.

Its large leaves are often used as plates.