Home » Fruit Tree » Characteristics of Ficus Green Island (Ficus microcarpa var. latifolia) in the Wild

Characteristics of Ficus Green Island (Ficus microcarpa var. latifolia) in the Wild

Published by: Admin on October 9, 2020
Categorized in: Fruit Tree

Ficus Green Island (Ficus microcarpa var. latifolia) is a species of tropical plants from the Moraceae family and has long been known as an ornamental tree.

The green island ficus tree is known to be beautiful because it has smaller, rounder leaves with simple roots. The tree is relatively easy to grow in warm and humid areas such as Indonesia.

In Florida and parts of South America, the green island ficus tree is highly valued because it is widely used as a potted ornamental plant, a yard ornamental tree, and even as a bonsai.

In cold climates, this tree has slow growth and cannot be more than 10 meters high.

In Indonesia, this tree is known as Beringin Dolar or Beringin Koin and is usually planted as a fence with a height of no more than 1-2 meters. That’s because growth is always managed by pruning. While in the international plant trade or English-speaking countries, this Green Island Ficus is often referred to as Ficus Coin, Leaves Round Ficus or Round Ficus.

Note: Green Island Ficus is not a species of Ficus retusa but many plant traders sell it under that name. The original Ficus retusa only grows in Indonesia and partly in Malaysia, so it will be difficult to find their native species outside of these two countries. To compare with a clear picture, please read the previous article on the Differences between Ficus retusa and Ficus microcarpa.

Green Island Ficus is a cultivar of the Ficus microcarpa species.

Characteristics of Green Island Ficus Leaf

The leaves are shiny and much smaller than the common banyan leaves. They are round or ovoid and grow densely.

Characteristics of Green Island Ficus Fruit

The fruit is a typical banyan berry, green when young and orange to red when ripe.

Characteristics of Green Island Ficus Tree

In tropical climates, this tree can grow to a height of 25-30 meters and a trunk diameter of 2-3 meters.

For green island ficus maintenance, it is recommended to plant it in soil that has high humidity and gets sunlight all day long.

When placed indoors, be sure to get plenty of light for 12-14 hours a day.

HOW TO CULTIVATE GREEN ISLAND FICUS TREE:

Green island ficus propagation can be done in several ways, namely seedling, root and shoot cuttings, and grafting (but cultivators rarely do it).

The banyan dollar root system propagates and spreads rapidly in all directions as well as banyan trees in general.

These roots can be cut and planted to grow new plants. The trick is to cut young roots, then immerse them in the root-stimulating hormone, then plant them in large pots or polybags.

Do not put it in a cool room without the sun, because the roots get moldy easily. It is enough to put a pot or polybag outside the partially sunlit house.

New shoots will appear in 1-2 weeks, and they can be transplanted into the ground directly or placed in full sun.