Plant
Ficus balete
Ficus baleteAlso known as Balete Tree
Ficus balete is a tropical fig tree that can develop spreading crowns, aerial roots, and a buttressed trunk in humid settings. Its enclosed inflorescences support a specialized fig-wasp pollination relationship and provide food for many forest animals.
Tropical FigAerial RootsWildlife Food Tree
—observations
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—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & preyPhotosynthesis; roots absorb water and mineral nutrients
Predators
- Scale insects
- Leaf-eating caterpillars
- Browsing mammals
ThreatsTree removal, forest fragmentation, loss of pollinating wasps, storms, and soil compaction
HabitatsHumid lowland forest, river margins, secondary woodland, parks, and old gardens
Life spanPotentially many decades to more than a century
Classification
- FamilyMoraceae
- SpeciesFicus balete
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Wild plants have look-alikes; do not eat or ingest figs or other material based on app identification.
Responsible observation
- Roots: Look for aerial roots descending from branches in humid sites.
- Canopy: Observe from outside the root zone to avoid compacting soil.
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