| Origins | Hainan, Guangxi, Yunnan and Sichuan Province. Also distributed in Southeast Asia. |
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| Meanings of names | As its name implies, the Mountain Fig is a species of fig tree that grows on the mountains. Its natural habitat consists of mountains or plains that are 100-2000 m above sea level. Both its Chinese name “Large-Green Tree (大青樹)” and English name “Lofty Fig” refer to its enormous size. The largest Mountain Fig in Hong Kong locates in Choi Hung Estate, Wong Tai Sin. It is listed under the Register of Old and Valuable Trees (HD WTS/1, https://ovt.greening.gov.hk/detail.aspx?id=783&m=13). With its Diameter at Breast Height (DBH) of 3 m, crown spread of 22 m and height of 15 m tall, this Mountain Fig is one of the giant trees in Hong Kong! |
| Difference with Chinese Banyan | The Mountain Fig has larger leaves with obvious veins and thicker, more sparsely arranged aerial roots than Chinese Banyan. When you encounter a Mountain Fig, you can observe their differences. |
| Applications | Both of the aerial roots of Mountain Fig and Chinese Banyan can be applied in Traditional Chinese Medicines to clear heat and toxins. Besides ornamenting the environment, as street trees, the Mountain Fig provides another environmental benefit – “adsorption of dust”. Scientific researches have revealed that fig trees including Mountain Fig, Chinese Banyan (Ficus microcarpa L. f.), Big-leaved Fig (Ficus virens Aiton), Weeping Fig (Ficus benjamina L.) and Opposite-leaved Fig (Ficus hispida L. f.) carries a degree of dust-retaining capacity so as to improve the roadside air quality. |
