Ficus macrophylla

Moreton Bay fig, Australian banyan
Moreton Bay fig achieves tremendous size over decades. Can be a big-leaf hedge or stunning container plant. Muscular veteran trees seen from San Francisco to San Diego. Tropical splendor.
height 25–90ft
width 20–120ft
tolerates Cool Summers, Fog, Heat, Pots
water
needs		 Moderate
water
info		 This tree should be watered deeply and regularly (when the top couple of inches of soil has dried). Usually this will mean once every week or two during dry weather. A few years after the tree has been planted, once it’s established, you can likely cut back to deep infrequent waterings. Use drippers, emitters a slow stream of water so that it doesn’t run off; allow the water to trickle all the way down through the deepest layers of soil.

Established trees may find their own source of subsurface moisture and become drought-tolerant, especially where summers are cooler.
hardy
to		 26F
exposure Full Shade – Full Sun
indoor
outdoor		 Outdoor
drainage In Ground: Cactus Mix, In Ground: Planting Mix, In Pots: Cactus Mix, In Pots: Potting Soil, Tolerates Sandy Soil
fertilizing All Purpose
origin E Australia
california
native		 No
sunset
zones		 16, 17, 21–H2

Sunset Zones Map

Outdoor Exposure Guide

Growing Notes

As with all aggressively rooting ficus, avoid planting near plumbing, sewer and septic systems. Plants in pots may send out roots into nearby cracks and soil.
We have seen this plant kept to a beautiful large hedge in a Pacific Heights garden in San Francisco.
This is the hardiest of banyan-type ficus species for California. Numerous trees in the Bay Area survived the notorious December, 1990, freeze.
Aerial roots shy to form where dry heat is the norm.

Special Interest

See massive old specimens at Santa Barbara’s train station, Balboa Park in San Diego, in the Palms area of Los Angeles, at San Mateo’s Central Park, and in San Francisco’s Lafayette Park and the Golden Gate Park Panhandle. Many beautiful old trees also grow in private gardens from Pacific Heights to Beverly Hills and La Jolla.

Tremendous buttress roots develop over many decades. Moreton Bay figs feature in the first Jurassic Park movie.

More Info

Forma columnaris, native to Lord Howe Island, produces many aerial roots and grows as a banyan tree in habitat.