Moreton Bay Fig - Ficus macrophylla - Care Guide
Ficus macrophylla! Often referred to as Moreton Bay Fig, this large evergreen banyan tree is native to eastern Australia. You'll find it growing in subtropical, warm temperate, and dry rainforests in the Wide Bay–Burnett region in central Queensland through to the Shoalhaven River on the New South Wales south coast. It grows massive roots as well as purple/green figs.
With its flavour varying depending on ripeness, the Moreton Bay Fig fruit is mildly sweet, less fleshy than commercial figs, and filled with tiny seeds. You can eat them raw on their own, but the figs will be better used in recipes!
You can expect this spectacular native tree to blossom with ripe figs all year round, although they are more abundant from February through to May.
Once the fruits have turned from green to purple with light spots, that's when they're ready for harvest. Waiting until this stage will guarantee the best taste!
Quick Care
| Botanical Name | Ficus macrophylla |
| Size Plant: | Seedling pot, min 20 cm tall |
| Frost Tolerance: |
Tolerant once established.
|
| Drought Tolerance: | Drought tolerant. |
| Soil Type: |
Moist, well-drained soil
|
| Sun: | Full-sun/Part-shade |
| Size: | 60m Tree. |
| Pots: | Does well in pots. |
| Feeding: | Feed a high-quality native plant food every 6 months. |
Planting
For best results, plant your Moreton Bay Fig in rich, moist, well-drained soil and place your plant in full sun. You can also grow in part shade for reasonable results. This dense, glossy tree can attain a height of up to 60m. It's the perfect fruit tree for shade.
Frost tolerance
Being a rainforest species, Moreton Bay Fig does not do well in frosty conditions. Only able to handle light frost initially, Moreton Bay Fig will become frost tolerant once established. If you live in a cooler climate like Melbourne keeping your plant well protected is super important, so we recommend offering it extra protection during winter.
Sunlight
This lovely species does well in full sun but it can thrive in part sun but with lower fruiting amounts.
Maintenance
Watering & Drought Tolerance
Moreton Bay Fig requires little watering, except during drought. During wintertime, you can hold back on watering but as the temperature increases ensure that you're keeping your plant watered if the surface soil is dry. When dry, it will wilt which is a good indication of when to water.
Fertilising your Moreton Bay Fig
If planted in a garden, Moreton Bay Fig does not require much fertiliser. We'd recommend applying compound fertiliser 2-3 times a year.
Harvesting
Harvesting should be done once the fruits have turned from green to purple with light spots, that's when they're ready for harvest. Waiting until this stage will guarantee the best taste!
Growing Moreton Bay Fig in pots
Moreton Bay Fig does well in pots. Make sure to water if the surface soil is dry and use a high-quality potting mix without fillers or additives and add your own plant food for the highest success.