Florida Strangler

Florida Strangler Overview

Ficus aurea is an evergreen perennial tree species from the Moraceae family. It is found growing naturally from southern Florida to the Caribbean and from Mexico to Central America. Leaves are variable in size and shape, often leathery and oval in shape, sometimes with heart-shaped bases, sometimes rounded. This plant produces non-showy enclosed flowers which are pollinated by specific wig wasps, leading onto pairs of fruits knwon as figs. They are coloured green during development and ripen to a yellow colour, measuring around 1cm across. Commonly known as the Florida Strangler, Golden Fig or Strangler Fig, these names refer to this plants golden fig fruits and scrambling habit, it climbs up other trees, often to their detriment.