Weeping Fig 垂葉榕
Scientific Name 學名: Ficus benjamina
Basic Information 基本資料
Weeping Fig grows well along rivers, streams and woodlands with moist soil. In Hong Kong, Weeping Fig can be found in Victoria Park, Shatin Park and Kowloon Park.
Flowering: Sep - Nov
Fruiting Period: Sep - Nov
垂葉榕喜歡生長於河邊、溪邊和土壤較濕潤的木林中。在香港維多利亞公園、沙田公園及九龍公園都種植了不少的垂葉榕。
花期: 9月 - 11月
果期: 9月 - 11月
Special Features 特徵
Weeping Fig has an upright trunk. The crown is spreading while the branches extend and drop. Aerial roots are hanging down from the branches. The bark is smooth and the leaves are shiny and leathery. Leaves are in a wavy elliptical shape. The flowers are inside the inconspicuous figs. Ripened figs are red and they grow in ones or twos in the leaf axils.
垂葉榕樹幹挺直，樹冠廣闊而枝條向外展及向下垂，氣根從枝條上垂下來。樹皮光滑，葉片光澤及具革質，呈波浪狀橢圓形。花於果實內生長，成熟的無花果呈紅色，通常單生或成對腋生。
Interesting Facts 趣味知識
When its seeds are dropped on the other trees (such as branches or bark cracks), they grow into epiphytic bushes. Those trees will then turn to supporting trees. When the bushes grow, the roots will continuously encircle and envelop the branches and the trunk of the supporting tree. Eventually the supporting tree will lack nutrients and die as the conducting tissue is squeezed. Weeping Tree will then replace the supporting tree and become an independent tree at that place.
當垂葉榕的種子落在其他樹木上時（例如枝丫或樹皮裂隙），種子便會萌芽，這些樹亦會隨之成為垂葉榕的寄生樹。隨著垂葉榕不斷長大，它的根互相交纏融合，最後它的根和莖會把整棵寄主樹包住勒緊，寄主樹最終會因輸導組織被勒緊而缺乏營養致死。垂葉榕最後會完全佔據了寄主樹原有的位置，變成一棵獨立的樹。