- Reference
- Sp.Pl. [Linnaeus] 2:1059 (1753)
- Conservation Code
- Not threatened
- Naturalised Status
- Alien to Western Australia
- Name Status
- Current
Small tree, 1-10 m high. Fl. green, Nov to Dec or Jan. Peaty sand over limestone, loam. Along creeks.
Distribution
- IBRA Regions
- Jarrah Forest, Swan Coastal Plain, Warren.
- IBRA Subregions
- Dandaragan Plateau, Northern Jarrah Forest, Perth, Southern Jarrah Forest, Warren.
- IMCRA Regions
- Leeuwin-Naturaliste.
- Local Government Areas (LGAs)
- Armadale, Augusta Margaret River, Bayswater, Busselton, Chittering, Cockburn, Dardanup, Fremantle, Gingin, Harvey, Kalamunda, Melville, Mundaring, Nannup, Rockingham, Serpentine-Jarrahdale, Swan, Wanneroo.
Management Notes (for the Swan NRM Region)
General Biology. Growth form. Tree. Reproduction. Seed, stem fragments, suckering. Dispersal. Birds, mammals, water. Time to first flowering. five to ten years from seed, longer in shady sites. Vegetative regeneration strategy. Resprouts, produces root suckers, stem layering. Woody structure. Diffuse porous. Seedbank persistence. Possibly short, days-1 year. Fire response. May be able to resprout after fire.
Notes. Has a long lag time in the invasion process but once the correct conditions are met it can expand exponentially at a landscape scale. Eradication of small populations is therefore recommended. Requires the presence of a specific species of wasp for pollination and seed set. Deciduous in winter.
Additional information. Origin. Mediterranean region and Asia minor. History of use/introduction. Garden escape.
Suggested method of management and control. Hand remove seedlings. Stem inject with 50% glyphosate and foliar spray regrowth with 10% glyphosate. For stems less than 30 cm diametre apply 250 ml Access® in 15 L of diesel to basal 50 cm of trunk (basal bark). Read the manufacturers' labels and material safety data sheets before using herbicides. For further information consult the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority to determine the status of permits for your situation or state.
Management Calendar
| Calendar Type | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flowering | Y | Y | Y | ||||||||||
| Fruiting | Y | O | O | Y | |||||||||
| Germination | O | O | O | O | O | O | |||||||
| Dormant | Y | Y | Y | Y | |||||||||
| Optimum Treatment | Y | Y | O | O | Y |
Legend: Y = Yes, regularly, O = Occasionally, U = Uncertain, referred by others but not confirmed.
References
- Bossard, C.C., Randall, J.M. & Hoshovsky, M.C. eds. (2000) Invasive plants of California's wildlands. University of California Press, Berkley. Los Angeles. London.
- Brown, K. & Brooks, K. (2002) Bushland Weeds: A Practical Guide to their Management. Environmental Weeds Action Network, Greenwood.
- Department of Primary Industries (2008) Invasiveness Assessment - Fig tree (Ficus carica) in Victoria. Victorian Resources Online. Government of Victoria URL: http://www.dpi.vic.gov.au/dpi/vro/vrosite.nsf/pages/invasive_fig_tree - Accessed June 2008.
- Holmes, K.A., Greco, S.E. & Berry, A.M. (2014) Pattern and Process of Fig (Ficus carica) Invasion in a California Riparian Forest. Invasive Plant Science and Management, 7 (1): 46-58.
- Hussey, B.M.J., Keighery, G.J., Dodd, J., Lloyd, S.G. & Cousens, R.D. (2007) Western Weeds. A guide to the weeds of Western Australia. 2nd Edition. The Plant Protection Society of Western Australia, Victoria Park.
- Nadel H., Frank J.H. & Knight R.J.J. (1992) Escapees and accomplices; the naturalization of exotic ficus and their associated faunas in florida. Florida Entomologist, 75: 29-38.
- Navie, S. & Adkins, S. (2008) Environmental Weeds of Australia, An interactive identification and information resource for over 1000 invasive plants. Centre for Biological Information Technology, The University of Queensland.
- Richardson, F.J., Richardson, R.G. & Shepard, R.C.H. (2006) Weeds of the Southeast. An identification guide for Australia. R.G and F.G. Richardson, Meredith.
- Starr, F., Starr, S. & Loope, K. (2003) Ficus carica. Edible fig. Moraceae. United States Geological Survey, Biological Resources Division, Haleakala Field Station, Maui, Hawai'i. URL: http://www.hear.org/starr/hiplants/reports/pdf/ficus_carica.pdf - Accessed June 2009.